How to keep pets safe in a heatwave
Animals overheat faster than people and cannot tell you when it is too much. What to provide, what to avoid, and when to call a vet.
Pets overheat faster than people. They cannot tell you in words when it is too much, and several of the species we live with are poorly equipped for heat in the first place.
Dogs cannot sweat through their skin, so they rely almost entirely on panting. Flat-faced breeds such as bulldogs, pugs, and Persian cats move air far less efficiently and are at much higher risk. Rabbits, guinea pigs, and small caged animals are extremely vulnerable and often kept in exactly the wrong spot: a hutch or cage in a sunny corner of a room.
The pet care checklist
- Keep fresh water and shade available at all times, and put out more than one bowl in case one is knocked over while you are out
- Let them rest on cool tile or stone floors. Move a bed off carpet and give them access to the coolest room in the flat
- Never leave animals in a car, even for a few minutes and even with a window cracked. Interiors reach lethal temperatures within minutes
- Walk dogs early or late, not in the middle of the day
- Test the pavement with the back of your hand. If you cannot hold it there for five seconds, it will burn paws
- Move cages and hutches out of direct sun and away from windows and conservatories
Cooling an animal safely
Damp towels, a shallow tray of water for a dog to stand in, and a fan they can move away from all help. Frozen water bottles wrapped in a towel work well for rabbits and guinea pigs.
Two things to avoid: do not force an animal into cold water, and do not aim a fan directly at a caged animal that cannot move out of the draught. Give them the option to approach or retreat from anything you set up.
Cats will usually find the coolest surface in the home by themselves. The useful thing you can do is make sure the good spots are reachable, and that a cat shut in a hot room by a closed door is not a possibility while you are out.
When to call a vet
Call if you see:
- Heavy panting that does not settle after moving to a cool place
- Drooling that is thicker or heavier than usual
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Unsteadiness, stumbling, or a distant, unresponsive look
- Bright red or very pale gums
- Collapse
Heatstroke in animals progresses fast and is a genuine emergency. Move them somewhere cool, wet their coat with cool, not ice-cold, water, offer a drink if they are alert enough, and phone the vet on the way rather than waiting to see whether it improves.
Small animals and birds
Rabbits and guinea pigs suffer badly above roughly 25 °C and can deteriorate quickly. Birds need shade and a shallow water dish, and their cages should never be near glass. If your home has one room that stays significantly cooler, that is where they should spend the hot days, which is one more reason to know how your home’s ventilation actually behaves.