It seems that each year climate change is becoming more and more real, with hotter and sunnier summers. These heatwaves have brought people in near distress, as water restrictions are being implemented and people more adamant about using their sunscreen. With everyone in a hooplah about the weather’s effects, the way it’s been affecting animals has been overlooked. I’m by no means complaining about this prolonged sunshine and warmth, but I wanted to make everyone aware of the severity of heat stroke in animals.

Whether or not you live somewhere in which the weather is getting increasingly warmer, I think it’s important for any pet owner (or animal caretaker in general) to be aware of how high temperatures, or sudden increases in temperatures, can lead to an animal’s death. So first let’s go over what heat stroke entails:

MSD Manual defines heatstroke as “hyperthermia accompanied by a systemic inflammatory response causing multiple organ dysfunction and often death.”

Signs of heat stroke in animals includes vomiting, drooling, rapid panting, distress, loss of coordination, collapse, and unconsciousness. They are also likely to feel hot upon touch. This is an emergency, so any animal exhibiting signs of heat stroke need to see a vet immediately.

There are higher risks of heat stroke in some animals, such as brachiocephalic breeds. However, ANY animal, ANY breed, is susceptible to heat stroke. Though it is most commonly seen during hotter seasons such as spring and summer, it can happen at any time of the year. For example, an animal can overheat after strenuous exercise. Basically anything which increases an animal’s body temperature to an excess, with the inability to cool down to normal temperature, can lead to heat stroke and even death.

Now that you know what heat stroke is and how it can be caused, let’s go over some preventative measures. (Since this is directed to anyone who owns animals, I won’t always be using the term “pets”.)

1. WATER WATER WATER

This is in caps for a reason, people. I know it may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t actually provide a constant supply of water for their animals and are surprised when they overheat. Providing your animal with adequate water is ESSENTIAL. Don’t you get frickin’ thirsty when it’s hot out? Well so do animals!!! (Sorry to get heated, but I’m amazed at how oblivious some people are). Anyways, animals need water to survive, stay hydrated and stay cool just as we do. So please make sure they always have access to water throughout the day. This could mean you constantly need to refill their water or maybe provide multiple different drinking locations.

2. Water Supply

Don’t worry, I’m not repeating myself here. What I mean is what is the water actually held in? A bowl, a trough, a running tap? What material is it made of? I ask this because it’s easy to just leave a metal bowl of water out, but we need to remember how quickly that water will heat up. Now I don’t think animals are actually that picky when it comes to drinking water. I do think they may be less inclined to drink water that is hot, though if they’re dehydrated I’m sure they would still drink it. BUT, I think this is important to consider in terms of how quickly an animal will cool down from drinking water. I mean we all hate drinking out of that water bottle once it’s been in the car all day, am I right? It gets ya hydrated, but how refreshed do we really feel after drinking it?

Now don’t go throwing all your metal bowls out, just keep this in mind as you keep your animal hydrated. Try and place the bowl/trough in an area which receives the most shade, or where a breeze is likely to go by. With dogs, you can also try adding ice every hour or so to cool down the water (and keep them entertained).

3. Shelter

I think we can all agree that when it’s hot out the last thing we want to do is stand out in the direct sun for hours (unless we’re by the ocean or sunbathing). And, you guessed it, animals don’t want to either! So please make sure that if you leave your animals outside while you’re gone all day that they have some sort of shelter which is ventilated and cool. Shade counts to

o, but make sure that as the sun moves during the day, there is still an area of shade somewhere for the animal. It’s been so hard for me over the weeks to see herds of animals on pastures, without any source of shade. This is literally a formula for heat stroke, so please make sure your animals have a cool place to retreat if they must be kept outside all day. And if they’re inside, don’t be afraid to utilize fans to keep them cool. Animals can overheat inside too!

4. Summer Cuts

This is a simple enough task, unless you got loads of sheep to shear. But pretty much any pet can be taken to the groomer for a summer cut as the weather starts to warm up. They’ll definitely stay a hundred times cooler without the extra winter coat! For farm animals, the same can apply. You can spray water on them and/or keep long coats sheared/trimmed.

5. The Car Problem

A majority of the heat stroke cases seen in small animals is due to a pet being kept in the car with little to no ventilation. I recommend not taking your pets with you in the car when temperatures are high, unless you plan to take them with you when you leave. If they must be left in the car, then make sure it’s a quick stop and they’re not left for more than a couple of minutes. Remember that even if windows are rolled down, your pet has fur and will get hot quicker. Plus, dogs can’t sweat, which is why they pant. And panting is not as effective in cooling dogs down as sweating would be for humans. I’ll refer back to you, again – if you were sitting in a car on a hot summer day, how long could you sit there, windows rolled down an inch? Don’t leave an animal in the car as long as that.

6. Evening Walks

As I mentioned before, heat stroke can occur after strenuous exercise. Thus mixing activity with heat increases the chances of heat stroke greatly. When temperatures are higher, make sure animals are exercised earlier in the mornings or in the evenings when it’s cooler out. You may even have to shorten activity time for your animals when these times of day can still be warm. Also keep in mind that certain terrain and cement can get very hot on your animals’ paw pads (ie. black top). So be sure any exercise is on terrain which won’t burn their feet. Along with panting, dogs also thermoregulate through their paws, so if the ground is hot, they won’t be able to cool down as quickly!

Though this doesn’t correlate to heat stroke, it’s good to keep an eye out for fleas, ticks & flies during the hotter seasons. Recently it seems owners have not been prepared for such heavy burdens of these pesky bugs. And each of them can transmit disease to your animals which can also result in infections!

So there you have it. The dangers of this heat and ways to keep your animals cool & safe this summer. I expect y’all to be experts on this now 😉

I hope you can remember and utilize this advice as you care for your animals during this heat wave! The main point to keep in mind: If it’s too hot for you, then it’s even hotter for your animals!