Sun, Sea, Sand and Pets

As we sit and look out the window at the rain drizzling gently down and reflect upon yet another British Summer lets us remember that it is not only we humans who can be adversely affected by extreme temperatures in the summer but that our pets also need extra care and attention at this time.

As I keep reminding my son when he continually chases the family dog around the garden in the summer. Remember Elmo (the family Border collie / Labrador cross) cant take his fur off the way you do your T shirt.

For those disbelievers amongst us pets can also get sun burn and skin cancer.

There are some basic steps that you can take to reduce any incidences of discomfort amongst pets during the summer and they include the following:

Whenever you can, try and ensure that during hours of extreme heat particularly around midday that you keep cats indoors as much as possible. With regards to direct sunlight, try and ensure that you don't let the cat lie on the window sill in direct sunlight. Bear in mind that glass acts as a magnifier to sunlight and this could make what would otherwise be a gentle heat turn to a potential burn.

Wherever possible try and make a shaded part of your garden particularly attractive to your cat. Funnily enough or actually not funnily, other pets can be adversely affected by extreme sun as well. Any type of pet that has a white face or horses with pink noses suffer from sunburn too.

Dogs particularly suffer during hot weather as they de-hydrate much quicker than most other pets and as such need ample supplies of fresh cold war. Dogs need access to fresh water on a regular basis throughout the year but particularly during the warm summer months. If we think back to my first comments about Elmo the family Labrador, it is important to remember that all animals as well as humans perspire and sweat to lose heat.

Whereas we humans perspire and then change clothes, for obvious reasons it is not quite so easy with animals. In the case of dogs, their sweat glands are on the soles of their feet and with 90% off their body covered with fur they have to pant excessively and dribble to lose heat. You do not have to be a nuclear physicist to realize that as such they will need to replenish any lost bodily fluids regularly.

There are some novel ways of assisting your dog to keep cool during the summer, putting the odd ice cube in their water bowl is one good idea and draping a cold towel over them whenever possible is another. You can actually purchase specially designed and developed cool blankets which they can use as a bed and these help regulate a dogs body temperature.

Lastly one of the things you should always remember never ever to do and that is, never ever leave your dog unattended in a warm car during the summer. Hardly ever a year goes by without the press reporting some tragedy or another over a family pet dying from heat exposure due to being left in a car.