Best Ways to Keep Your Pet Cool During Summer
Pet-friendly season is fun for both pets and humans, but that warm weather is no joke when it comes to the risks to animals. Pets, who are difficult to regulate their body temperature like we humans, are more susceptible to heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heatstroke.
Keeping your pet cool and comfortable in the summer is very important to their health. This article will cover the following:
- The importance of summer pet cooling
- Signs of heat stress in pets
- Realistic tips for keeping your furry friend CHILLY
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Cooling Tips Tailored According To Pet Type
These simple but effective cooling methods can assist your pet in getting through the hot months safely and happily.
What That Matters for Keeping Pets Cool in Hot Weather
Without proper precautions, heat can be fatal for our pets, resulting in severe health difficulties. This is why it is essential to keep pets cool:
1. Prevents Heatstroke
Heatstroke is when the body temperature of an animal, dog or cat, gets too high, causing organ failure, and death.
2. Reduces Risk of Dehydration
Dehydration is where pets quickly lose fluids due to the heat leading to weakness, dry gums and loss of appetite.
3. Prevents Burned Paw Pads
The pavement and sand can heat up to a temperature that could burn your pet’s paws (with resultant painful blisters and injuries).
4. Ensures a peaceful and joyful atmosphere
Remember a happy pet is a cool and comfortable pet! So that they do not experience heat fatigue, thus they can remain playful and active.
Having seen the why behind cooling, let us then go on to how you can keep your pet safe.
Signs of Heat Stress in Pets
It's important to know the early symptoms of heat stress so that you can act quickly — before the conditions become life-threatening. Watch for these symptoms:
✔ Excessive panting
✔ Drooling or dry gums
✔ Lethargy and weakness
✔ Vomiting or diarrhea
✔ Disorientation or dizziness
✔ Red or pale gums
✔ Collapsing or unresponsiveness
Get your pet into a cooler area and give them water right away if they show any of these signs. Seek veterinary help immediately if the other symptoms worsen.
Best Tips to Keep Your Pet Cool This Summer
1. Always give them more clean, fresh water in the warm
✔ Keep pets hydrated to beat the heat.
✔ Provide clean and fresh water at all times.
✔ Place several water bowls in various destinations
✔ Ice cubes in their water to allow it to remain cold longer
✔ Get a pet water fountain to encourage drinking.
2. Build a Comfort Zone Out of the Heat
Your pet needs a place where they can escape the heat and find some comfort in the shade.
✔ Inside use Fans, Cooling Mats, or Air Conditioning.
✔ For outdoor use, provide a covered patio, umbrella or cooling tent.
✔ Have a moist towel or cooling pad for them to lay on.
✔ Don't stay under the direct sun for the long term.
3. Never, Ever Leave Your Dog Inside a Parked Car
Even with the windows down, a car can turn into a furnace in a matter of minutes.
✔ NEVER leave your pet in a vehicle for even 1 minute.
✔ If visiting from out of town, make sure to stay well-hydrated and stop periodically.
✔ If you see a pet, or any animal, left in a hot environment call for assistance.
4. Adjust Your Walking Schedule
This is essential … but avoid the hottest hours of the day (10 AM – 4 PM) when wanting to exercise.
✔ Walk in the early morning or late evening.
✔ Walk on shaded paths (note: the pavement can get too hot!!!)
✔ Check the pavement with your hand or foot — if it is too hot for you, it is too hot for your pet.
✔ Protect their paws from the heat with dog boots.
5. Offer Cooling Treats
Keeps your pet cool — The cool treat helps maintains the body temperature of your pet with refreshing paws.
✔ Frozen fruit snacks (watermelon or blueberries).
✔Low-sodium coconut water or yogurt ice
✔ Frozen treats from pet-safe store.
√ Frozen snack made with blended fruits and peanut butter.
Do not make the mistake of instantly pouring ice-cold water into overheated pets like ice; it can lead to shock.
6. Keep Indoors Cool and Comfortable
Cool yourself by keeping the inside of the house cool as well by closing blinds or curtains.
If your pet is indoors, maintain cool and ventilated surroundings.
✔ Create air circulation with fans and/or air conditioning and/or open windows.
✔Close up the curtains and blinds to bring down the indoor heat.
✔ Offer a soothing surface to lay on e.g. floor tiles or a cooling mat.
7. Use Cooling Accessories
Special cooling products for pets include:
♥️ Cool vests and bandanas that cool down in water.
✔ Cool mats and pads for a more refreshing sleep pad
✔ Mist fans,portables for an additional cooling level.
They are excellent for mixing with for outdoor activities and travelling.
8. Spice It Up with a Temperate Bath or Water Play
Baths and aquatic games serve to reduce the temperature of the organism of your pets.
✔ Bathe them in lukewarm water (not too cold) to reduce the temperature.
✔ Fill a kiddie pool full of water for dogs to get into!
✔ Lightly spray with a mister
If your pet is not a fan of water, spraying damp towels on their body can help.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Leaving pets outside in the intense heat — Always provide shade and water
❌ Making your exercises too intense during hot weather — Keep them quick and light.
❌ Once-offelevation shaving of thick-coated pets – Some hair helps to moderate body temperature and protect against sunburn.
❌ Forcing to drink – Let them drink in their own time.
❌ Not responding to initial signs of heatstroke – If your pet shows any signs of heat stress, you should act without delay.
These are the dos and donts need to be taken care of to keep your pet safe and comfortable.
Cooling Tips You Should Be Aware of For Various Different Types of Pets
Keeping pets cool will be different for each pet.
Dogs
🚶♂️ Walk during the day only before 10am and after 5pm (do not walk at midday)
🐾A cooling vest for dogs can also help with heat stress.
🐾 Provide an outdoor shaded area with a cooling pad.
Cats
You can entice him to drink by having a cat water fountain.
🐱 Wipe them down with a damp cloth.
🐱 Have a tile surface readily accessible for them to lay on.
Small Mammals (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, etc.)
Cage — Do not place their cage in sunlight
🐾 Provide a ceramic tile that can cool down inside their enclosure,
🐾 Provide high-water content fresh vegetables such as cucumber.
Birds
🐦 Please give shallow dish water for bathing.
🐦 Place their cage in a shaded and airy area.
🐦 Lightly mist their feathers with water.
When summertime heats up, all pets must remain cooled down (and equally cool) — and by tailoring these cooling techniques around your pet, you can ensure they stay safe and comfortable.
Conclusion
Your best friend (get it?) needs to keep cool during the sweltering summer months, just like you. Prevent heat-related illness by giving them shade, fresh water, cooling accessories, and altering their exercise routine.
The most important thing is to be observant with our furry friends and if the signs of heat stress come out, make sure to act as quickly as possible. As long as you take care to cool your pet, he can have a safe, delightful, and refreshing summer! ☀️🐾