How To Avoid Heat Stroke From Happening To Your Pets

When temperature levels in the environment increase, pets are more likely to suffer from heat stroke. Heat stroke is a buildup of heat to dangerous levels in the pet’s body. This happens in the presence of an increase in temperature. 

Generally, pets are more susceptible to heat strokes due to the lack of sweat glands all over their body, like humans – dogs and cats only have sweat glands in their paws and on their noses. 

Heat strokes can demobilize pets, cause adverse health conditions, and may result in death. With such hard possibilities in view, pet owners have to adopt some of the following ways to avoid their pets experiencing heat strokes. 

Thus, here’s how to avoid heat strokes from happening to your pets:

 

Consult With The Vet Ahead of The Summer Months

 

As the summer months approach, it’s important to schedule a visit with the vet. During such visits, vets will conduct comprehensive checks on your pet. The purpose of these checks is to make sure your pet’s health status is ready for the tough summer months.

After such checks, the appropriate medications, vaccines, and treatment procedures will be administered to the pet. When necessary, vets will also prescribe other medications for your pet. You can buy such drugs in local veterinary pharmacies or more online via reputable websites, such as pethonesty.com.

These visits are also an opportunity to discuss with your vet more precautionary measures to adopt against heat strokes in the summer months. You could also find out first aid procedures to administer in the event of such occurrences.

 

Ensure Your Pet is Well Hydrated

 

Dehydration is a state where the pet loses a considerable amount of water but isn’t getting a similar amount back into the body. Heat strokes and dehydration are two conditions that are well associated together. 

Dehydration can lead to heat strokes, and if a pet is already struggling with heat stroke, it’s more likely that they’ll also get dehydrated. Dehydration is often aided by the fact that there’s excess heat in the environment.

A dehydrated pet would exhibit increased thirst, fatigue, sunken eyes, dry gums, and, sometimes, an eventual collapse. To prevent the occurrence of dehydration in your pet, you should ensure that water is available at all times in their water bowls. These should be available both on the playground and in their houses. 

 

Adopt Weather Suitable Exercises or Playtime for Your Pets

 

Pet owners should also beware of exercise-induced heat strokes. Although the need to continually exercise your pet is important for their health, even in the summer months, adopting the wrong method of exercise might cause more harm than good. For example, high levels of exercise under the hot sun and playtime on heat reflective surfaces can cause possible heat strokes. 

Instead, during hot weather, these tricks will help your pet exercise in safe conditions: 

• Pets should be allowed to play indoors or exercise less frequently.
• Pet owners should ensure to place no-spill water bowls out for their pets when exercising under the sun. The water can be kept cool for longer periods with ice cubes.
• Kiddie pools and water bath games are games worth considering for your pets during hot weather.
• Pets can be exercised early in the morning and later in the evening in highly increased temperatures.
• Don’t allow your pets to rest on pavements and in the sand during the summer.

 

 

House Your Pets In A Well Ventilated Space At All Times

 

 

One of the coping mechanisms of pets is panting. In addition to panting, pets rely significantly on having a cool atmosphere in the environment. These reasons are why pet homes should be well ventilated, shaded, and be able to produce a cool atmosphere even under a hot sun.

Proper airflow can easily enable dogs and cats to pant effectively, while smaller pets can breathe easily. The majority of pet owners are advised to have a compromise on kernel or pet house design that allows maximum airflow, ensuring a prolonged life in your pets. 

 

Never Leave Your Pet in the car

 

Some pet owners love their pets accompanying them outside the home. In any of such instances, it’s important to take your pets with you everywhere and not leave them in the car. Regardless of how brief your exit from the car may be, your pet should never be left in the car, especially in hot weather.

The reason to completely avoid leaving your pet in your car is that cars can be an aid to a heat buildup. Heat buildups in cars are very unprecedented and are worse in cars with heat absorbent colors, like black. If pet owners are concerned about the permittance of a pet in place they’re visiting, the pet can be kept outside in a shaded area on a leash.

 

Smaller Pets Should Be Appropriately Moved In Hot Weathers

 

Small pets, such as fish, parrots, ferrets, rabbits, rats, and birds are kept in small containers and cages around the house. These cages are either left outside the home or placed in a light receptive area most times to accentuate the beauty of the home. 

However, the effectiveness of such placements on a hot sunny day greatly reduces as pets are exposed to the harsh weather and may suffer heat strokes. In such instances, pet owners can temporarily shift their pets’ position to a shaded and cool area of the home. 

When the hot summers are over, the pets can return to the beauty adding positions.

 

Be Aware of Symptoms of Heat Stroke

 

Having taken all precautions, it’s still important to take note of the symptoms of heat strokes in your pet. Symptoms to look out for in your pet are the following:

• Increased panting
• Drooling and salivation
• Collapse or signs of weakness
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty in breathing
• Increased anxiety amongst others

Whenever pet owners notice any of these symptoms, they need to administer some form of first aid. After this, they should place a call to their vet doctors or take the pets physically to the vet.

Conclusion:

Pet care should be a holistic practice for all pet owners. This includes watching out for the signs of heat-induced illnesses, such as heat stroke. 

The prevention of heat stroke is achievable when you visit with a vet doctor before the summers. Appropriately designed homes for pets should be installed and properly positioned in cool parts of the home. Adoption of weather suitable exercises is also a great means of avoiding heatstroke in pets.