Wellbeing
Summer pet safety tips
The short answer
The biggest summer pet safety risks to dogs and cats are heatstroke, dehydration, sunburn, and unsafe swimming spots. Keep pets cool and hydrated, avoid the midday sun, never leave them in hot cars, and steer clear of water that could contain blue-green algae, which is toxic to pets.
Summer safety tips for dogs and cats
As the sun shines and the temperatures rise, it's no surprise you and your pets want to spend more time outside, but take care. The hot weather can cause all sorts of problems for your furry friends.
Here are our top 7 summer pet safety tips to keep your dog or cat happy and healthy in the hot weather, or on holiday abroad!
1. Keep your pet safe from heatstroke
One of the biggest risks to dogs and cats in hot weather is heatstroke. This can happen when their body temperature gets too high and they aren't able to cool themselves down.
Severe heatstroke can cause multiple organ failure and is potentially fatal. Learn how to spot the signs of heatstroke in Louisa the Vet's blog post.
To help prevent heatstroke, make sure your pet:
Always has access to clean water (and they’re drinking enough of it!)
Stays out of the sun when it's at its hottest, between 11am-3pm
Has shady spots or cool areas to rest (e.g. in front of a fan, or in an air-conditioned room).
has wet towels or cool mats to lie on
is never left in hot cars or warm, unventilated rooms like conservatories
If your pet gets too hot, you can also try pouring cool (not cold!) water on them, or stroking them with a damp cloth. Never use cold or iced water, as this can cause their body to go into shock. Using cold water also causes their blood vessels to constrict, which will just make them even warmer!
Want to learn more about how to prevent heatstroke in dogs, or preventing heatstroke in cats? You’ll find all the info you need in these blogs.
2. Prevent dehydration in dogs and cats
Dehydration is another risk to your pet's health on hot days. Dehydration can cause lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, and pain. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening condition that can cause multiple organ failure. It's considered a medical emergency, so call your vet for help if you think your pet is sick.
One of the most important pet summer safety tips is to make sure your dog or cat drinks plenty of water. Keeping your pet hydrated prevents both dehydration and heatstroke.
Your furry friend should always have access to a bowl of fresh water. In the summer months, it’s a good idea to put a few extra bowls down in different rooms. Many cats prefer to drink from running water, so you also could buy a water fountain for them.
If you're worried your pet isn't drinking enough, you can feed them wet food, which contains a lot of moisture and will help to keep them hydrated. You could make pet-safe ice lollies too for a cooling summery treat!
3. Protect your pet from sunburn
Despite their fur, dogs and cats can suffer from sunburn. Like humans, UV rays can damage your pet's skin and cause skin cancer. Hairless pets, pets with thin or pale fur, and pets with light-pigmented skin and noses are all more vulnerable to sunburn. Areas like your pet's nose, ears, and belly that have less fur are also prone to sunburn.
You can use a pet-safe suncream (which contains no zinc oxide or PABA) to cover their vulnerable areas and prevent damage to their skin.
You should also consider keeping your pet indoors when the sun is at its strongest (11am to 3pm in the UK). This will limit their exposure to harmful UV rays.
4. Supervise swimming
Although your cat isn't likely to go swimming, your dog’s water safety is key. UK lakes and ponds can conceal hidden dangers like strong currents and blue-green algae, which is toxic to our furry friends. To keep them safe:
Never let your pet swim unsupervised
Don't let them swim into deep water or strong currents
Don't let your dog drink seawater, and rinse them with fresh water after swimming in the sea
Never let your pet swim in, or drink from, water that could contain blue-green algae
Currents and rip tides are as dangerous to dogs as they are to humans! A good rule of thumb: if you wouldn't feel safe swimming in it, don't let your dog swim either.
Why can't dogs drink seawater?
Seawater is full of salt, so drinking it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration. Make sure you have plenty of fresh water for your dog to drink, and always rinse them off with fresh water after swimming in the sea.
What is blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is a type of bacteria that grows in still and slow-moving fresh water. It blooms in hot summer weather, releasing toxins that are poisonous to dogs and cats.
Blue-green algae poisoning can make your dog seriously ill very quickly (sometimes within just 15 minutes of contact) and can be fatal. Dogs don't even need to drink contaminated water to be at risk, as they can swallow the bacteria when licking it off their fur after a swim.
Don't let your pet swim in or drink from lakes and ponds that have:
Cloudy water with a blue, green or brown tint
Blue or green scum in or on the water
Foamy buildup at the water's edge
Clumps that look like seaweed
Green or brown flakes floating in the water
Look out for warning signs near lakes and ponds too, as local councils often post notices when blue-green algae has been reported.
What should I do if my dog touches blue-green algae?
If you think your dog has been in contact with blue-green algae, rinse them thoroughly with clean water straight away and call your vet immediately, even if they seem fine.
5. Be careful around BBQs
Everyone loves a BBQ, but it's important to check they don’t pose a risk to your pet. Make sure your dog or cat can't jump up near the BBQ and hot coals, as they could burn themselves. Keep sharp utensils and kebab skewers out of your pet's reach.
Wooden kebab skewers could splinter and injure your pet's mouth and throat if eaten, or the sharp end could pierce their gut. If the skewers perforate their intestine, it can cause a potentially life-threatening infection called peritonitis, and your dog or cat will require surgery to treat it.
A lot of the food we like to grill is either very unhealthy or toxic to animals (e.g. anything marinated in garlic or salt is toxic!) and alcohol is also poisonous to pets, so keep your drinks well out of reach.
Prevention is definitely better than the cure, so keep BBQ safety in mind. If your dog or cat eats something they shouldn't, it can cost around £1,200–2,000 to treat!
6. Be extra careful when travelling with pets
Never leave cats or dogs in hot cars. If you do need to travel with your pet, be extra careful.
Keep your pets secured in the car (it's a legal requirement!)
Keep the air conditioning on, especially if you've stopped in traffic
Take plenty of rest stops
Make sure your pet has access to drinking water, or stop to give them a drink regularly
Don't let your pet hang out the window
Never leave your pets alone in cars
7. Be prepared on holiday
There's a lot to remember if you're going on a summer holiday with your pet in tow.
If you decide to take your pet with you on holiday, make sure their vaccinations are up-to-date and that you can provide a health certificate (if you're going abroad). It's a good opportunity to check your pet's microchip details are correct too.
It's also worth checking whether your pet insurance covers your pet if you travel with them. Napo pet insurance provides lifetime cover for dogs and cats, including EU pet travel insurance to cover the cost of emergency treatment (up to £500-£2,000 depending on your policy cover limit) if your pet has to visit the vet in the EU.
Or to give you another example, if your pet went missing, we could help pay for accommodation and travel arrangements so you can focus on finding them. Terms and conditions apply, so please check your policy document for more information.
Wherever you go this summer and whatever you get up to, following these pet summer safety tips will mean your furry friends can stay happy and healthy in the hot weather.
Sources
Heatstroke in pets: Royal Veterinary College