Seasonal care
Hot Weather Safety for Pets
Heatstroke kills quickly and is entirely preventable. Recognising the early signs and acting fast.
Who is most at risk
Flat-faced breeds, overweight animals, thick-coated northern breeds, very young and very old animals, and any animal with heart or airway disease. Rabbits and guinea pigs suffer badly above 25°C and chinchillas above 22°C.
Emergency warning signs
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If you see these signs, start cooling and phone a vet immediately.
- Frantic, noisy or distressed panting
- Bright red or very pale gums
- Drooling thick saliva
- Wobbliness, collapse or confusion
- Vomiting or diarrhoea, sometimes bloody
What to do right now
Move the animal to shade, pour or spray cool — not ice-cold — water over the whole body, keep air moving over the wet coat, and offer small drinks if the animal is conscious. Transport to a vet while cooling continues.
Current veterinary evidence supports active cooling before and during transport. An animal that appears to recover still needs urgent assessment, because internal organ damage may already have occurred.
Prevention
Walk dogs at dawn and dusk and test the pavement with the back of your hand for seven seconds. Provide shade, frozen water bottles wrapped in towels for small mammals, cool tiled floors and multiple water sources.