Westgate Vets tips for keeping pets safe in warm weather

With it looking like summer is finally making an appearance the following are some tips from the friendly experts at Westgate Veterinary Clinics in Laytown & Drogheda, to keep pets safe in the warmer days

Dogs find it difficult to cool down in hot weather. Brachycephalic (squashed face) breeds such as French Bull Dogs and Pugs are at a higher risk in hot weather of heat stroke and collapse. It is important to minimise the risk of heatstroke by following the guidelines:

Exercise your dog either early morning or late evening.

Keep your dogs’ hair brushed/ groomed to lighten the coat.

Be aware of how hot the ground is, if it is too hot for your bare feet then it is too hot for their paws.

Ensure there is plenty of access to fresh drinking water (adding some ice cubes to the water can help to cool down too)

NEVER leave your dog alone in a car for any length of time.

Ensure there is plenty of shade available and consider keeping your dog indoors between 12 and 3pm at the height of the sun.

A pet-friendly sun cream can be used on light coloured/ thin hair areas to protect against skin damage (tip of ears/ nose)

For cats:

Access to fresh water at all times.

Hair brushed to lighten the coat.

Plenty of shade available.

A pet-friendly sun cream can be applied to tips of ears and nose (this is particularly important with light coloured haired cats as they can be prone to skin cancer on the ears)

For Rabbits:

Provide shade over the hutch as they can act as a heat trap in the sun.

Access to plenty of fresh water

Keep their back end clean, rabbits are at risk of FLYSTRIKE during the hotter weather.

Myxomatosis can be spread by biting insects, therefore more prevalent in hotter months. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of this virus.

A pet-friendly sun cream can be applied to the tips of the ears in lighter coloured rabbits to protect against skin damage.