High temperatures can be unpleasant or even dangerous for animals of all kinds.

With that in mind, here are a few ways you can help animals – from feathered to furry – when temperatures increase.

Heatwave tips for cats and dogs

Our cat and dog companions can find it more difficult to regulate their body temperature when it gets hot, so you can help by ensuring they always have access to fresh drinking water and shade from the sun.

You can also add ice cubes to their drinking bowls or if you have a garden, you may want to set up a dog-friendly paddling pool. Consider giving them some frozen treats – many dogs love a frozen carrot or some icy apple, for example! Alternatively, you can whip up a batch of ice lollies for cats or dogs using their favourite freezable foods.

Cats and dogs cannot sweat like we do, instead most of the heat from their body is released through their ears, paw pads or tongue.

Keep them well-groomed to remove excess fur.

Walking dogs in hot weather

In hot weather, make sure to walk dogs early in the morning or late in the day when the sun isn’t as strong and stick to shady areas and grass. Carry water with you to keep your dog hydrated and let them have a paddle in the river or sea if it’s safe to do so.

Once the temperature reaches 20°C/68°F or above, be careful as dogs are at risk of getting heatstroke on walks, especially if they suffer from underlying conditions such as breathing difficulties. If temperatures hit the mid 20s/70s or above, then extreme caution should be taken.

You may need to walk your dog less frequently when hot weather hits. Missing an occasional walk won’t do any harm – but walking them in dangerously high temperatures could be fatal. If ever you’re unsure, it’s best to lean on the side of caution.

Even once it cools down in the evening, the pavement could still be too hot for your dog’s sensitive paws. Therefore, we recommend doing the pavement test to make sure the ground is suitable before going on a walk.

To do a pavement test, hold the back of your hand to the pavement for seven seconds. If you cannot keep your hand there for the full seven seconds because the surface is too hot, then it’s too hot for a dog’s paws. Keep them inside until it cools down.

Animals in hot cars

Never leave animals alone in a parked car, not even for a minute! Even with the windows open, the inside of a car can become as hot as an oven very quickly. Animals can suffer irreversible organ damage or die in hot cars.

Even if it doesn’t seem like a particularly hot day to you, remember that our animal friends often have fur coats that they can’t take off, and they can overheat quickly.

If you’re planning on going to the shops or nipping out of your car for whatever reason, leave your animal friends at home.

If you see an animal in a car who appears to be overheating, call the police immediately.

Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, hamsters and other small animals

Our smaller animal friends can overheat very quickly! Particularly if they are kept in wooden sheds or hutches, which will get hot very rapidly on sunny days.

If you would normally keep small animals outside, we recommend bringing them inside your home during hot spells to keep them safe from the heat.

Depending on their size and how much fur they have, any temperature above 20°C/68°F could be dangerous for them.

You can help to keep them cool by limiting their bedding – less hay, sawdust or newspaper – or try freezing their favourite treats. A small amount of frozen fruit or veggies is a great source of water as well as providing cooling enrichment for them.

You can also try putting a ceramic plate in the fridge or freezer for them to lay on and cool down. If you decide to do this, make sure to place it on the floor of their enclosure, not a shelf or high surface as this could be dangerous.

As with cats and dogs, during a heatwave, your small animal friends will be drinking more water. We recommend putting ice cubes in their water bottle or even trying a water bowl as well.

It is wise to give small animals more than one source of water and keep it regularly topped up, particularly during hot periods.

You can also try covering part of their enclosure with a damp towel or freezing a water bottle, wrapping it in a towel and placing it in their enclosure for them to lay next to when they’re feeling hot.

Rabbits release heat through their ears – therefore, gently dabbing their ears with a damp cloth or with your hand is an effective way of cooling them down quickly.

Signs of heatstroke in animals

Symptoms of heatstroke will vary depending on the species of the animal, but some of the most common symptoms include:

• Heavy breathing or panting
• Excessive thirst
• Salivating
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Seizures
• Falling unconscious
• Confusion
• Lack of coordination
• A red tongue or ears
• Lethargy

If you think an animal in your care is experiencing heatstroke, you must act quickly.

Move them to a colder area in your home, apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, chest and neck, run slightly cool (not cold) water over them, let them drink small amounts of cool water and take them directly to a vet.

Acting fast could save their life so do not hesitate if you find yourself in this situation!

Wildlife

Wild animals will really appreciate a helping hand in a heatwave.

If you have a garden, driveway or any outside space available, try putting a water bowl down to aid thirsty animals like hedgehogs, foxes or birds, and be sure to add stones and pebbles to the bowl to help any exhausted animals who may need to climb out.

It’s important to keep the water refreshed and topped up regularly as well.

As animals come in all shapes and sizes, they won’t all be able to drink out of the same-sized dish.

We recommend placing different sized bowls in your outdoor space to accommodate as many animals as possible. Larger animals will prefer deeper dishes and smaller animals will need to drink from shallow dishes.

Varying the size and placement of the bowls will likely bring a larger volume of animals into your outdoor space – you may even see a wild animal that you’ve never laid eyes on before!