Protect pets before the heatwave: hot asphalt warning
A heatwave is forecast from June 19, and the old assumption that a full water bowl is enough is back. Vets warn about asphalt, parked cars and signs owners miss.
- Walking a dog in temperatures above 25 degrees can cause heatstroke, so vets advise going out early in the morning or late in the evening.
- Inside a parked car at just 22 degrees outside, the temperature can pass 47 degrees in under an hour.
- Dogs and cats sweat only through their paws, so shade, a cool surface and constant fresh water are essential.
- Once a dog's body temperature passes 41 degrees, its life is at risk and it needs a vet immediately.
Do you think it is enough to fill the bowl with water and let your dog out into the yard? It is not, and that is the mistake that most often ends at the vet in summer. The heatwave forecast from June 19 is a good reason to review what dog and cat owners usually miss, because heatstroke in animals does not look dramatic until it becomes dangerous.
Our advice is to think about the heat from the animal’s point of view, not your own. You sweat through your whole body. A dog and a cat cool themselves almost entirely through their paws and by panting. That means it is far harder for them to bring their temperature down than it is for us, so the risk rises quickly and quietly.
What do owners most often miss?
The first thing owners miss is the asphalt. The air may feel bearable, but the ground soaks up the sun and becomes far hotter. Hot asphalt burns the pads of a dog’s paws, and the damage often shows only in the evening, when the dog starts licking its paws or limping. A simple step before you set off: press your palm to the pavement for five seconds. If you cannot hold it comfortably, it is too hot for the dog too, so move the walk to early morning or late evening.
The second thing is the parked car. This sounds like something everyone already knows, yet it happens every year. At only 22 degrees outside, the inside of the car can pass 47 degrees in less than an hour. A cracked window does not change much. The rule is simple: never leave a pet in the car, not even for five minutes.
The third is a false sense of safety on the beach or in the yard. Staying under a parasol does not remove the risk of heatstroke, because warm air and heat reflected off the sand still gather around the animal. Shade helps, but it does not replace water, a cool surface and a break indoors.
Cats belong in this story too, even though we take them outside less often. They frequently curl up in the warmest spot in the flat because they like the heat, so give them a cooler room, tiles they can lie on and a water bowl away from a sun-facing window.
How do you spot heatstroke in time?
The signs appear in a sequence, so they are worth knowing step by step. First comes rapid, loud panting that does not stop even when the dog lies down. Then thick, sticky saliva and very red gums and tongue. The dog becomes restless, then unusually quiet and weak. In a more serious stage you see stumbling, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in the worst case, loss of consciousness.
If you notice these signs, move the pet into the shade at once and offer water, but not ice cold. Wet it with lukewarm to cool water on the belly, groin and paws, never with ice, because the sudden shock narrows the blood vessels and slows cooling. Once the body temperature passes 41 degrees, the animal is in real danger and you drive it to the vet while still cooling it, rather than waiting for it to recover on its own.
The best advice is still the simplest. Move walks to the cooler part of the day, keep fresh water in several places, and do not overestimate how much heat your pet can take. So which summer habits with your dog or cat are you planning to change before this heatwave?
