SIZZLE ALERT Keep animals safe from heat
PETS love summer as much as we do – but heat can be fatal.
When temperatures soar, cats, dogs, rabbits, horses and even fish can suffer so it’s vital we help them keep cool.
Follow these seven tips to make sure your animals are not in danger. Pets can boil alive, the same in conservatories, caravans and outhouses.
Jonathan Theobald, 67, lost his three dogs after leaving them for four hours in a car. He got a suspended sentence, £1,900 fine and ten-year pet ban.
Now fronting the RSPCA heat campaign, he says: “Weather can change quickly. A car can become lethal.” If your pet has white fur, use pet friendly sunscreen with no chemicals. Horses can easily get burnt noses. Try Petkin sun mist spray and wipes. If you’re out and about, carry a bottle and bowl. When travelling, Dr Roger Mugford, of the Company of Animals, OUR vet Brian Faulkner, from Petplan, has 16 years of experience and is a freelance working all over the country. Send your questions to Brian at: Petplan, Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via Petplan’s Facebook page facebook.com/ PetplanUK. says keep towels and five litres of water in your car. He adds: “In an emergency, wet the towel and slip it over the dog.” Hot tarmac can burn paw pads, so walk dogs early or late, when it’s cool. The Rosewood Chillax Cool Pad stays cool for up to four hours for pets to lie on. Rivers and streams can be tempting but make sure your dog can swim. A home paddling pool is safer. Don’t let them drink from ponds or puddles. Fish get hot too, so keep them out of sunlight. Make sure hutches for bunnies and guinea pigs are in shade.
Richard Saunders, of the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, says: “Freeze pop bottles of water and put one in the path of a fan as air conditioning.” Freeze your dog’s Kong toy with a tasty filling, make a pet friendly ice lolly or treat horses to an ice lick. The RSPCA’s Vix Ford says: “Water bobbing with fruit and veg cools horses down.” AFTER my cat was neutered I noticed blood and mucus in her stools. The vet emptied her glands but it is still happening. What could be going on?