Hi peeps
Animals and this hot weather dont mix too well so i thought i would share with you a few things that i do to help keep my animals cool.
Shade - Make sure there's plenty of access to shady areas in your garden not just for your own pets but for any wild animals too.
Hutches - Make sure all caged animals have plenty of fresh cool water to drink. Freeze bottles of water and place them in the hutches (they love to lay on these to bring their temperature down). Place hutches in the shade.
Runs - if your animals are out in runs or pens lay a concrete slab or tile down in a shaded part of the run this will give them somewhere cool to lay.
Water - Keep bird baths topped up and bowls of water on the ground for any dogs or cats to drink. Make sure any watering cans you use are left empty. from my own experience a thirsty sparrow got in but could not get out and drowned 🙁
Cars - look out for people leaving dogs in there cars!! [:@]
Heatstroke can kill so look out for any signs; panting, sweating, exhaustion.. if these symptoms occur take them to the vet immediately.. if thats not possible.. bath them in cool to luke warm water ... or place a damp towl in the freezer and place this on them until their temperature is back to normal.
If anyone else has any ideas for animals to keep cool post them here [sm=hug.gif]
XF xx
RE: Animals and hot weather
Good advice XF!
RE: Animals and hot weather
In sunny weather, keep dogs of concret surfaces as the hot concrete can burn their pads.
Dogs can get sunstroke through their ears, like people, keep light coloured dogos and those with 'fair' skin out of the sun.
Cars get hot - like greenhouses- in cloudy weather, be as careful in hot cloudy weather as in hot sunny weather about keeping animals out of cars.
RE: Animals and hot weather
My cat Willow, who is VERY longhaired, loves having showers! .....BUT, I rarely do this, as I don't want to upset her skins natural state and generally wait till she’s sat in something smelly or muddy or if the weather is excruciatingly hot and I can see she can't find anywhere that is cool enough.
When she does get a shower, she looks like a little drowned rat, about a third of her usual size, and you can see how much cooler and more comfortable she feels. She sits there in the shower, I don't even need to hold her, and then after she's sorted herself out and her fur is dry, she usually goes outside and finds the biggest pile of leaves she can find and comes back in, very pleased with herself, looking like the most unloved dusty raggy cat ever!
Can I add to the list that any longhaired animals should be groomed regularly as they will be moulting like anything. Fur balls aren’t' fun and stress to your furry friends can be prevented by grooming.
[sm=cat.gif]
RE: Animals and hot weather
Hi Naivetys Star
I also have two long haired cats so i know where you are coming from. They are indoor cats though so they stay pretty clean 😀 good job too as they HATE water! we have put ceiling fans in their "play" room so they are always nice and cool...
Doogle - Thanks!
XF x
RE: Animals and hot weather
ORIGINAL: xmasfairy
we have put ceiling fans in their "play" room so they are always nice and cool...XF x
Hello xmasfairy!
I wish I we had a fan in our play room 😉
Love Nicky
x
RE: Animals and hot weather
Hi Nicky
We got our fan from Argos, i think it was around 17 pounds.. not sure.. They are great for the animals not only do they keep them nice and cool but it keeps them occupied for ages. They just sit there staring at it spinning round and around lol [sm=nuts.gif]
XF x
RE: Animals and hot weather
Thanks for all the tips XF 🙂