Tips & Tricks for Hot Days

Reading time: approx. 8 min.
As beautiful as summer is, the heat often takes a toll not only on people but also on our four-legged friends. We’ve summarized a few points for you here: 

Tips for Dogs in Hot Weather:

-Always provide plenty of drinking water, even when you’re on the go or planning a long car ride. Our “Travel Bowls” are perfect for this. 

-Large meals are harder for dogs to digest in hot weather. It’s better to offer several smaller meals. 

-Avoid strenuous exercise, such as running alongside a bicycle, in extreme heat. 

-For some dogs, trimming their coat can provide relief. Please be careful not to trim the coat too short, as it also serves as protection. 

-Walks should take place during the cooler morning and evening hours. 

-Hot surfaces: The sun can make the asphalt very hot, so dogs can burn their paws. Dirt paths and meadows protect their paws. To care for their stressed paws, the “Sonnenmoor Paw Balm” is ideal.
 
-Shady spots indoors and outdoors protect our four-legged friends from direct sunlight. 

-Cooling mats: The cooling gel material inside the mat is activated by pressure and therefore works without electricity or water. 
                      You can find cooling mats in various sizes here.

Under no circumstances should you leave your dog in the car, not even “just for a moment”! 

Even in a very short time (3–5 minutes), the car heats up and the dog can suffer from heatstroke.

The first signs of this are: Heavy panting, lethargy, staggering, vomiting, glassy eyes, and a dark tongue. 

First aid measures: The dog must be moved into the shade immediately. The dog’s body should be cooled with lukewarm or slightly cool water. Start cooling the hind paws and limbs, then slowly move on to the lower abdomen and lumbar region, and finally to the neck. Moist, cool towels that are changed frequently work well. The drinking water should not be ice-cold either. Afterward, the animal must be taken to the veterinarian immediately! 

Heat Tips for Cats:

Although our house cats are descendants of steppe dwellers and, as we already know, carnivores that meet their fluid needs through their diet, high temperatures can still take a toll on them. Cats take advantage of the cooling effect of evaporation: By grooming themselves particularly intensively in the summer, they moisten their fur with saliva. They also try to avoid any unnecessary movement. When it’s really hot outside, the animals become lethargic and move around significantly less. 

-Outdoor cats will seek out shady, cool spots on their own. 

-For indoor cats, please make sure there are plenty of shaded spots available. 

-On hot days, many indoor cats like to retreat to the bathroom or other rooms with cool floor tiles. Please do not lock these doors so that your cat has access to such a place. 

-Cats are generally “lazier” about drinking than dogs. To encourage your cat to drink, you can add a splash of cream, tuna juice, or unsalted chicken broth to its water. You can also set out several water bowls or a drinking fountain. 

-Cats also eat less than usual in the heat. Please make sure that raw meat or wet food isn’t left out for too long. Several smaller meals a day are recommended. 

-Be careful with fans: Please make sure your cat can’t hurt itself and isn’t exposed to a direct draft. This can lead to conjunctivitis or a cold. 

-Be careful with tilted windows: Tilted windows should always be secured with a tilt-window guard, and open windows with special screen inserts. 

-Cats, like humans, can get sunburned. Light-colored or white cats, as well as cats with short or no fur (Sphynx, Devon Rex), are particularly at risk. 

The first signs of overheating are: panting, restless behavior, a body temperature above 40 degrees, dark red gums, shortness of breath, vomiting, lethargy, loss of consciousness, and seizures. 

If your cat shows these symptoms, the same first aid measures apply as for dogs, and of course, take them to the vet as soon as possible. 

The entire Dr. Ziegler team wishes you a sunny, relaxing start to the summer—and don’t forget, we two-legged friends should also drink at least 3 liters of fluids daily. Water is best, of course 😊