Heat hazard for dogs and cats: this helps your four-legged friends

The heat in summer can quickly become dangerous for our four-legged friends.

How can the summer be made pleasant for dogs and cats?

Summer is here and according to the forecasts of the weather experts there should be a real hot summer this year *.

But the high temperatures in summer are sometimes downright uncomfortable not only for us humans, but also for animals.

In addition, heat can quickly become dangerous for our four-legged friends.

* echo24.de

reveals what you should pay attention to in summer and how the

hot

summer can be made as pleasant as possible for your four-legged

friends

.

According to the organization

Vier Pfoten

, dog owners must observe two principles in particular: Dogs must always have access to their water bowl in summer and a shady retreat is important, be it in the basement or in the kitchen, as the

German Press Agency (dpa) reports

. Shade should also be made in the garden or on the balcony. Dogs don't sweat like humans do, so there is a faster risk of overheating. The same goes for cats.

The daily amount of water that is appropriate for dogs and cats depends on the breed.

One thing is certain: if the dog or cat is mainly given dry food, it should drink more.

Because in contrast to wet food, no liquid is absorbed here.

Basically enough water should simply be available at all times so that the animals can help themselves.

Dangerous heat for dogs and cats: this should be considered in summer

Cats that are outdoors should be kept indoors during the day when temperatures are high and only allowed out in the evening or at night when the sun is no longer shining and it has cooled down a bit.

The same goes for walking the dog: in summer, the best time to go for a walk is early in the morning or in the evening.

Overheated asphalt, in particular, can cause burn blisters or puffy skin in dogs and cats.

To check whether the asphalt is too hot, Vier Pfoten recommends using the seven-second rule: Dog owners should place the back of their hand on the asphalt for seven seconds.

If it is too hot for the human hand, then the heat is too high for the dog.

If there is no other way, a daytime walk on the grass or in a meadow is an option.

Hot summer with pets: this is how you can cool off your four-legged friends

In addition, so-called cooling mats, the gel of which is cooler than the environment, can provide the four-legged friends with the necessary refreshment.

Because especially older dogs find it more difficult to regulate their own body temperature adequately in summer.

If you have a garden, you can also put your dog in a small paddling pool.

If your dog likes to cool off in a lake, stream or river while taking a walk, you should make sure that the cool water does not become a fatal danger due to currents.

In the event of overheating, moist compresses are a good way to cool the limbs down.

Simply moisten a thin towel or a kitchen towel with water and place it on the fur.

Important: Under no circumstances should you pour ice-cold water over your dog, as this can lead to circulatory collapse, according to the animal welfare association.

The same also applies to a jump in the lake.

Cats are seldom fans of water anyway, but cats should also be able to use a cooling mat.

+

Dogs also enjoy cooling off in summer.

(Symbol image)

© Julian Stratenschulte / dpa

A kind of dog ice cream can also be a tasty cool-down.

The animal welfare association advises, for example, to mix quark with fruit and freeze it.

So-called Kong, dog toys with a cavity, are useful here.

Because the dog can only lick the curd out of the kong little by little, the ice-cold refreshment is prevented from ending up as a lump of ice in the dog's stomach.

Dangerous heat for dogs and cats: a car fatality trap

A deadly danger in summer that cannot be warned enough about is the car.

Not only a car in the blazing sun can be dangerous for dogs in the interior - vehicles in the shade are also unsuitable as a place to stay for the four-legged friends.

The solar radiation can change within a short time, so that the vehicle is directly exposed to the sun, warns the

Institute for Consumer Protection and Veterinary Affairs of

the city of Düsseldorf.

Even at 20 degrees outside temperature, a life-threatening 46 degrees would be measured inside the car after about an hour.

If it's 24 degrees outside, the temperature inside rises to 40 degrees - but after only about 30 minutes.

And at 30 degrees outside, it gets 40 degrees or even warmer in the car after around 15 minutes.

Again and again, dog owners would forget that they inadvertently put their darling in acute mortal danger in this way, warns institute director Klaus Meyer.

Extreme temperatures quickly led to heat stroke in the dog.

There was a risk of vomiting, shortness of breath and circulatory failure.

The institute therefore recommends leaving dogs at home on hot days or entrusting them to a reliable person.

Anyone who notices an animal in need in the car should inform the police or the fire brigade immediately - so that the vehicle can be opened if the vehicle owner or driver cannot be found quickly enough.

* echo24.de

is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

List of rubric lists: © Robert Günther