10 Tips to Reinforce Pet Care on Hot Summer Days

Summer is coming and with it, days of sun and intense heat. Just like us, pets also need some special care on these hotter days.

Pets, such as dogs and cats, do not sweat like humans to regulate body temperature. For them, this process occurs mainly through breathing, so on hot days, when panting and with their mouth open, they try to lower their body temperature in an attempt to cool down.

However, during very hot days, this natural ability alone can become insufficient and lead the animal to a process of hyperthermia (a situation in which the body experiences a marked increase in temperature) and this condition is considered an emergency. To avoid this type of situation, check out below 10 pet care tips for very hot days that are essential for their best comfort and health.

1 - Keep Your Pet Always Hydrated

It is important to keep your pet hydrated throughout the day, always with clean, fresh, and available water. For this, you can increase the number of water bowls around the house and even have models with water movement to stimulate intake and consumption, especially for cats.

Additionally, to make water intake even more attractive, it is possible, on extremely hot days, to provide ice-cold water or place some small ice cubes in the pet's water as a way to better cool them down. However, avoid giving the ice cube directly to the pet, as if swallowed all at once, it can cause mucous membrane injuries and even choking. For this reason, always prefer to mix the ice with water before offering it to pets.

Chilled coconut water is also a good option, as long as the beverage is preservative-free. In some cases, you can opt for popsicles prepared with ingredients and fruits that can be consumed by animals, such as popsicles made from sachets and fruits like melon and watermelon, for example.

2 - Avoid Walks and Exercise During the Hottest Periods of the Day

It is recommended that on hot days, walks and exercise be performed during the cooler periods of the day, preferably in the early morning or late afternoon, avoiding the hours between 10 am and 5 pm. Additionally, prefer locations that have shade, trees, and grass surfaces - which do not heat up as quickly as concrete and asphalt surfaces. It is always important to remember that pets' paws are highly sensitive and can heat up quickly, which can lead to the formation of injuries and lesions.

3 - Give Regular Baths and Keep Your Pet Groomed

Baths are always refreshing and a great solution to provide more comfort on hot days, so adopt a routine of regular baths for your pet. Additionally, keep them groomed, but always being careful to control the length of the fur, avoiding excesses, as the pet can get sunburns in some areas if they do not have adequate protection through their coat.

4 - Use Alternative Methods to Cool Down Your Pet

Children's pools or dog-specific pools or even basins of sufficient size to be comfortable can be good solutions for water play on hot days. Additionally, cooling mats or damp towels are also a good and practical alternative to ease the heat for pets.

5 - Be Careful When Leaving Your Pet Alone at Home

On hot days, it is necessary to double the care when leaving pets alone at home. When leaving for work or other commitments, it is important to always leave water and food available to pets, placed in the shade. Leaving a fan or air conditioning on or even a window slightly open are important measures to maintain good ventilation and heat exchange in the environment.

6 - Never Leave Your Pets Alone in the Car

Never leave pets alone inside the car, not even for the shortest time, as the temperature inside the car can rise quickly, even with the windows open. Furthermore, leaving the air conditioning on is also not advisable, as it can turn off by itself and lead the pet to death, due to excessive heat and thermal shock or even from inhaling toxic gases from the air conditioning.

7 - Use Sunscreen on Pets

It is important to use specific sunscreen for pets, especially on animals with short hair, white coat, and light mucous membranes. Always apply the product before going out in the sun, especially in areas with less fur, such as areas near the eyes, ears, and snout, and also on the abdomen, as it helps reduce the risks of dermatitis and burns, in addition to preventing skin cancer.

8 - Do Not Leave Pet Food Exposed to the Sun

On hot days, in addition to caring for the water the pet will drink, care with feeding is also essential. Therefore, you should provide food with good nutrients. It is recommended to offer the food only at the moment the pet will consume it. If possible, remove it after feeding, avoiding leaving the food exposed to the elements, as sun and heat can lead to the oxidation process, and with this, cause damage to the pet's gastrointestinal health.

9 - Extra Care for Elderly Dogs, Overweight Dogs, and Those with Health Problems

Short-nosed animals, elderly, overweight, with heart or respiratory problems should have special attention on hot days, as they are generally more susceptible to hyperthermia. Therefore, with these specific groups, limit exercise, take more breaks between walks and exercise, offer more water, avoid sun and heat and, especially, pay attention to signs of fatigue and discomfort and, if you notice changes in behavior or eating, contact your trusted veterinarian.

10 - Attention to Fleas and Ticks

In hot and humid times, the incidence of fleas and ticks becomes more common and, with this, diseases transmitted by them increase. Therefore, keep your pet's ectoparasite prevention plan up to date. Additionally, endoparasite prevention is also extremely important, so the use of dewormers is essential to help maintain the health of pets.

Following these tips, we can ensure the health, tranquility, and well-being of our furry friends in the hottest season of the year.

In addition to caring for the well-being of pets, check out another market trend that is gaining more and more space: the production of natural food for dogs and cats.