Protecting your animal friends from the summer heat is a duty as well as a demonstration of true affection towards them. Excessive heat, especially if associated with a high level of humidity, can endanger the state of health and therefore animal welfare. Appropriate behaviours must be adopted.
With Dr. Salvatore Umbaldo, Veterinary Director of the ASL of Frosinone, we draw up a vademecum to better protect them.
What are the rules to follow?
First of all, an animal should never be left alone in the car cabin in summer as it can become a real death trap. On excessively hot days, it only takes a few minutes for fatal temperatures to reach the interior of the cabin. Just as they should never be left tied to direct sunlight. If you see an animal locked inside a vehicle, it is advisable to contact law enforcement and the veterinarian immediately.
How to recognize the symptoms of heat stroke and what to do?
The animal appears uncomfortable, restless, panting, with increased respiratory and heart rates. Later he will lose lucidity (sometimes with abundant salivation) and coordination until he staggers, falls and can no longer get up.
The animal should be immediately moved to a cool, ventilated and/or shaded place and suddenly refreshed using room temperature tap water, through a shower or with wet cloths to be placed over the neck, head, ears, armpits and groin region. Never use ice water because it can cause a thermal shock!
How to protect them?
Animals living in a city apartment should be taken for walks in the early morning and late evening, in parks, gardens and other areas rich in vegetation, thus avoiding the hottest hours, when the city floor is hot and stepping on it could cause burns to the legs. Instead, animals that normally live outdoors should always have the opportunity to access a point of fresh water as well as take adequate shelter in a shaded area. Therefore, it will be advisable, before leaving the house, to ensure that animals are not present on balconies, terraces or environments that may become dangerous to their health.
What else do you need to pay attention to?
To sunburns that can be diversified especially based on the color of the coat and the type of shearing of the animal, because its thickness protects against cold as well as heat and sun. To overcome these problems, it is advisable to use high protection sunscreen on the white ends of animals as well as on the tips of the ears in case of sun exposure.
How to behave at sea?
In the meantime, consider taking the dogs to the beach, and do so only if there are favourable conditions such as ventilation and shade. Once the animals enter the sea, at the exit, they should be rinsed with tap water because salt and sand can damage their skin.
What to do in general?
From spring until the end of summer, after a nice walk especially in the countryside, it is good to carefully inspect the coat, ears and paws of the dog, to detect the presence of grass thorns, the so-called “forages”, which can cause serious problems. Pay particular attention to abnormal attitudes such as head shaking, continuous movement of body parts, repeated sneezing, symptoms that may make you suspect their presence.
Inspection of the mantle also allows you to check for external pests such as ticks and fleas. For preventive purposes, it is essential to carry out regular effective antiparasitic treatments also against phlebotom bites (pappatacio) that can carry very dangerous diseases for our animal such as ehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis, leishmaniasis and filariasis. Upon returning from the walk, it would also be advisable to inspect the mouth because it may have ingested remains of spoiled food or poisoned bait. At that point, a hypersaturated solution of Nacl by mouth would suffice. Finally, a tip valid throughout the year is to spend the holidays together (thus also avoiding the abandonment of animals), promoting a pleasant and peaceful coexistence with those who do not have animals and perhaps are not particularly happy to interact with them. Let’s always keep them under control, on a leash and with a muzzle, keeping the common space clean.
