Protect animals from the heat in summer

As the author of this article and his colleagues are currently suffering from the summer temperatures in the office, it seems sensible to also give advice for our four-footed friends.

A cat or dog that overheats in summer can become dehydrated, suffer heatstroke or go into shock. Unlike humans, cats and dogs do not sweat. It can therefore be difficult for them to cool down when temperatures rise in summer. A four-legged friend cools down mainly by staying out of the sun, being inactive, drinking water and panting.

You can find out how to help your four-legged friend cool down here:

• If you are not at home for a day, it would be ideal to run the air conditioning in a room. If this is not possible, close the blinds or curtains in one or more rooms. The animal should be able to move between warmer and colder rooms.
• Free-range animals should be brought indoors at midday, where they can find a shady or cool spot.
• If, for example, the cat wants or has to stay outside at lunchtime, it is best to provide a place that offers shade throughout the day and provide a water bowl. If necessary, spread out a familiar blanket in the shade to increase acceptance of the resting area.
• In general, always provide sufficient water! A drinking fountain can work wonders here. As with humans, a high water intake prevents heatstroke.
• Let the animal choose its resting place in the house. Animals know best where they feel most comfortable. And even if it is not actually permitted for the cat to lie in the bathtub, it can be the most comfortable place for him in hot weather. The material does not heat up as quickly as the surrounding air. The situation is similar with ceramic tiles or sinks.
• In any case, avoid long walks or wild games. The animal needs rest and relaxation. If it is pushed too hard, it can easily overheat.
• You may also want to wipe the coat with a damp cloth from time to time. This is particularly useful for cats, as it imitates their natural behaviour. Cats lick their fur with their tongue to cool themselves down.
• Beware of heatstroke: Signs of heatstroke include heavy panting and rapid breathing, lethargy, bright pink ears, weakness and inability to stand, wobbling, trembling and perhaps even seizures. A cat suffering from heatstroke will also have hot paw pads. If you think your cat is suffering from heatstroke, immediately move them to a cool surface such as a tiled floor. Then turn on a fan and let it blow so that it dissipates some of the heat.

Stay hydrated- why water is so important in the heat

Temperatures are rising and everyone is sweating. Hello, super hot summer. Now it's especially important to keep your pet hydrated. Find out here which tricks can help you to be optimally prepared.

Cats are often reluctant to drink

Cats in particular are known to be bad drinkers. They are originally descended from the African hawk cat, which means they come from hot, dry areas. Drinking is not exactly their hobby, they prefer to take in liquid through their food. So if you feed them wet food, you are not doing anything wrong as far as their fluid intake is concerned. It is important that fresh water is always available to the cat. Some cats also react particularly well to moving water, i.e. a water fountain, and like it when the water is a little away from the feeding area. A little secret trick is to offer the cat a Tunatini, there is nothing to stop you making a Martini for yourself. This is basically just the liquid in a can of tuna. Only use the natural tuna and not the one in oil! It tastes and smells good and can encourage the cat to drink. As a special snack, you can leave a few pieces of tuna in there, but again you have to make sure that the cat doesn't get too fat, so feed it less wet food.

What can stimulate the cat to drink?

• Moving water, e.g. fountain
• Place the water bowl away from the feeding area
• Tunatini
  
  

Provide dogs with plenty of water

Dogs have few sweat glands and give off heat mainly by panting. They therefore need to have plenty of water available in summer, especially during exercise. On hot summer days, it is best to take long walks in the cool morning and evening hours and avoid the midday heat. Please also avoid hot tarmac, as this can cause burns to the paws. If you are travelling with your dog, please always have water with you that the dog can drink if necessary. Bathing lakes for dogs are also always a welcome refreshment and go down well with most four-legged friends. You also see more and more dogs who think it's really cool on the SUP. Hopefully everyone knows by now that you should never leave your dog alone in the car. In summer, the car can quickly become a heat trap and, in the worst case, lead to the death of the animal. So what to remember:

• Long walks in the cool morning and evening hours
• Have water with you in case your dog is thirsty
• Never leave them alone in the car
  
  

Summer is such a beautiful time of year that we should all enjoy. If you make sure your pet is well hydrated, it can be a great summer for everyone.

As always, you are welcome to pop into our shop and choose a particularly good treat for your pet. We at Liebesgut look forward to your visit and wish you a great time with your four-legged friend!

With this in mind: Have fun sweating and a sunny summer!

Our recommendations for your four-legged friend:

Tasting packs for dogs

Tasting packs for cats