Summer welfare tips

Body temperatures are important

Different species have different body temperatures and different heat tolerances. It’s important to know what these are, and how to ensure that your pet doesn’t experience temperatures that it cannot cope with. The normal body temperature in humans is 37°C (98.6°F), but dogs and cats have a normal body temperature a degree or more higher at 38.3 to 39.2°C (100.9 to 102.5°F).

This means they run hotter than we do but can be come overheated quickly if not given the chance to cool down. If a cat or dog’s temperature has risen above 40.0°C (104°F), this is a significant change that requires veterinary attention

how animals regulate their body temperatures

The other difference between us and our furry companions, is the way that we regulate our body temperatures. Humans mainly rely on sweating and shade seeking, whereas animals have different regulation techniques.

Dogs and cats will also, to some extent, make use of their fur coats to reduce thermal radiation – ie block the absorption of direct heat from the sun – however, we’ve got to be mindful that the main purpose of fur is to keep an animal warm!

The ways dogs cool

  • Panting is the primary way dogs cool down. By breathing rapidly through their mouth with their tongue out, they increase the evaporation of moisture from their tongue, throat, and lungs. This evaporation helps lower their body temperature.

  • Dogs instinctively seek out cool surfaces, like tile floors, shaded ground, or concrete, to lie down on. This helps them lose heat through conduction, where heat transfers from their body to the cooler surface.

  • Blood vessels in a dog’s skin, especially in their ears and face, widen to allow more blood flow near the surface of the skin. This helps release excess heat into the surrounding air, cooling the blood before it circulates back into the body.

  • Hydration is key for thermoregulation. Drinking water helps dogs cool down internally and replenishes fluids lost through panting. The water also helps maintain healthy blood flow, aiding in heat dissipation.

  • When dogs get too warm, they naturally reduce their physical activity to conserve energy and prevent their body from generating more heat. They often become more lethargic or rest in cooler places during hot weather.

  • Dogs have sweat glands located in their paw pads, which release a small amount of moisture to help cool them down. However, this plays a minimal role in temperature regulation compared to panting.

The ways cats cool down

  • Cats lick their fur to spread saliva, which then evaporates and cools their body, similar to sweating in humans. Grooming also helps remove excess heat-trapping oils from the coat.

  • Though less common in cats than dogs, panting helps dissipate heat. Cats will breathe through their mouth when they are overheated, allowing moisture to evaporate from their respiratory tract and cool them down.

  • Cats have sweat glands on their paw pads. While they don’t sweat like humans, the small amount of moisture released can help regulate body temperature during heat.

  • Cats instinctively find cooler spots to lie on, such as tile floors or shaded areas. This helps reduce body temperature by conduction, where heat transfers from their body to the cooler surface.

  • Cats naturally limit their movement and rest more when they are hot, conserving energy and preventing their body temperature from rising further.

  • Blood vessels in their ears widen, allowing more blood to flow close to the skin’s surface, where it cools down before circulating back into the body. This helps dissipate heat more efficiently.

Their age and breed also matters

Some animals are likely to be more at risk than others depending upon their breed, age, conformation, health status, living environment and utility. Dog and cat breeds with flatter noses will struggle to keep cool because they have small nasal openings and long soft palates in the back of their mouths, which limits airflow. They also have a narrower windpipe and have to work harder to take in enough air to keep themselves cool.

Animals with dark thick coats will absorb more heat, and dog breeds with thick double coats such as Huskies and Retrievers will find it difficult to regulate their temperature if not provided with good, shaded areas, to keep cool.

Older animals are generally more sensitive to temperature extremes and this combined with any health disorders they may have, makes them more vulnerable to heat stress.

exercise

Exercising animals in hot temperatures is also a risk factor. On a hot day, it’s better to avoid walks in the middle of the day - and instead reschedule exercise for the cooler early mornings or late evenings when the temperature is lower. Your dog will definitely enjoy the experience more.

It’s also important to remember that dogs’ paws are sensitive to heat, so when out walking - if the pavement or sand is too hot for you, it is too hot for your pet.

Don’t leave dogs in cars

Despite all the warnings issued each year – sadly there are still people who leave their pets inside cars or on the back of a ute during warm days. It’s not only an offence to leave a pet in a hot vehicle, but it’s also incredibly dangerous for the animal - causing suffering and in some circumstances leading to death.

The facts are clear:

  • Inside a car on a sunny day, the temperature is likely to be double the outside temperature. Even within 10 minutes at an outside temperature of 24 degrees, the interior of the car can reach 38-40 degrees.

  • Even when parked in the shade with the windows partially open, temperatures inside the car can reach 31 degrees in a very short time.

  • It takes less than 10 minutes for dogs to be affected by heat stroke.

  • Signs of heat stroke in dogs include quick panting, distressed and agitated behaviour, weakness and muscle tremors, and disorientation or sudden collapse.

  • Animals just can’t cope with these temperatures- they can’t cool themselves down, they are trapped with nowhere to escape the heat and they can’t pant fast enough, so their core temperature rises and they quickly become heat stressed which may lead to death.

  • Dogs travelling on the back of utes in the sun can quickly dehydrate or even die from heat stress. Ute trays made of metal will heat up quickly and could easily burn dogs' paws. A fixed canopy to provide shade, and insulating material on the tray back should be used.

  • Dogs kept in cages on the back of a vehicle are also at risk and must have adequate ventilation especially when the vehicle is not moving.

Animals can die in vehicles in warmer/sunny weather. Pets should never be left unattended inside or on the back of a vehicle on a sunny, warm day - not even for a few minutes. The consequences for an animal happen quickly and can be severe.

hydration

Essential to maintaining your animals’ health and well-being on hot days is making sure they remain hydrated. Access to clean water for drinking (and bathing/paddling) will allow your pet to choose when they need to drink or cool off.

How much is normal for your animal to drink will depend on a variety of factors, including their size, activity level and type of diet. Dogs and cats fed a dry diet will need more water, bigger animals will require more and being active is thirsty work!

Most of our pet animals are completely dependent on us for basic resources like water – so making sure that there are plenty of bowls of fresh, clean water at different locations around the property means that animals can always find a water source, even if one becomes empty quicker than you expect.

Animals are driven to find water when they are thirsty so be careful that your animal doesn’t end up drinking dirty, contaminated water because that’s all they can find.

A well hydrated animal has pink and moist gums, however, if dehydrated their gums will become darker and dry/tacky and they may also have a ‘skin tent’ (a prolonged ‘tent’ of the skin when it is gently lifted and released near the scruff) and sunken eyes. All animals require water, but some of our pets will get warmer more easily than others and so be more prone to dehydration.

Check their microchip details!

The warmer months see more animals wandering and getting lost. Be sure to check that your animal is microchipped and that your details are up to date on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register (NZCAR):
animalregister.co.nz

If you’ve moved or changed contact details, you need to remember to also update these on the NZCAR to ensure you’re able to be contacted by the 1000 Approved Users (Vets, SPCAs, shelters etc.) around the country if your animal is found.