Animals suffer from heat waves, almost more than humans. These few tips and objects can help you better manage these episodes of high heat with your companions.
The heat wave does not only strike humans. Animals suffer just as much and, if they are exposed to too much heat, may lack the means to communicate their discomfort to you. This is why it is recommended to be extra vigilant in summer, and especially during the strong heat waves that France often experiences every summer – including these days. A few simple gestures and smart objects can help you take care of your furry companions in scorching weather.
Actions to know
It seems obvious, but don’t put your pet at risk unnecessarily, inadvertently. If he has to stay in your home during a scorching heat episode, a few precautions can be taken, as animals do not regulate their temperature like us, through sweating.
- The SPA recalls for example that heat exposure can be serious for elderly or sick dogs. Housing that is too hot during the day can be fatal for them. If your office has air conditioning, why not take them with you?
- This advice is even more valid in the case of cars: we do not leave an animal in a closed car, even in the shade, even for 5 minutes. The temperature rises very quickly and there are still too many accidents.
- Minimize exercise and outings during the hottest periods : prefer morning outings or at nightfall.
- For small animals and other rodents, do not hesitate to increase the number of access points to water – in addition to baby bottles sold in stores, small bowls of water, a more natural way of drinking, can be placed at their convenience. The idea is that the water stays cool. If you do not see them drinking, you can also exceptionally give them fruits loaded with water – melon or watermelon (which, it is recalled, cannot constitute a normal diet, but only sweets).
- If you have a balcony, garden or terrace, think of wild animals, also sensitive to heat : on FranceInfo, the Faune Alfort association attached to the veterinary clinic advises to leave a plate of water available, especially in cities where water points are rarer.
It should be noted that the presence of an animal in a closed vehicle can be an exceptional case in which you can break your own to release it. Attention on the other hand: it is advisable to make sure of the apparent state of the animal. Does he seem to be suffering from the heat? Does he have water with him on the bench? Is there an opening to let in a stream of air? Or is it a Tesla with dog mode?
” If you feel the situation is urgent […], you can break a window to rescue the animal. It is recommended to surround yourself with at least 2 witnesses who can attest to good faith if an action by the owner of the car is subsequently brought. », Explains the Ministry of the Interior. It may also be better to call the police first, to let them intervene.
Above all, make sure the owner isn’t arriving or is nearby!
Objects that help
Beyond air conditioning, a double-edged sword par excellence, because it relieves as much as it worsens the situation, a few technological or non-technological objects can help to accompany animals during heat waves. It will never replace careful monitoring of the humans they live with: you.
Cold mattress
As the SPA notes, cooling “from below” is more effective than cooling “from above”: it is smarter to cool an animal’s papattes and its belly than the back or the head. A cold mattress on which an animal can lie down is therefore a good idea: there are dozens of them sold on Amazon, but this model sold in several sizes caught our attention. We observed two behaviors: a total acceptance of the intended use (a dog lying on it) or a diversion because the animal did not like the material. In the latter case, the object still has an effect: the dog lies down next to it and enjoys the cold a little.
water fountain
A water fountain, in addition to filtering water, has incentive properties for dogs and cats. We can only recommend PetSafe’s benchmark model, which is quiet and large enough for dogs to drink without worry. On the other hand, continue to offer more natural alternatives to your animals so that they do not lose the habit of drinking in a cup for example.
And if the water is not enough, there is also… ice cream!
Aquapaw
Aquapaw was designed as a grooming tool, but in high heat it can come in handy if your pet is very hot and doesn’t particularly like water. This is a shower head that attaches to a shower at an outdoor water outlet and allows you to wet an animal in a more reassuring way than with a bath or a jet, since you stay in contact with it.
Nest Cam
I’ve had a Nest Cam for years and I was on track to argue that it was one of the worst gadgets I ever had – strawberry AI, non-functional geoloc, subscription required to have recordings , centralization on an app, incomplete and useless surveillance for justice or law enforcement. But that was before I had a rabbit: now my Nest Cam has become a Pinpin Cam and is used to see Pluto (the so-called rabbit) from a distance. The Nest Cam therefore has a interest.
This actually allows anyone who has to leave a pet at home to make sure everything is okay and react in real time if there is a concern, or let a neighbor know. Particularly useful when the weather conditions are extreme.
Arlo, a Netgear brand, also makes excellent models.
A Tesla
No, we are not serious. But this does not prevent the Tesla from having a well-designed Dog Mode (which can be a cat / bunny mode at your convenience): it warns passers-by that your dog is safe in your vehicle, while keeping inside a ideal temperature.
The links in this article are affiliate: if you find what you are looking for with us, we get a small commission. We’ll explaine everything here.
