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Heatwave prompts RSPCA to advise 'dog lockdown'

Georgia Eadie & Bea SwallowWest of England
BBC Amy Wheeler, a young woman wearing purple scrubs, smiles as she sits in a vet's office. Her dog Rona is sitting on her lap facing the camera.BBC
Vet Amy Wheeler says she has seen an increase in dogs suffering from severe heatstroke and blistered paws

Vets and animal charities have warned that dogs can fall seriously ill in hot weather – and at lower temperatures than many owners might realise.

The RSPCA is urging owners to treat the heatwave as a temporary "dog lockdown", as it is safer for them to miss a walk than risk overheating.

But, as the heatwaves over the summer continue in the UK, Amy Wheeler, from CVS Vets in Bristol, said she had seen an increase in pets at risk of organ damage after overheating.

She has also noticed a rise in blisters on pets' paws from the scorching pavement.

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Dogs can overheat quickly because they do not sweat through their skin like humans.

Instead they rely almost entirely on panting and sweating through their paw pads to cool down.

Certain flat-faced breeds are more susceptible to overheating, such as French bulldogs and pugs, along with those that are overweight or elderly, because they cannot pant efficiently.

Shutterstock A black dog with a white chest playing in water spraying from a sprinkler fed by a hosepipe on grass.Shutterstock
Even moderate activity during hot, humid days can trigger life-threatening heatstroke in dogs

Wheeler urged owners to be aware of the signs of heatstroke in dogs – including excessive panting, bright red or pale gums, sickness and lethargy.

"A dog's temperature is meant to be sort of around the 38.5C to 39C mark, and some of these dogs are coming in with temperatures of 41C," she said.

"That's really concerning, because that's when you start seeing organ damage.

"We also are seeing dogs coming in with blisters on their paws from the hot pavement, because even at 25C, the tarmac can actually reach more like 52C."

A black dog eating treats out of a blue bone-shaped dog bowl, standing on a white towel. A member of the Dogs Trust staff in Salisbury kneels beside him, smiling. Other towels and treats are laid out on the concrete floor.
Residents of the Dogs Trust shelter in Salisbury have been staying cool with frozen treats and cold, damp towels

The RSPCA recommends refreshing water bowls regularly, closing curtains, turning on fans and putting out a cold damp towel for dogs to lie on.

The charity also advised owners against exercising pets between 08:00 and 20:00 BST. Mental stimulation activities can be supplied instead during this time, it said.

At the Dogs Trust centre in Salisbury, Wiltshire, residents are being kept occupied by frozen Kong toys, snuffle mats, puzzle feeders, and hidden treats.

"We haven't been able to take them out on their normal activities in this heat so we do a lot of enrichment with our dogs," said rehoming manager Abi Tate.

Abi Tate, who has long blonde hair and is wearing a dark grey T-shirt, smiling at the camera inside a large room at the Dogs Trust in Salisbury. The walls are painted bright yellow, the floor is concrete and the ceiling is corrugated metal panelling.
Dogs Trust staff member Abi Tate has been helping to provide dogs with indoor activities

Dr Samantha Gaines, dog welfare expert at the RSPCA, said: "Whenever temperatures rise we must think about the impact on our pets.

"We need to take extra precautions regardless of an official weather warning, which is why we're still recommending a temporary 'dog lockdown' during this next bout of very hot weather.

"Pause normal routines, prioritise keeping pets cool and comfortable, and wait until temperatures ease again before returning to business as usual."

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