A recent survey by CompareNI.com shows a large number of dog owners are unaware of how to properly protect their dog this summer.
The survey asked dog owners in Northern Ireland about how they keep their pet safe in the warmer weather.
The results showed a massive 44% of dog owners in Northern Ireland were unaware that dogs need pet safe sun cream applied to sensitive areas on warm days.
Just like humans, dogs can get sunburn and it can be detrimental to their health. Sunburn in dogs can result in a number of different skin cancers.
All dogs are sensitive to sun exposure in sensitive areas that are the most exposed, such as the nose, lips, ears, and stomach. Certain kinds of dogs may be more at risk such as those with light fur or less fur, those with light coloured eyelids and ears and those with chronic skin conditions.
It is important to test a small amount of suncream on one spot of the dog before applying all over to make sure they are not allergic. If a dog must be outdoors during peak sun exposure hours on a warm day, sunscreen should be applied to sun-sensitive areas and reapplied every 4 to 6 hours.
Another common problem with dogs in the summer months is hay fever. 37% of respondents said they weren’t aware that dogs could get hay fever.
Similar to humans, dogs can experience hay fever when the pollen count is high. Common symptoms of hay fever in dogs include: licking or biting their paws, excessive scratching and rubbing, red skin, shaking their head, and being unusually tired or lethargic.
The vet can prescribe a number of things to help ease the symptoms of hay fever for dogs such as eye drops, ear drops, sprays and creams. There are also steps that dog owners can take at home to help reduce hay fever symptoms, such as: going for a walk early before dawn and in the late afternoon to early evening when there is a lower pollen count, wiping dogs down after a walk, keeping dogs away from grass and regularly washing and vacuuming their bedding.
Although 86% of our respondents said they’d never left their own dog in a car on a hot day, over half (55%) said that they had witnessed someone else do it.
The temperature inside a car on a warm day can increase rapidly. When it’s 22 degrees Celsius outside, a car can reach 47 degrees within an hour.* Dogs cannot cool themselves down as easily as humans and dogs that are left alone, even for a short period of time, risk heat stroke or even death.
Dogs with heat stroke usually show symptoms such as heavy panting, breathing difficulties, tiredness, confusion, vomiting and fitting.
If you see a dog in a hot car on a warm day it is recommended you call 999. Although your instinct might be to break into the car, especially when the dog is distressed, it can be classed as criminal damages and you could face charges.
If you’re sure the dog needs to be freed, and the police have not arrived yet, tell the police what you intend to do and why. Try to take a photo or video of the dog and the distress it is in and take names and numbers of any other witnesses at the scene.
CompareNI.com
Commenting on the survey results, Ian Wilson, Managing Director of CompareNI.com said: “While most of us enjoy the hot summer weather, it can be very dangerous for dogs and it is important to take the correct steps to make sure they are always looked after in this warm weather, especially if you have an old dog or young pup.
“Most people know the basic things to do to keep dogs safe when it’s hot outside such as providing plenty of shade and water and checking the temperature of the tarmac with the back of your hand before setting out on walks, but as our survey suggests, many are still unaware of all the measures you can take to help keep them cool, calm and protected in the heat.
“As temperatures continue to soar over the summer months it’s important to always make sure your pet is safe and comfortable. Simple things like walking them early in the morning and late at night when it’s cooler, applying pet safe sun cream to sensitive areas and never leaving them in the car on a hot day, can all help to make sure your pet is out of harm’s way.
“If your pet does ever show signs of distress such as heavy panting, being extra tired or scratching more than usual, it is important to take them to the vet to get checked out right away.
“Remember to check your pet insurance policy too, we’d recommend cover that includes illnesses, not just accidents to ensure you’re fully covered.”
CompareNI.com is Northern Ireland’s largest price comparison website and has helped over 650,000 users find savings on essentials and everyday household bills such as pet, dog and older dog insurance.
*https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/health/dogsinhotcars
