HOT WEATHER WARNING

Animal Heat Stroke Warning
From Stuart Easby BVSc MRCVS www.southsideradio.com
www.1 vet.info 1 Call Advice Direct Vet
Intellectual rights reserved 28/07/06

With August forecast to be even warmer than July please be warned that it is not only dogs in cars that are at risk from heat stroke.
It is important to consider those animals that are left at home. They can not open the windows or doors.
Those in cages and tanks can not use the cooling methods they would use in the wild.
Snakes lizards rats mice gerbils hamsters rabbits cannot burrow into the earth or lie in scrapes to loose heat by conduction.
The whole cage is as warm as or warmer than the room even if it is not in direct sunlight.
Parrots cannot find the natural shade or coolness of the forest canopy.
Fish cannot find the cool depths or currents

It is not sufficient to put on a fan consider a mobile air conditioning unit.

Think how the animal would keep cool in the wild
Remember that animals suffer sun burn. Use total block on pink skin. They are also affected by skin cancer especially white cats. Keep out of sun
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Some suggestions from Local Rider Magazine in association with Southside Radio may help you avoid causing unnecessary suffering and distress to your animals at home

Make sure your horse has shelter from the sun. Natural shelter under trees is best

Put the cage or part of the cage onto an uninsulated hearth or cool solid floor.

Hang the bird cage in the natural coolness of a shrubbery.

Allow caged animals into a cat and fox proof pen with scrapes allowing the animal contact with cooler damp shaded earth.

Allow access to flowing water.

Buy a mobile air conditioning unit

Install a fountain (water fountains encourage cats to drink)

Reproduced with permission from Stuart Easby BVSc MRCVS www.1 vet.info 1 Call Advice Direct Vet
www.southsideradio.com
Intellectual rights reserved 09.25 28/07/06

28/7/06