In the past few days it has become very apparent that summer is fast approaching. Just a look around the garden at the end of the day, the parched grass, and the wilting leaves on the plants in your pots, is enough to indicate that the high temperatures are just around the corner.
So, what about your four footed friends, who are destined, by nature, to sport a fur coat all year round? Yes, I know that it serves as insulation, but still, it is hot! What about your fish, turtles, birds and any other pets that call your house or garden home? Have you stopped to think about their needs as the weather gets hotter?
During the winter months we really don’t have to worry too much about our pets “over heating” however in the summer months the concern is very real.
If you are a family who is out of the house for long periods during the day, and leave you pets outside, it is essential to provide your dog or cat with lots of fresh clean water. Please be sure to put the water bowl in a shaded area otherwise you will be feeling your pet a dish of hot, hot, water before the day is over. It is a good rule of thumb to clean out the water bowl every evening (use the water in the pet bowl to water those thirsty pot plants!), algae grows very quickly in untreated fresh water in the hot weather.
Just yesterday when I was feeding Abigail (my 11 year old potcake / crossbreed) I noticed that she was shifting her weight from one foot to the other. I realized that where I normally feed her, just outside the kitchen door (she fights with the others at food time), was in the sun. I was wearing shoes, when I put my bare foot on the tiles I could see why she was so uncomfortable and quickly moved her food away from the sun hot tiles to the shaded porch area. She was very grateful, and I felt a fool for not thinking about it beforehand.
Make sure that they can always find shade in your yard. Remember that the sun moves, what is shady at 10:30 am may well be in direct sun by 1:00pm. You need to check your yard several times a day to ensure that there is always shade available to your pet. Remember how big your pet is, a cat will find shade a lot easier than an 80 pound dog can!
Potcake owners, remember! (Though this not exclusively for potcake owners, and does apply to other dogs as well, sometimes). Potcakes LOVE to dig in the yard and lie in the cool earth. This is part of their “job description”. Over the years I have owned many Potcakes and they have all been phenomenal “diggers”. I think their Mothers teach them this survival tool very early on in their puppy life. The earth keeps them cool and often serves as camouflage as well. My dogs love to tuck themselves up under the bougainvillea hedge, in the shade in a huge muli – dog hole. If you are going to leave your dogs out in the yard all day you will have to expect a few holes to be dug. That is the nature of the animal. It is extremely difficult to break them of the habit especially if they have all day, alone, bored, in the garden.
On the other hand you are at home and the dog is allowed in the house to keep cool then it is not quite as hard to prevent hole digging, though my garden always sports a few holes invariably in the rose bed! When your dogs are house dogs, even if you have central air, it is important to keep a careful eye on their water bowls making sure that they never run dry. Just think how we feel when we are thirsty and we know that we can do something about it. Our pet has the same sensations of thirst without the knowledge of how to solve the problem; it is entirely up to us.
Are you one of the lucky ones with a turtle or fish pond in your garden? If so the summer presents a new series of complications. The water heats up extremely quickly, especially if you own one of those black plastic ponds that you just insert into the ground. Buy a thermometer and monitor the temperature regularly. The ideal summer temperature is between 80 – 85 degrees. If you see the temperature getting significantly higher than that I would suggest a simple beach umbrella over a section of the pond. Do not cover the pond up completely as the turtles need an opportunity to get out and bask (sunbathe) on the shore or on a rock. The same with your fish, the sun can over-heat the water so keep a close eye on how hot it is getting. Algae grows faster in the hot summer months, you may find that you need to put in additional chemicals to keep the water quality acceptable for your pet’s health. One of the biggest causes of fish and turtle desease is dirty water. Make sure to scoop out uneaten food, because again, the hot sun and the warm water will make the food rot more quickly.
Birds in the sun: Normally birds, as nature made them, are capable of moving from spot to spot, tree to tree to sit peacefully in a tree “catching the breeze”.
If your bird is in a cage outside, you have to be extremely careful of how much shade it does or does not have as the sun moves in its daily wanderings across the sky. If you have an aviary then there is sure to be shady spots or trees within the aviary providing the necessary shade. If you are just using one of those regular small cages bought in the pet store then I highly recommend that you make sure the cage is on your porch and constantly shaded. The water in those small water containers can reach astronomical temperatures in a matter of minutes!
The bottom line, across the board, with pets and the summer is to remember that they feel the heat just as much as we do and sometimes more. It is essential to provide ALL animals with fresh cool water, available at all times, and a cool shady, well ventilated, spot to rest.
You need to be careful when exercising your dog in the summer, and try to make runs either in the early morning or in the (very) late afternoon. Running long distances in the heat of the day is not a good idea for your pet, when you come to think about it, it is not great for you either.
When you take your dog boating, or just to the beach, be sure he has plenty of fresh, cool water near by.
If he goes swimming in the sea he will swallow salt water (my dog often does it intentionally) and that makes them very thirsty. Water bowls tip over easily in the sand, so you need to be extra vigilant that the water is fresh, sand free and in the shade. Do worry if your puppy has sand around his eyes; they appear to have a built in mechanism that stops it getting into their eyes. Always rinse the salt water off your dog’s coat after a swim in the sea, the salt remaining on his coat, when dry can cause itching, and a fungus could form.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PET IN THE CAR even for “just a few minutes”. Remember how hot your car is when you get back into it after a brief stop at the supermarket. You can easily kill your animal in a very short period of time, there are even laws against that.
If you have to take your pet somewhere, plan your day accordingly. It may not be convenient to go all the way home, drop Fido or Fluffy home, and then double back to the store but it is your duty to care for the well being of your pet. If you do so, your pet will stay healthy for many years and be your most faithful of friends.
About the author:
Kim Aranha grew up in the Berry Islands with her first dog, a beloved potcake named “Friendly” (who was anything but!).
First educated at home, and then in boarding school in Switzerland, Kim moved to Rome, Italy in 1974 to pursue a career in the dramatic arts and ended up working as an interpreter.
She moved back to The Bahamas in 1980, and now lives in Nassau with her husband Paul, and their two teenaged sons.
Kim has 3 dogs (soon to be 4), 5 fish (1 Beta, 4 Goldfish), 10 turtles (6 babies, 4 adolescents), 1 Asian box turtle and 4 Budgerigars. Her idea of relaxing is being home to take care of all her pets. Kim is a member of the board of the Bahamas Humane Society
