Keeping vigilant in the hot season

A few years ago, when the Eastern USA suffered unusually cold weather with huge volumes of ice and snow, people suffered badly, and a high number of pet dogs died.

The dogs’ owners were devastated, mainly because all those deaths were their own fault.

It happened this way: the doggies asked to go outside to poo and pee, which in the cold weather would have been only a few minutes, but the owners forgot. The next day, they found the poor frozen bodies of their pets.

Unless global warming has a few unforeseen twists, it’s unlikely that our pets in Bangkok will suffer so badly from ice and snow. Right now, though, the dangers lie in the opposite direction.

With the hot weather now here, temperatures are climbing to unpleasant levels. Some people assume that dogs and cats living outside will do their best to find areas away from the sun.

I’m sure they do. Cats and dogs aren’t stupid, but if they’re being kept where there isn’t adequate shade, there’s not much they can do to protect themselves.

If you keep your pets outside in your garden, do make sure that there are places where they have protection from the sun. A couple of cardboard boxes aren’t really enough, unless the boxes are out of the sun too.

Equally important is access to clean drinking water. In my home, I’ve put water bowls all over the place, not only on every floor of the house but also out on every patio.

If you keep rabbits or other small pets outside, do make sure that their cages are properly ventilated. These little animals are very sensitive to heat, and if you cover the cages completely to protect them from the sun, your best intentions might cause them to suffocate.

I wish my little soi weren’t so busy with motorcycles and cars zipping back and forth every morning and evening. If it were quieter, I’d put trays of water outside the gate for the wild birds. I’m not worried about food. People are always putting rice and bird seed out for them.

In this weather, however, it’s very difficult for the birds to find clean water sources, not only for drinking but also for bathing. For me, it’s so charming watching the birdies splash around in the water, enjoying a brief escape from the heat.

I wouldn’t put the trays in my patios, though. Too many cats in my household just love chasing and killing birds.

If you’re lucky enough to live near a beach, you probably take your dog for a dip, especially in this hot weather. Common sense should tell you not to go swimming or take your dog swimming around noon time.

Don’t forget. Your dog can suffer from sunburn just like you can.

After the swim, do be sure and rinse off your dog with clean, non-salt water. Salt water left to dry on your dog can cause skin problems.

If you’re fortunate enough to be at home during the heat of the day, do check outside occasionally to make sure that all your pets are all right.

A dog or cat who has difficulty breathing or is lying in direct sunlight might be suffering from heat stroke. Persian cats and pugs are particularly in danger because of the shape of their noses. Common sense tells you to bring the animal inside or at least into a shady area. Gently try to bring the body’s temperature down with cold packs.

I’ve found, though, no matter how careful I try to be, my animals sometimes defeat me anyway. I really try to keep all the drinking water clean, for instance, but one of the cats prefers the water in the turtles’ tubs.

Warm, dirty turtle water. Yuck.