Vet issues stern warning over walking pets in 25 degree heat with shocking human comparison

A vet has warned against walking your dog in the heat and shared a shocking human comparison to make the message crystal clear.

As I'm sure you're aware, it is very warm today (19 June) with some parts of the UK poised to hit 30C plus.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health alert, which has been in force from 12pm today until 9am on Monday (23 June).

The British Heart Foundation, Dementia UK and Age UK are just some of the organisations who have shared a warning about the increased heat risk in relation to their respective causes.

But when it comes to pet health, however, animal welfare charities have urged pet owners to be extra cautious when it comes to the warm weather.

During the UK heatwave of 2022, consisting of 40C weather, it was found 'that one in 10 vets in small animal practice had seen at least one dog affected by heatstroke after being left in a hot car'.

"But walks in hot weather could pose an even greater risk - with almost four times as many vets having seen at least one dog affected by heatstroke after being walked on a hot day," the British Veterinary Association said.

Why you shouldn't walk your dog during a heatwave

Over on Instagram, an expert on pet health has revealed what walking a dog in the heat is like in comparison to what a human experiences.

"Putting your dog in 25C heat is equivalent to you running a marathon in a fur coat," he said via a joint post by Pet Health Club and Bath Vets.

"Dogs can't sweat to cool off. They overheat fast. During previous UK heat waves, more than half of dog heat stroke cases were caused by exercise."

He insisted: "This week, temperatures are expected to soar well above 25C in some parts of the UK. Don't exercise your dog in this heat. We can't stress this enough, skip the walk."

What to consider when walking your dog in the heat

Emily Hall, lecturer and lead canine heatstroke researcher at the Royal Veterinary College, also urged owners to 'avoid known triggers to heat-related illness'.

On what to do if your dog gets too hot, she said: "If there is concern a dog has overheated, our advice is: cool first, transport second.

"The longer we allow our dogs to remain hot, the more damage occurs, increasing the risk of heatstroke fatalities.

"If you spot early signs of your dog overheating, simply stopping exercise may not be enough.

"Owners need to think ahead and plan how they will cool their dogs in an emergency, especially after exercise or while travelling."

The lecturer simply said: "if in doubt, don’t go out."