PETS can become dehydrated and overheat quickly. Here are some common signs of overheating in dogs:

To avoid overheating, try not to overexert your pet on walks, and make sure they always have access to fresh water and a shady spot to sit in. If you pet is showing signs of severe overheating, move your pet to a cooler area immediately, spray with cool (not cold) water, and give a small drink of water and contact your vet straight away.

The summer sun can be fun for everyone, but please do plan in advance if you plan to bring your pet anywhere and ensure that they will not be left in the car. The ISPCA would like to remind pet owners that dogs can die if left in hot cars.

Pet owners often think leaving a window open is sufficient for their pet but this is not enough to prevent heatstroke under intense sunshine, which can have fatal consequences.

We all love the sunshine but it is important to be aware of the dangers that can be caused by leaving a dog unattended in a vehicle during hot weather, even for 10 minutes can prove to be fatal.

During the summer many of us will be out at competitions and events with our pets, but some of these can be noisy and disruptive for our pets. Owners need to bear in mind how to manage our pets’ stress in the event that there are fireworks or loud noises at events we attend.

Noise and commotion can be very distressing to some pets, and may drive them to unusual or extreme behaviour. The ISPCA recommend strongly that you have your pets’ microchipped as a permanent form of identification, and ensure that your details are always up to date.

You should also have an ID tag, and together these forms of identification make it much more likely you will be reunited with your beloved pet in the event they escape.