Our pets aren’t immune to the negative impact of climate change. As temperatures rise, our furry friends face unique challenges. Today, we’ll learn about the toll climate change takes on our pets and what we can do to protect them.
Rising Temperatures and Heat-Related Illnesses
Pets are at risk of heat-related illnesses, like heatstroke, a common cause of vet emergency visits. And as the Earth gets hotter, the risk of heat-related illness may rise, as well. Dogs are at higher risk because they don’t sweat. However, cats can be affected, too.
Causes of heatstroke
- Being left in a hot car, even on a cool day
- Exercising outside on hot, humid days
- No access to water or shade
- Poor health (heart disease, being overweight, etc.)
- Brachycephalic breeds (flat noses/faces, like pugs, French bulldogs, Persian cats, etc.)
Signs of heatstroke
- Panting
- Red, sticky, or bruised gums
- Drooling
- Rapid heartbeat
- Restlessness
- Vomiting
- Weakness and dizziness
- Confusion
- Lethargy
- Seizures
To protect pets from heatstroke, we should:
- Provide unlimited access to fresh water and shade
- Don’t exercise pets during peak heat hours, choosing early mornings or evenings instead
- Never leave pets unattended in a car, as cars heat up rapidly
Increasing spread of disease
Climate change affects the way disease spreads. Warmer weather throughout the year gives ticks and mosquitos more time to reproduce. It also lets them establish more habitats, and spread more diseases. This is a problem for us and our pets. Certain ticks are notorious for spreading Lyme disease. Also, for pets, mosquitoes spread heartworms. Both of these diseases are more common in dogs.
Symptoms of Lyme disease
- Muscle and joint stiffness/swelling
- Inability to properly use their legs properly, which may come and go
- Fever
- Generalized pain
- Loss of appetite
- Kidney failure
To protect pets from Lyme disease:
- For pets that go outside, check them for ticks daily
- Remove ticks immediately
- Talk to a vet about the best preventative medicine
- Keep pets out of tall grass, leaf litter and brush
Symptoms of heartworm
- A cough that doesn’t go away
- Loss of appetite
- Stunted growth
- Fainting
- Anemia
- Fatigue
Proactive methods are the best way to protect pets from heartworms. There are preventative medications available by prescription from a vet.
Habitat loss and wildlife displacement
Climate change causes habitat loss for wildlife. As this happens, our pets may have more contact with wild animals. This can lead to physical injury. Also, as mentioned, the warmer it gets, the more active animals are, and the further they travel. This is true for animals that carry rabies, as well. When combined with increased contact, this may lead to more cases of rabies in pets.
To protect pets from contact with wildlife:
- Keep pets leashed during walks
- Make sure the backyard and outside enclosures are secure, keeping pets in and wildlife out
- Stay informed about the number of current regional rabies cases
Key points
- Climate change may increase the risk of heat-related illnesses in pets
- Rising temperatures and habitat loss increases the chance of contact between wildlife and our pets. This can lead to injury and the spread of disease.
Sources:
https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/heat-stroke-in-dogs
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/teaching-and-research/fact-files/heatstroke-in-dogs-and-cats
https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/what-we-do/climate-change-and-infectious-diseases/index.html