Pet owners across Townsville are being warned to take extra precautions to keep their furry friends safe as heatwaves impact North Queensland.
Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto said the warning comes after the Bureau of Meteorology issued an extreme heatwave warning for areas across Queensland, including Townsville.
"Our city is home to more than 23,000 registered dogs and more than 4000 approved cats, and each of those animals will be feeling the effects of this heatwave," Cr Dametto said.
"It's important for all pet owners to be aware of the risks that heatwaves can pose, that's why I'm asking responsible pet owners to make sure their animals have plenty of shade and water at all times, and especially during the North Queensland heatwave we're expecting this week."
NQ Care Emergency and Critical Care Vet Kayla Evans said heat-related illness was a serious issue in Townsville.
"We see about one to three dogs come in with varying degrees of heatstroke each week, and so over the course of the summer months we treat dozens and dozens of dogs with heatstroke. Some of them just need to cool down a little, but some of them need to spend days in the ICU," Dr Evans said.
"Heat-related illness is more typical in dogs. Cats usually go find a shady spot when they get too hot, but dogs can become unwell because they're often being exercised outdoors or they're outside during the day and aren't able to find anywhere shady when it's hot.
"Heatstroke in dogs is not the same as it is in humans. We can usually go into the aircon and cool down and feel better quickly, but it can become severe in dogs very quickly."
Dr Evans said the warning signs for heat exhaustion ranged from mild to severe.
"The first sign of heatstroke in dogs is usually panting. Dogs don't sweat like we do, so they need to pant to cool down. Lots of people in Townsville have French bulldogs, pugs and staffies, so if you have a breed like that you know they make excessive noise usually, but if they start panting more than usual that's a sign that they're too hot," she said.
"Hypersalivation, where they are really salivating a lot, is another sign of early heatstroke. From there, they can become listless, they can start having diarrhea, they can vomit and even collapse.
"If you notice any of these signs, the first step you need to take is to cool your pet down by running water over them or putting them in a bath or in a kiddie pool – just don't let their head go under the water. We don't want people to wrap their dogs in wet blankets, because this can insulate the heat and make them hotter.
"Once you've cooled them down, call the vet and get them in ASAP."
Dr Evans said there were some simple rules to follow to reduce the risk of heat-related illness for your pets this summer.
"Up here in Townsville it's really important to avoid exercise during peak temperatures. Unfortunately that does rule out a lot of the day, but it's important to remember that if you're uncomfortable in the heat, they are too," she said.
"If you're exercising your dogs, make sure you touch concrete or sand with your bare hand – if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for their feet.
"When your dog's at home, make sure they have somewhere shady to escape to. Try to put shade over concrete so your dog isn't lying on hot concrete.
"Water intake is very important, so make sure they always have access to fresh, cool water."
