Released July 11, 2008

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Summers in Arkansas are hot, humid, and long. We go to extra efforts to keep ourselves cool, but what should we be doing for our furry friends?

Steve Jones, an extension associate professor/equine specialist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, says there are three things that must be provided to dogs, cats and horses during the hot summer months.

"Water, shade and ventilation are essential provisions for pets," says Jones. "Make sure your pet has shade and plenty of water. These resources will help pets adjust to the outside environment."

Even when pets have access to water, shade and ventilation, there is still the possibility that they could become overheated. Jones says owners should keep their eyes open.

"Watch your pet’s behavior," he says. "Dogs pant and even cats will pant when they’re hot. Horses will sweat excessively, and if they get hot enough, their respiration rate will increase."

If your pet begins to show signs of overheating, take action. Jones says, "The first step to helping overheated pets is to get them in the shade. Secondly, get them into a ventilated location within the shaded area. Overheated pets will then need fluids—plain water.

"Where horses are concerned, if they’re overheated during riding, give them water. Horses sweat just as people do."

Should you give your pet cold water during the summer?

Jones says, "Pets don’t really care for cold water—it turns them off. But if they’re hot, the water should be air temperature. Horses, in particular, will not drink water that is excessively warm. Dehydration can lead to health conditions such as colic. Surface temperature in tanks exposed to the sun can be in the 90 degrees Fahrenheit range, and horses won’t drink water at this temperature. Make sure your horse’s water supply is in a shaded area."

Horses, unlike cats and dogs, are too big to come into the house when the weather reaches the triple digits. But can a horse become overheated from just standing outside?

"Generally speaking, no," says Jones. "Usually, they’re either in a barn where they have shade, or in a pasture with shade. They sweat, which allows them to adjust pretty well to their outdoor environment. Issues come when we force exercise upon them."

Which brings us to the subject of riding your horse when it’s hot—is it a good idea?

"Sure," says Jones, " However, horses need to be conditioned to exercising in the heat. If not there are risks. We call it thermal injury."

Thermal injury amounts to dehydration. Long periods of exercise and reduced water intake lead to fluid losses, which reduces the horse’s ability to maintain its body temperature. Horses can dehydrate, just like humans.

"We say that under normal conditions, dehydration can be eliminated by providing enough water and salt to allow horses to hydrate within a 24-hour period," Jones says. He adds that it’s not safe to go riding under certain weather conditions.

Jones uses what he calls the "comfort index," the sum of the temperature and humidity, to determine whether or not a workout is OK. When the comfort index is more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity is more than 75 percent, heat dispersal becomes a problem and a horse’s body can’t work hard enough to regulate body temperature. If the comfort index is above 180 degrees Fahrenheit, workouts should be discontinued, according to Jones.

Animal routines can change during the summer, with outdoor animals becoming more active in the early morning and late evening hours. Some care routines should change as well, such as making sure that dogs and cats always have access to fresh, clean water.

For horses, Jones says that making some feeding changes is a good idea during the summer.

"In the summertime, I increase the amount of grain and decrease the amount of forage in horses’ diets. Forage requires more energy to process and gives off more heat during digestion, raising overall body temperature. An increased amount of grain provides horses with easy to digest starches and sugars, making them less dependent on hay and grass. However, horses still need a minimum of one percent body weight in forage per day for gut motility."

Along with heat worries comes that other summertime inevitability—sunburn. We have to worry about it because we don’t have a fur coating to protect us from the sun. But Jones says some pets can also be susceptible to sunburn.

Jones said the risk of sunburn depends on the individual pet, the thickness of their hair and the color of their skin. Light-colored animals, animals with short hair and pinkish-skinned animals tend to sunburn easier. If animals do sunburn, a little moisturizing cream will help with peeling and flaking.

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http://www.uaex.edu/news/july2008/0711disease.htm

Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187, ljames@uaex.edu