Pets cool themselves by panting, circulating air through their bodies to cool down and making them very susceptible to heat stroke.

Brachycephalic breeds (dogs with short muzzles) like the bulldog varieties, pugs and Cavalier King Charles spaniels, to name a few, are extra sensitive to high temperatures as restricted airways mean less air taken in with each breath and less heat loss through their respiratory tract.

Black, overweight and elderly pets and pets with heart conditions are also more likely to overheat.

Keep pets cool this summer by:

- Providing plenty of shade and fresh water

- Never leave your pet in the car, even if you don’t think it’s too hot and the windows are down

- For high risk pets (see above), good air conditioning through the hottest parts of the day is advisable

- A small ice block during a hot day can make for a refreshing treat

- If your dog is a brachycephalic breed and makes snorting and snoring noises, consider corrective surgery to assist in opening up their main airway.

- Using a self-cooling gel mat

If your pet is panting excessively, wobbly on their legs, has a change in tongue colour and heat stress is suspected, place cool wet towels on and around them, provide cool (not icy) drinking water and seek immediate veterinary advice.

Heat stress is very common in pets and often recognised far too late.