Heat wave in Vienna: How to protect your pets from the heat!

Heat wave in Vienna: How to protect your pets from the heat!

This day, July 3, 2025, Vienna is affected by a heat wave that is heavily burdened by not only people but also animals. The city's official veterinarians give important tips for supplying pets during these extreme temperatures. Many animals have a different type of temperature regulation than humans because they only have a few sweat glands. The cooling is mainly due to breathing, which leads to flat and fast panting. In such situations, animals can easily overheat if their ability to regulate temperature is exhausted.

animals urgently need access to shady and cool places during this time. This applies not only to dogs and cats, but also to rabbits. Bird cages shouldn't be in the blazing sun, as the sun wanders and the cages have to be checked regularly. It is particularly important that dogs are never left in parked cars, since the temperatures in it can increase rapidly to over 50 degrees Celsius.

tips for animal supply

In order to avoid heat stress, recommend the feedback from the experts from wien.gv.at, cooling aids such as moist clothes or cooling mats. Rabbits pull cooling surfaces and cooling elements. In addition, fresh water should always be available; It is advisable to set up several bowls in different locations. Walking with dogs should take place in the cooler morning or evening hours, whereby the asphalt that can heat up should be checked for temperatures to avoid burns on the paws.

The feeding should also be adjusted. Wet food should be offered fresh in small portions, and for dogs a particularly tasty ice cream made of cooked chicken or pureed vegetables with chicken soup can be prepared. Particular caution is offered in old, young animals and brachycephalen breeds such as French bulldogs. In Vienna there are also special dog bathroom baths that offer a refreshing cooling.

protection for farm animals

but also farm animals are affected by the high temperatures. According to the Federal Association for Animal Health (BFT), heat stress in farm animals is a serious topic that requires special measures. For cows, for example, which can drink up to 25 liters of water per minute, it is important that the stable conditions are optimal. Cattle showers are increasingly being used in cowstalls, and adjustments in the stall architecture, such as shading and air supply, are essential to create a pleasant stable climate.

calves show signs of heat stress through increased standing and strong breathing, which contains the energy required for body temperature regulation. For pigs, on the other hand, outside temperatures from 25 degrees Celsius are critical. You also have only a few functional sweat glands and need cool lying areas. Preventive measures such as the use of lighter feed and regular stable checks are necessary to meet the challenges of heat stress.

For poultry, which can best deal with heat, heats stress begins at around 30 degrees Celsius for young fattening poultry. Signs of overheating are a declining laying power in hens that spread their wings in order to emit heat. In order to reduce the effects of the heat, the BFT recommends reducing the raw protein content in the feed and, if necessary, using feed additives that support the metabolism.

Overall, the heat wave in Vienna requires special attention to the well -being of all animal species, be it in the home environment or in agriculture. Various resources are available for further information on the protection of animals from extreme heat, including the websites of [tierschutzbund.de] (https://www.tierschutzbund.de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/presse/mistrem gruuna.com.