With temperatures expected to hit the mid to high thirties by the end of the week, pet owners have to try and beat the heat in more ways than one.

Pam Arndt-Schick, President of the Humane Society, says pets have to be kept indoors during the day to avoid heat stroke and other health complications.

“Make sure that they have plenty of shade or a great supply of water. Also, if at all possible that they be in air conditioning,” she said.

Just a few minutes outdoors can be enough to induce heatstroke in dogs. According to Arndt-Schick, there are plenty of warning signs to watch for if you think your pet is suffering from heatstroke.

“Some of the signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid heartbeat, trouble breathing, very thirsty, or they can appear lethargic. Even dizziness or fever, vomiting, loss of salivating, their tongue can appear purple, they can have a seizure or even become unconscious,” she added.

If your animal does experience any of the above symptoms, the best course of action is to get them into the shade or air conditioning immediately. Then apply a cold towel to their head, neck, and chest. Have them drink small amounts of water, and then take them to the vet to be checked out.

She believes in this heat no pet should be left in a vehicle, not even for just a couple minutes. Walking of pets should be done in the morning or late evening to avoid peak heat hours of the day.

Arndt-Schick warns it’s not just heatstroke owners should be worried about.

“The pavement and even sidewalks and gravel gets very hot on the pads of their feet. If you put your foot or your hand on the sidewalk and it’s hot to the touch, it’s too hot for the paws of the dog. That’s a good test,” she said.

With an intense heat wave engulfing southern Saskatchewan in the coming days, the Weyburn Humane Society just wants owners to be more careful than usual about their pets' health.

“We just encourage everybody to please watch out for your pets, take extra measures to keep them safe,” Arndt-Schick said.