1. Keep Cool and Carry Water
Summer is coming. Or is it already here? Your pet certainly starts to feel it long before you break out the flip flops. Marina Fernández of Borrell Clínica Veterinària recommends thinking of summer as June through September and adjusting routines accordingly. Dogs’ main walks should be in the cool of early morning and evening to avoid heatstroke. If that’s difficult, Catalin Ciprian of TC Dog Care suggests sticking to shade where possible and remembering pavements can get hot for paws. He carries water for drinking, a cooling squirt on the paws or underbelly and to rinse down pee. Barcelona gets stinky in the summer and pets should practice civisme too.
2. Is Your Doggy Beach Ready?
Your pooch can enjoy a cooling dip on Platja de Llevant May-September but remember both they, and the sand, get hot if unshaded. Also, don’t let them drink too much salt water or eat things from the sea or sand, which can be harmful to them. Remember, Llevant beach is shared with residents so it’s important to stay within the designated area and follow the rules to avoid friction. Access to city beaches is progressively restricted April to October. Other dog beaches exist, like Cala Vallcarca near Sitges, but check with local ajuntaments.
3. Location, Location, Location
Incredibly, sadly, some people still leave animals in the sun without access to water and shade, whether outside shops (also at risk of theft), on terraces (illegal all year) or in cars. Even with windows cracked open, cars quickly heat up at midday in Spain year-round and Marina warns fifteen minutes is enough to kill in summer, “A dog’s normal temperature is between 38 and 39 degrees. More than 43 degrees, all the organs fail.”
Hospital Veterinari del Mar notes rabbits can also get heatstroke if left on unshaded balconies and small animals in cages make tempting targets for birds of prey.
4. … and Breathe …
Brachycephalic dog breeds like boxers, pugs and bulldogs–with short muzzles and flattened faces–have more trouble breathing, and so cooling down, so owners need to be aware.
When choosing a muzzle for your dog–whether for a “dangerous” breed or public transport–avoid fabric ones which hold the mouth closed. This can be dangerous as they can’t pant to cool down. Marina says, "We advise using the Baskerville which allows the mouth to open properly and they can breathe.” “Basket” muzzles also allow them to drink or take a treat. Remember dogs also pant when nervous, and crowded places like the metro are stressful year-round.
Animals that are overweight or have heart problems are also at greater risk in summer, so get a check-up before the hot season.
5. Keep Your Hair On
People look good with a suntan, animals not so much, and giving Fido a trim could do more harm than good. Marina explains, “The hair or the coat is prepared to cover and protect the skin. That’s a really common mistake, especially in small dogs… It gets to the hot season and they book an appointment to shave all the hair because they’re going to be cooler, but this is wrong.” Sun-worshiping cats can also get sunburn, “It’s quite common for them to get skin cancer on the tips of the ears and the nose, especially white cats or pale cats.” She recommends using animal sunblock, saying, “If you do it for yourself, do it for your pets.”
6. Don’t Go Out with Bangs or Whimpers
For many, summer starts with the firework-fueled festa of Sant Joan. And the Gates of Hell open for pet owners. Make sure they’re indoors, with a comfortable “den” to run to, and the windows shut. Stay calm and don’t “reward” or reinforce nervous behavior by stroking, cuddling or reassuring them. Some enthusiastic residents don’t stop at one night, or even during the day, so keep dogs on a lead either side of June 23rd. Remember la Mercè and the festes del barri can also be noisy. If you’re going away, ensure pet sitters take adequate precautions or consider boarding pets outside the city.
Certain treatments can help with anxiety but may take time to work, plus every animal is different, so see your vet in advance. Marina recommends people, “Take advice from their vet, not from what they read on the Internet,” and particularly warns against sedatives. These are not only really dangerous but, “What it does is paralyze the animal, while they can still hear and suffer, and that’s not right.” Behavioral issues should be worked on gradually, treating the cause, not the symptoms.
7. Vaccinations
Summer brings biting bugs, so make sure vaccinations are up to date. Leishmaniosis is a potentially fatal disease in dogs (rare in cats) caused by a parasite spread by phlebotomine sand-flies. Despite the name, these range beyond the beach and can be found throughout the Mediterranean in warm months. While it’s never too late, the ideal time to vaccinate is January-March as it takes 28 days to take effect. Insect-repellent collars and drops provide additional protection. Marina says, “If you don’t get bites, you don’t get disease. The problem is there’s no system that is 100% effective.”
Fleas, ticks and other parasites appear around March, peaking in summer. Marina explains most flea-transmitted diseases aren’t fatal, but some tick transmissions can be, including the fairly common but lesser-known Ehrlichia. Both diseases can be hard to detect and take weeks or months to show symptoms. As well as protecting your pet, vaccinations and prevention help prevent diseases spreading.
Kate Williams.
Kate Williams is a freelance writer, editor, translator and Director of The Writer Stuff. She left her native England for Barcelona in 2003 and never looked, or went, back. When she isn’t writing or discovering all the cool stuff going on in the city, she enjoys hiking in the Catalan countryside, kayaking on the Costa Brava, and volunteers at a local animal sanctuary. You can read more by Kate here.
Published June 17, 2019, updated May 4, 2023.