Dog owners are being warned about the dangers of heat, as today is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far.
Temperatures are forecast to reach 23 degrees in some parts of the west today.
Dogs Trust Ireland says 68 per cent of potentially fatal heat stroke cases are caused by walking dogs in hot weather.
A veterinary study commissioned by the charity in 2020, found the most common cause of potentially fatal heatstroke is dogs being exercised by their owners, which includes walking, playing, or running with their owners.
The advice is to avoid walks in the middle of the day when temperatures are at their hottest and to instead head out early in the morning or in the late evening.
Niamh Curran Kelly, Veterinary and Welfare Manager, Dogs Trust Ireland, says dogs are more vulnerable to hot weather than humans.
"Dogs aren’t able to cool themselves down as effectively as people, and they have to rely on panting or releasing small amounts of heat through their paw pads.
"When the air and ground temperatures rise, it becomes much more difficult for them to do this so, they can overheat very easily".
The animal welfare charity, says common signs of heatstroke to watch out for include, panting heavily, drooling excessively, appearing lethargic, drowsy, or uncoordinated, vomiting, collapsing or diarrhoea.
Dog owners who suspect a case of sunstroke, are advised to seek veterinary attention immediately, as the sooner this happens, the better chance the dog has of making a full recovery.
