Happy & Healthy Summer Safety for your Pet

Summer is a fun time for family, friends and even your pets. Sun, cookouts, and the swimming pool are just a few of the benefits of a happy summer. However, the heat can wreak havoc on your pet if you don’t take the proper precautions to take care of them. Provided in the steps below are tips and helpful hints that will help you to better take care of your pet during the warmer months and also for them to benefit the joys of summer.

• Have a high-risk dog? Be extra careful with them– When dogs pant, they are breathing through their nose to cool themselves off. A dog that can’t breathe well, and therefore can’t pant as well as dog who does breathe well, is at a much greater risk health-wise. These also include bull-dogs and pugs, who have a much smaller snout and are flat-faced. Also pay attention to overweight and senior dogs.

• NEVER keep your pets in locked cars– “Research from San Francisco State University suggests that in 10 minutes, the temperature inside a car rises by 19 degrees. Make it 20 minutes, and the temperature spikes by 29 degrees; 30 minutes and it goes up 34 degrees; and after an hour, the temperature soars by 43 degrees. Dogs and cats have a baseline body temperature of 100 to 102 degrees, and their organs begin to shut down at 106 degrees. “Very quickly, you can literally be threatening your animal’s life,” says Cathy Unruh, an animal welfare advocate based in Tampa Bay, Fla. She cautions that you should never put your pet inside a car that’s been parked outside in the blistering sun – the seats could be so hot that they burn your animal. Make sure the car is cooled down ahead of time.”

• Keep an eye on heatstroke– Yes, this can happen to your pet too, and is more common in dogs than cats. Take your dog out for exercising in the early morning, during cool hours, and at dusk, when the sun is settling and isn’t at its heaviest. It is suggested to keep your pet inside between the hottest hours of the day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Symptoms of heat stroke include increased heart rate and excessive panting, a bright red tongue, panting or diarrhea, among a few other symptoms.

• Sunscreen is a necessity for your pet, too– Did you know your pets can get sunburned too? Dogs get sunburned on the bridge of their nose, groin area, tips of ears, on their bellies, and animals with a thin coat are also known to burn. Don’t use your sunscreen; however, use a sunscreen that’s specially formulated for your type of pet.

• Keep paws protected– The pads of their paws are sensitive and burn too. Keep your pets in the grass or place on doggie boots or socks to protect their paws.

• Always teach your dog to swim– Why? Because if they fall in water or a pool, they’ll know how to swim to get out. If your dog goes with you to the beach, and they swim in the ocean, don’t let them ingest salt water, as it is toxic to dogs.

• Keep their coats during the summer– Many people want to shave their pets, including cats, during the summer. On the other hand, it’s best to let them maintain their coat as is. Their coat acts as insulation and regulates their body temperature.

• Keep your pet stable around fireworks– There is an increase of intake animals at shelters after specific holidays, especially July 4th, because pets get so scared of the booming and loud noise that they run away and escape. It’s best to keep your pet inside during the fireworks bonanza, and reassure and encourage your pet that they are okay.

Source: Angela Haupt with US Health and Wellness News