Anyone who read my ‘tweets’ this weekend knows that I ‘dog-sat” for my neighbors 3 pups on Friday and Saturday. Buddy the sheepdog, Aiden the Brittany spaniel, and Abby the beagle, were all pretty well behaved considering this was the first time I have cared for them. Thank goodness, as they would have been a handful for one person otherwise. They were very happy upon their owners return and my pooch Hannah Lilly was happy to have me all to herself again. My taking care of them must not have been too traumatizing on them as Aiden tried to get off his lead and come to my house yesterday, and all 3 greeted me enthusiastically when I passed by on my walk. Seeing how hard this heat is on Buddy brought to mind some things pet owners should be aware of for the comfort, safety, and health of their pets in summer.
• Always provide your dog, cat, or other pets with fresh water to help keep them well hydrated with the higher temperature of summer.
• If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure they have access to a shaded area so that they have a cooler spot to be in when the day’s temperature is at its highest.
• Keep an eye out for signs that your pet is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat sickness, heavy panting, excessive foaming at the mouth, pale tongue, lethargy, and trouble standing to name just a few signs that your pet has had too much heat. Move your pet to a cooler place, offer him/her cool water to drink, and seek veterinary care if your pet does not improve within a few minutes, is experiencing difficulty breathing, (making choking or gasping sounds), or has become unconscious.
• You should never of course leave a pet in your vehicle even for just a few minutes. The temperatures inside a vehicle even with windows opened for ventilation can rise to dangerous and deadly levels in less than a minute.
• Protect your pets from fleas and ticks using high quality treatments such as flea & tick shampoos, flea & tick collars, monthly repellent gels or chewable tablets, and treating their sleeping areas and your yard to repel fleas and ticks.
• Vaccinations for your pet should be up to date to help protect your pet from rabies and other serious diseases that other animals carry and can transmit to unprotected pets. This also includes placing your pet on a heartworm preventative, to help protect them from a very serious disease that kills many pets each year.
• Brush your pet’s fur often to help them shed extra hair and consider taking them to the groomers to trim their coat for the summer.
• Keep pets away from the grill when cooking and confine your pet to a safe and quiet area when fireworks are being set off.
Following the suggestions above can help to keep your pet safe, healthy, and happy this summer!
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