Keep Your Pets Healthy During the Hot Summer Weather

Keep Your Pets Healthy During the Hot Summer Weather

Summertime is a fun time to be outdoors and to enjoy varying activities. It can be a fun time with our pets also. But there are important things to remember to keep our pets happy and healthy while outside.

Watch out for hot surfaces from baking in the hot sun. They can burn your dog’s or cat’s paws if they walk or run on hot macadam. Protect their feet if that is the only place for them to walk. Also exercise your dog in the morning or evening when it is cooler. Dogs cannot sweat like humans. They release their body heat by panting and sweating from their paws. They can get overheated very easily especially short nosed dogs like Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus and French Bulldogs. Their airways are already compromised by their short noses, so they need to be kept out of the sun as much as possible. Of course they also need lots of water to stay hydrated while outside.

If you are taking your dogs to a dog park, make sure their vaccines are current. It is very easy to spread kennel cough, influenza, parvo and distemper from dog to dog. And you want to make sure the rabies vaccine is current in case there are any altercations between dogs and or humans. Make sure you have your pets tested for internal parasites also because dogs can pick up intestinal parasites by sniffing and eating any soil.

And of course one of the biggest no no’s is to NEVER leave your pet alone in a locked car during the summer. Even if it is cloudy and 75 or more degrees, it doesn’t take long for the car’s interior temperature to reach dangerous levels. If your pet develops heat stroke, get it into a shady area or air conditioned area. Cool down the body with cool NOT cold water. Transport to a Veterinarian as soon as possible.

We are here to help you if you have any questions of concerns. Call us if your pet is in trouble.

Have fun this summer and stay safe.