@suzanagartner
Summer is fast approaching and many of us are spending more time outdoors enjoying the warm weather with our furry friends. Did you know that hot weather can be dangerous for your pet? We all want to be the best pet parents and take care of our furry loved ones as we spend more time with them. I want to share with you some tips to keep your pets safe during the summer.
Give your pets plenty of water when you take them outdoors. For example, I travel with a water bowl in my pouch for my puppy, Oakley, so he can have sips of water when we go for longer walks. You can take your dogs out in the early morning hours and evenings when it’s cooler and out of the sun. As well, since your pets have fur, they can feel heat exhaustion more quickly. Try not to take them for long walks, and keep them indoors as much as you can during hot days.
Keep an eye out for any changes in your pet’s behavior and educate yourself on the symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Here are some tips on how to identify heat stroke in animals:
- Heavy panting and difficulty breathing or rapid breathing.
- Your pet is drooling excessively and appears in discomfort.
- The dog or cat appears lethargic, drowsy, or uncoordinated.
- Collapsed or vomiting or if your pet has trouble urinating.
If you notice any of these signs, please don’t ignore them and contact your veterinarian. In the meantime, keep pets in the shade when outdoors. Please don’t leave your pets inside the car for any period of time during warm temperatures. Dogs can’t release heat by sweating, as humans do, so their internal body temperature rises more quickly. It can also be dangerous for senior dogs and cats to be exposed for long periods on hot days. We take our older dog, Lily, on short walks during hot summer days and leave her in the comfort of home in the cool air conditioning and with plenty of water.
These are a few tips to help keep your pets safe during the hot, summer months!! By taking some of these safety measures and precautions into consideration, you can help your pet stay safe and you can both have an enjoyable summer! Feel free to share other safety tips and leave comments below to help keep pets safe and enjoy their summer.