Healthy Pet Advice for the Summer

Jun 28, 2011
Grace Covelli

Protect Your Pet From The Summer Heat - Little White Dog by Scott Meltzer

Your pet's health and safety can be at risk in the summertime. This article tells you how to keep your pet happy and healthy at this time of the year.

With summer in the air and the threat of heat stroke, we all need to take steps to protect ourselves from this life threatening condition. This may be an easy task for us, but our four-legged friends cannot do it alone and must depend on us to watch over them and make sure they don’t get sick or come in harms way. The following information can help you keep your pet safe during hot weather days. Use this information as a guide to keeping your pet healthy and happy during the summer months.

Don’t Leave or Take Your Pet in The Car

If you have a cat, you probably won’t be taking it in the car, unless it has to go to the vet’s office. If you own a dog, chances are your dog goes in the car with you on a regular basis. Driving around in your car with your dog may be fine when the temperature is on the cool side, but if the weather is even mildly hot, you may be subjecting your dog to temperatures that can bring on a heat stroke. Keep in mind the temperature in a car with open windows can rise to 110 degrees in as little as 10 minutes when the temperature outside is 80 degrees. Also keep in mind, your dog is wearing a fur coat and cannot cool itself off the way a human can. To keep your pet cool and safe, don’t put your pet in the car. Leave it in the house where it is safe from the heat.

Use a Pet Sunscreen

With all that fur, you may not think your pet needs to wear sunscreen, but even furry creatures can experience skin damage when exposed to the sun. To protect your pet from the sun, ask your pet’s veterinarian to recommend a sunscreen for your pet, and ask him how to apply it. For exercise, get your pet physically active outdoors hours before noon, or later on in the day when the sun’s rays are not as strong and the temperature is cooler. Always have lots of cold, fresh water on hand for your pet.

Take Your Pet for a Summer Checkup

Take your pet to the veterinarian to make sure your pet is not overweight, and to rule out heart disease. Both of these conditions raise the chances of your pet having a heatstroke. Also have your pet checked out for fleas and ticks it may have picked up while outdoors.

Be Prepared for an Emergency

Keep the telephone number to your pet’s veterinarian’s office handy in case your pet does suffer from heat stroke. Be aware of heat stroke symptoms such as panting more than usual, throwing up, feeling tired without engaging in much activity and not feeling as hungry as usual. If you see signs of any of these symptoms, contact your pet’s veterinarian without delay.

Choose a Competent Pet Sitter to Watch Your Pet When You Go Away

Plan to leave your pet with a reputable pet sitter if you will be going away on vacation without your pet, or ask a trusted friend to watch your pet. Ask the person you may be hiring to watch your pet for names of people she has worked for in the past. Also ask her if she took any courses in pet sitting. If you cannot find someone to sit with your pet, look for a kennel that is a tidy and safe place to leave your pet.