Hot Weather Tips for our Pets!

We are in the hottest part of summer with long hot days and even
our evenings aren't much cooler. Our pets can suffer from the same
problems that we do, overheating, dehydration and even sunburns.
Use a few simple precautions and you can prevent your pets from the
dangers of summer time.

1. Never leave your pet along in a vehicle. Even with the windows open
a parked car or truck can quickly become a furnace on a hot day. Over
heating can kill our pets, and parking in the shade offers very little protection
as the sun shifts during the day.

2. Always carry a gallon of cold water for each pet.

3. Don't force your pet to exercise after a meal in hot humid weather.
Let them exercise in the early morning or evening and keep walks to a
minimum.

4. Never leave your dog standing on hot asphalt. Their body can heat
up quickly and they have sensitive paw pads that will burn.

5. Provide plenty of shade and a well constructed dog house for
your pets that stay outside. BRING in your pets during the hottest
parts of the day, and make sure they have plenty of cool water.

6. Older and over weight pets need you to be extra careful with during
the hot months of summer. Pets with pug or snub noses and those with
heart problems need to be kept cool in air conditioned rooms.

7. Avoid walking your pets in area's that you suspect have been sprayed
with insecticides or chemicals. Be alert for coolants or other auto fluids leaking
from vehicles. Pets are attracted to the sweet taste, and ingesting even a small
amount can be fatal. Call your vet immediately if you suspect your pet has
ingested poisons.

8. Keep pets well groomed to stave off summer skin problems, this also helps
the pet from over heating.

9. Make regular visits to your vet for check ups. Vets are our first line of
defence to keeping our pets healthy year around.

10. Make sure all windows in your home are properly screened to prevent
escape or falls.

11. Our pets are not able to sweat like we do. They cool themselves by panting
and sweating through their paws. If they have only warm to hot air to breath,
animals can collapse, suffer brain damage and possibly die of heat stroke.
Just 15 mins can be enough for an animals body temperature to climb
from normal to deadly levels that will damage the nervous and cardiovascular
systems, often leaving the animal comatose, dehydrated and at risk of
permanent impairment or even death.

By following these simple guidelines you can protect your pet from the
worst temps during summers hottest days. If unsure call and ask your
pet's vet, they are always happy to provide information for the safety
of their fur friends.


Information for this posting was gathered from around the Internet.