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Summer Pet Safety Tips

We might associate summer with a thin layer of perspiration on our skin. However, for pet parents, we know that our dogs don’t sweat and are therefore vulnerable to various heat related problems.

We get a grim reminder every summer of how a sunny but pleasant day outside can spell disaster for a dog trapped in a car. Even people who have had pets for years will make the mistake of leaving their beloved pet in a locked car while they run into the store to grab something, only to return to find their dog has expired due to the quickly rising temperature inside the car. It’s a devastating occurrence for the pet parent and it can lead to felony animal abuse charges.

Pets that are advanced in age or are overweight are more susceptible to the effects of heat, as are dogs with short snouts. Listen for obstructed breathing, and if you hear it, they need to be moved to a cooler location, quickly.

Your dog might be running around like it’s having a blast in the summer sun, but beware of heat stroke. Yes, despite their unending energy, they can succumb to heat stroke. Look for red or pale gums, a sudden onset of vomiting or diarrhea, increased salivation and a super red tongue. A rule of thumb regarding this pet health issue is that if it’s too hot outside for you, it’s too hot for your furry friend.

Thin coats might help keep the dog cool, but it can also lead to sunburn, especially on their snouts and ears. Ask your veterinarian about canine sunscreens that are safe to use on your dog

Whatever you do, don’t use sunscreen made for humans as it contains chemicals that are not good for your dog. Your dog obviously can handle rougher terrain than you can on your bare feet, but be cautious about hot surface, because those will burn the pads of your dog’s feet. The blacktops during the brightest and hottest time of the day are almost hot enough to fry an egg, which means your dog’s feet will suffer similar consequences. Be sure to bend down and touch the pavement with your hand or your bare foot to determine if it’s too hot to take your dog for a walk on it. If it’s too hot for you, again, it’s too hot for Fido. Here are some summarized summer pet safety tips.

Use sunscreen

Not only you, but your pets also get easily sunburned, especially in the ears and the nose area. Apart from that, there is also the possibility of them getting skin cancers. For pet safety in terms of sunburns, you will find sunscreens for your pets but look out for specific ones that might indicate that that particular sunscreen is meant for a dog or a cat only.

Take some amount of sunscreen in your hands and apply it on your pet’s nose and ears. You can also apply it in the area that comprises of the belly if your pet is in a habit of lying on its back. But take care while you touch your pet’s belly since it is a tender place and your pet might not like the way you handle it. In case your pet especially if it is a dog that has shorter hair, apply it to his/her entire body. This is especially true if you have a dog that has short-hair and is light colored such as a white boxer or a bull terrier. If it is a spray-on sunscreen, you will need to spray it liberally all over his/her body for maximum pet safety.
Gerrard Larriett Aromatherapy Pet Care Vitamin & Essential Oil Sunscreen and Skin Conditioner For Dogs – 8 FL OZ (236 mL)

Give sufficient water for drinking

There is nothing like water during the hot summer days. Make sure that your pet has access to a lot of fresh water If he/she is accompanying you on long hikes or at the beach. Adding ice cubes can be a good idea if you want to keep your water cooler for a longer period of time. But do not give ice cubes directly to your pet since it might give them fever and at the same time might break their teeth.

Water will save your pet from having a heat stroke. So whenever, you decide to go outside on a hot day, always carry a bottle of water that your dog might be able to drink from. In terms of pet safety for cats, you need to let them drink plenty of water beside milk.

Shaving

You might wonder if you want to shave your dog’s coat for the summer days in order to keep it cool. But many of the veterinary experts are not convinced by the idea, since shaving the coat of dogs especially the ones with long hair will make them more vulnerable to sunburn. In case, if you do want to shave your dog, limit the amount of time your dog spends outside and at the same time apply sunscreen lotion liberally for maximum pet safety. But again, some vets are of the opinion that shaving the coat will do make them more comfortable and at the same time will provide relief from flea and tick infestations which definitely outnumber during this period.

Dry and rinse your pet after swimming

During summer days, most of the people including you would love to swim a lot. Your dog is of no exception. He/she will also love to do the same. Just remember to keep its ears dry, since it is also the time where bacteria and fungus make the ears of not only your dogs but also cats, their breeding ground. So for pet safety, avoid getting them wet for longer periods of time.

If your pet is elderly or obese, it means that they are often less tolerant of heat. For your pet safety, it is very important they should be kept in a cool environment. Apart from this, they should be regularly checked for fleas as well as ticks since these parasites are at their most active during summer time.

Summertime also means more time exploring nature, where fleas, ticks and other parasites are ready and waiting to latch on to your dog. Companies focused on pet health, like ProLabs, have created products that can aid in treating parasitic conditions without side effects.

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