Ah, wonderful summer! It’s always full of exciting events, warm temperatures and long days at the beach. It’s a wonderful time to make memories with family. However, it’s important to keep one very special family member in mind: your pet. Ensure that summer is a blast for you and your furry friend by following these 8 important safety tips.
1. Never leave an animal in a hot car – no exceptions.
Although it’s safe practice to never leave your unattended animal in a car, period, it is especially important to follow this rule during the blistering heat of summer. According to the Humane Society of the U.S., even at a moderate outdoor summer temperature, a parked vehicle’s temperature can quickly climb to 120 degrees. At this heat level, your pet can suffer severe health risks – including death.
2. Know the signs on heat stroke.
Even outside of a vehicle, animals are at risk for heat stroke during the summer. While it’s great to continue taking pets for walks outdoors, it’s important to watch for signs of overheating. This can be partially avoided by only allowing animals outside during cooler hours of the day. Additionally, it’s vital that you are aware of heat stroke symptoms, which include:
- High body temperature
- Strange behavior
- Panting
- Drooling
- Dehydration
- Vomiting
If you witness any of these symptoms – or any additional behaviors that concern you – always take your pet to the vet right away.
3. Provide extra water for proper hydration.
When it’s hot outside, pets begin to sweat excessively due to their fur. To curb dehydration, ensure that you always keep a bowl of fresh, room temperature water within easy access. If you have an animal who spends time outdoors, you must change the water frequently.
4. Ensure your dog or cat is up-to-date on heartworm vaccinations.
Summer is considered “heartworm season,” so it’s important to make sure your pets are vaccinated. Heartworm disease often goes undetected until symptoms take a turn for the worse. To avoid this, check with your vet about heartworm vaccines before the summer begins.
5. When at the beach, keep your furry friend on a leash.
It can be fun to bring your pet with you on family adventures. After all, you want your special animal to join in on all the summertime festivities – but be sure to take precautions. It’s exciting for a pet to play on the beach, but never leave him unattended and always keep him on a leash. Dogs, especially, tend to get distracted and wander off into the ocean water, which is dangerous due to the prevalence of riptides and heavy waves.
6. If you have a pool, consider purchasing a life jacket.
In addition to beach safety, you should always practice pool safety. It’s an unspoken rule to never leave your animal alone by any body of water – which includes your backyard pool. But when having a get together with friends and family, you may not be able to watch your animal at all times. That’s why, for those who have a pool or go swimming often, it’s a great idea to purchase a life jacket for your pet.
7. Be mindful of dogs and cats on the 4th of July.
Independence Day, which is a blast for humans, is not very fun for pets. Animals don’t share our excitement for fireworks, in fact, loud noises in general are cause for panic. Consider keeping your dogs and cats indoors during the 4th of July to avoid devastation. For more information on 4th of July safety tips, read our previous post here.
8. Keep an eye on what your pet may be accidentally ingesting.
During the summer, there are many toxins and poisons left often right within paw reach. From sunscreen to insect repellent, you must be vigilant about hiding potential poisons. To check if your home is toxin-proof, or for more information about pets and poisons visit the Pet Poison Helpline.
Following these safety tips will help ensure that your animal stays happy and safe this summer.
© 2016 Paws PR