Dogs and Cats of Summer

by Right

Summer is a fun time for me, I love to lay in a sun beam and stretch out on my back and just vegg ... but did you know that summer can be a dangerous time for us, even indoor cats can suffer from the effects of high heat. So here are a few tips for your human to follow to make sure you and your siblings are comfortable during the heat of summer.

• Please provide plenty of water and shade even while you are outdoors. Light colored pets can get sunburned, so always have your human apply sunscreen on noses and ear tips as necessary. Most dogs, and all cats, are safer indoors, except when taken out for exercise which is best done either in early morning or evening hours. Keep in mind that hot asphalt may burn our paws!

• Don’t ever let your human leave a pet in a parked car for ANY period of time. Dogs and cats cannot perspire and can only dispel heat by panting and through the pads in their feet. It takes just a few minutes for temperatures in a parked car, even with the windows cracked open, to reach 120 degrees. That is kinda hot!! If you see an animal in a parked car, immediately have your human alert nearby store management or call the police.

• Remember that summer is flea and tick season – you deserve to be protected from these threats to their health. Use only vet approved products to reduce the risk to your pet.

• Dog bites rise in the summer months as people and their pets are outside more often. Spaying or neutering your pet reduces the risk that they will bite and also provides many other health benefits.

• Don’t take your pets to crowded summer events like concerts or fairs. Loud noises, heat and crowds are very stressful to your pets. Fourth of July fireworks are especially dangerous for your pets as the noise hurts their sensitive ears so leaving them safely at home is the best idea.

• It is very dangerous to drive with a dog in the back of a pick-up truck. Not only can a dog be accidentally thrown from a truck as the driver swerves or stops but flying debris can injure or kill! It is recommended that any animal traveling in a vehicle be placed in a secured crate.

Probably the best prescription for summer’s sun is to keep your dog or cat inside with you and your family. The happiest dogs are those that are taken out frequently for walks and exercise but kept inside the rest of the time. Dogs and cats are social animals that crave human companionship. Your animal companions deserve to live indoors with you and your family!

Back