Beat the Heat!

As the weather gets warmer, and you start to get over-heated, keep in mind so does your pet! When overheated, heatstroke can occur and lead to brain damage or death. A good rule of thumb is, if you’re uncomfortable, your pet is uncomfortable.

So what can you do? Here are some summer pet safety tips to consider:

1. Do not leave your pet in the car. Even when it’s only 80 degrees outside, the inside of a parked car can heat up to 120 degrees or more in just minutes. And, leaving the windows partially rolled down won’t help cut that heat. Even in just a few minutes in a parked car, your pet is at risk of a heat stroke.

1. Watch the humidity. It’s not just the heat that can cause health problems in pets. Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves, and their temperature will rise to dangerous levels very quickly.

1. Keep animals out of direct sunlight during the heat of the day (about 10 am to 6 pm). Dogs can only regulate their body temperature by panting and by a tiny amount of evaporation of sweat through the pads of their feet. Because of this, fans don’t cool off pets as effectively as they do people. Older, younger, overweight, and snub-nosed breeds (such as bulldogs, pugs, shih tzus, etc.) can have an especially difficult time with the heat. Also, long-haired breeds may need a summer trim to keep cool. Just remember not to shave the hair too close, creating a risk of sunburn and skin irritation.

1. Limit exercise on hot days. Adjust the intensity and duration of exercise depending on the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, who are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets, who typically have difficulty breathing. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible. Always carry water with you to keep your dog from dehydrating.

1. Know the signs of heat stroke. Symptoms of heat stroke in dogs include excessive panting, drooling, rapid pulse and fever. Immediately run cool (not ice cold) water over the animal and wrap with cool towels before transporting your pet to the veterinarian. Try offering your pet ice cubes to lick to begin to re-hydrate. Early signs of heat stroke in cats can be panting that lasts more than a few minutes, anxiety and pacing, increased heartbeat, respiratory distress or hyperventilation, lethargy, and an increased body temperature. Cats affected by heat may actually drink less when they should be drinking more. Add ice cubes to their water bowl, or encourage your cat to drink by dabbing a little water at the corner of his or her mouth.

1. Always make sure animals have access to fresh water and shade. You can also try spraying down favorite shaded areas a few times during the day to create a cooler space. For outdoor dogs, try filling a kiddie pool with water and leaving it in the shade. Just be sure to change the water often to make sure you don’t raise a new batch of mosquitoes (Remember, mosquitoes can carry heartworm disease!).

1. Test the sidewalk or street on your own feet. These hard surfaces absorb and hold heat. If it’s too hot for you to stand on with your bare feet, it will be too hot for the sensitive pads of your pet’s feet as well. And, while it’s never a good idea for a pet to ride in the back of an open pickup truck, the same principle applies. If the metal surface is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your animals.