5 Tips to keep pets cool this summer
Friday, June 4th, 2010While you worry about home security, and staying air-conditioned and hydrated during the hot summer months, your pet may be suffering the effects of warm weather. According to the ASPCA, pets can also suffer from heat stroke, sunburn and dehydration if exposed to summer heat.
Keep your furry friends safe and cool with these safety tips.
- Routine check-up: Schedule a routine spring or early summer appointment with your vet and ask him or her about flea and tick control programs.
- Just a trim: Give your dog a summer hair cut by shaving down to about one inch from the skin and brush your cat more often than usual to get rid of excess hair to prevent overheating.
- Hidden hazards: Keep any household chemicals or substances like pesticides, and flea and tick repellants locked up and away from pets so they won’t ingest them and get poisoned.
- Cool and content: Provide your pet with plenty of shade to stay out of the sun. Never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle in any weather. Vehicles can become extremely hot quickly and cause your pet to have a heat stroke.
- Safe hydration: Make sure pets have plenty of clean, fresh water. Never leave pets unattended around pools or let them drink pool water, which has chlorine and other chemicals that can make them sick. Introduce them to water gradually and make sure that they wear flotation devices at all times when they’re on boats.
