Beat the Summer Heat With These 5 Safety Tips

Summer is the best time of year to spend time outdoors with your pet friends. Your pets undoubtedly enjoy being outside, whether playing fetch in the park, trekking along beautiful trails, or relaxing in your backyard. With high temperatures and outdoor dangers like ticks and snakes, the season of fun and sun may also be hazardous for your dogs. This post will review the five most important summer safety precautions you should be aware of to keep your pet secure and content throughout the season.

1. Keep Your Animal Hydrated

Keeping your pet hydrated over the summer prevents dehydration and heat stroke. Ensure your pets have access to plenty of fresh, clean water, especially if they spend time outdoors. Additionally, you can freeze water or low-sodium broth into ice cubes to give your pets a pleasant treat that will keep them hydrated and cool.

2. Shield the Sun from Your Pet

Animals can become tanned just like people can. Limit your pet’s exposure to the sun during peak hours, often between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., to prevent sunburn. You may also invest in pet-safe sunscreen to protect your pet’s nose, ears, belly, and other exposed regions from the sun. As regular sunscreen can be dangerous to animals, be sure the sunscreen is made specifically for dogs.

3. Prevent Using Hot Asphalt and Concrete

Hot pavement and asphalt might burn your pet’s paws when the weather rises. Try to walk your dog in the cooler parts of the day and stay off all hot surfaces. Put your hand on the pavement for seven seconds to see if the temperature is too high. Your dog’s paws won’t be able to handle it if it’s too hot for your hand.

4. Examine Your Animal Pet for Ticks

During the summer, ticks are frequently encountered and can carry diseases that are dangerous to humans and animals. When your pet returns inside from being outdoors, especially if they are in grassy or wooded areas, be sure to inspect them for ticks. Please be mindful of your pet’s armpits, ears, and belly, as well as any other regions of their body that lack hair. As soon as a tick is discovered, remove it with tweezers and watch for any signs of sickness in your pet.

5. Don’t Let Your Pet Get Close to Snakes

Snakes may be more active and dangerous to your pet in the summer. When hiking or in wooded regions, teach your pet to avoid snakes and keep them on a leash. Ask a veterinarian for help immediately if a snake bites one of your animals.

In conclusion, summer might be risky for your dogs, but if you listen to this summer safety advice, you can keep them secure and content throughout the season. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for help and assistance if you ever have any concerns regarding the health or welfare of your pet. Take the essential precautions to safeguard your animal buddy this summer because prevention is the key.

 

We are happy to welcome you back into our building for appointments with our doctors! Following the most recent recommendations, masks are no longer required inside, but our staff is happy to wear them if you prefer, just let us know during your visit. We ask that ALL appointments continue to call to check in from the parking lot as this has greatly reduced lobby traffic, leading to less stressful visits for our more timid patients. We continue to be glad to accommodate curbside appointments at your request.