14 Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe This Summer

Our pets love summer just as much as we do!

Summer is a great time of year for you and your dog to enjoy and explore the great outdoors. Longer days mean more time for picnic and barbecues, beach or lake trips, hiking, camping, and trips to the dog park. But, there are a few things to watch out for.

So we thought it would be a good idea to do a quick recap on how to keep your pet safe in the summer.

 

01 of 14

Cover the basics

We spend a lot of time outdoors with our pets in the summer, and that increases the risk of them running off or getting lost.

Secure an up-to-date tag on your pet’s collar with your phone number on it, and make sure to use a leash when you head outdoors. One of the best ways to prevent your dog from getting lost is to keep them on a leash in areas that aren’t fenced.

Consult your veterinarian for flea and tick control options, and always keep your pet’s vaccinations current.

02 of 14

Stay hydrated

Make sure your pet always has access to fresh, clean water inside the house, and bring a bottle for your furry companion when going outside, just like you do for yourself. You might also switch to wet dog food during the hotter months to increase fluid intake.  In heat waves, add ice to water when possible.

Dehydration in dogs and cats is a real possibility during the summer. Our dogs get much thirstier than we do when they get hot. Signs of dehydration include dry gums and excessive drooling.

Just like humans, dogs can get dehydrated in hot summer weather and require plenty of fresh water to help regulate their body temperature. If you’re planning on spending a lot of time outdoors with your pup, it’s important to know the signs of dehydration: loss of appetite, excessive panting, dry nose, vomiting or diarrhea, low energy, and thick saliva. If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms, make sure to give them fresh, clean water and if their symptoms persist, call your local Banfield veterinarian right away.

03 of 14 

Keep cool

Never underestimate the summer heat. Days that feel tolerably warm to humans can be too hot for dogs, especially those sporting heavy fur coats.

Outside, provide shade for your dog and plenty of cool, fresh water. Kiddie pools or dog swimming pools are a great way for dogs to cool off in the backyard—just make sure the water is filled very shallow for small dogs and young puppies and that no dog is ever left unsupervised around a pool. The water should be refilled with fresh water for each swim as stale standing water can make them sick if they drink it. If it’s too hot outside, keep your dog indoors with the air conditioning running, use fans to circulate the air and cool down the house, and always make sure they have plenty of fresh drinking water.

Keep your pet from overheating indoors or out with a cooling body wrap, vest or mat. Soak these products in cool water, and they'll stay cool  for up to three days. If your dog doesn't find baths stressful, see if they enjoy a cooling soak.

Schedule walks in the early morning or evening; dog paws hate hot pavement. You can also make dog exercise sessions safe by stopping for drinks of fresh water and finding shady spots for necessary panting breaks.

04 of 14

Give ’em shade

Keep your pet in the shade as often as possible. While dogs and cats like to sunbathe, direct sunlight can overheat them (especially dogs) and lead to heat stroke.

Dog’s can’t regulate heat as well as us, so it’s not as easy for them to stay cool. Prolonged heat exposure puts them at risk for developing heat stroke.

Too much heat and humidity can be hazardous to your dogs health, so if you’re not comfortable outside because it’s too hot it’s also too hot for your dog. On those really hot days it’s safer to keep your dog entertained inside.

If your dog is spending time outside, consider buying or building a shade. Large umbrellas, pop-up tents, and sunshades are a good start. Shade helps protect them from direct sun and keeps their surrounding area a little bit cooler.

05 of 14

Sunrise, sunset

How hot is too hot for dogs? Don’t exercise your dog in the heat of the day when temperatures rise. Walking and especially running in hot temperatures increases a dog’s chance of heatstroke or heat exhaustion, and the hot pavement can burn their sensitive paw pads. Schedule walks and other exercise at dawn or dusk when temperatures are cooler, and stick to indoor activities or water play during the hottest part of the day.

If you don’t have the resources to keep your dog protected during the heat of the day, consider saving outdoor time for early mornings and evenings. Late afternoon, between 3 and 5 p.m., is the hottest part of the day, and the coolest time is an hour after sunrise.

06 of 14

Limit exercise on hot days

Avoid strenuous exercise during extremely hot days & keep the sessions short. The same goes for days with high humidity. For those really hot days check out some simple activities to keep your dog busy indoors.

Take care when exercising your pet. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with 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.

07 of 14

Mind your walking hours

If you have a dog, walk and exercise your pup only in the early morning and late evening. When is it too hot to walk a dog? Never do it in the middle of the day. When outside, take breaks in the shade and have water available.

When spraying your dog with water, make sure to spray the paws and stomach to cool them down quicker. If you are using a wet towel, it’s better to rub their paws and stomach than top coat.

If you can't walk your dog during the early and later hours of the day, doggy boots are a good way to protect their paws.

08 of 14

Watch for Signs of Heatstroke

You may have asked yourself: how hot is too hot for cats? Or - how hot is too hot to walk dogs? What temperature can a cat tolerate? A dog's normal temperature is between 100° and 103°F, while a normal temperature in cats ranges from 100.4º to 102.5ºF. Anything higher than that means your pet’s in danger.

So do cats sweat? No, dogs and cats don’t sweat as we do. They drink water and pant to bring down their body temperature.

Heatstroke occurs when a pet's body temperature rises to dangerous levels and the pet is unable to cool down by themselves. Educate yourself about the signs of heatstroke in pets so you can act quickly to help your dog. Heatstroke is an extreme medical emergency.

The Signs of Heat Stroke

Extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke. Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure and unconsciousness.

Animals are at particular risk for heat stroke if they are very old, very young, overweight, not conditioned to prolonged exercise, or have heart or respiratory disease. Some breeds of dogs—like boxers, pugs, shih tzus and other dogs and cats with short muzzles—will have a much harder time breathing in extreme heat.

No matter what activities you and your best friend will be enjoying this summer make sure you know the signs of heatstroke. It’s considered a medical emergency and needs to be handled immediately:

Early Stages of Heat Stroke:

• Heavy panting
• Excessive drooling
• Balance problems
• Bright red gums

Advanced Stages of Heat Stroke

• Labored & noisy breathing
• White gums
• Lethargy
• Vomiting

How to treat a pet suffering from heatstroke

If you suspect your pet may be suffering from heat stroke measures must be taken immediately to cool him down.

Take them to a cool place with fan or air conditioning immediately and offer cool water.

Don’t use ice water if your pet has heat stroke – it will close their pores and make the problem worse. Don’t place your pet in cold water, that can put them into shock.

Start by spraying or immersing him in cool water. Drape your pets head, neck and chest with cool towels.  Let them drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Aim a fan at them once they are wet to speed up the cooling process.

You need to gradually decrease his temperature without inducing shock.  Take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible following an episode of heat stroke as it can be associated with other complications.

09 of 14

Pets get sunburns too!

You might be surprised to learn that dogs can get sunburned, even with all that fur. And just like with people, sunburns can be painful for a dog and overexposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer. The most vulnerable areas are the nose, ears and face, where hair is usually sparse. Dogs with white coats and very thin coats are also more susceptible to sunburn.

If you are planning to spend a day out in the sun with your furry companion, apply sunscreens every 3-4 hours to the least hair-covered spots: bellies, ears, and nose.

Use only sunscreens made specifically for pets. Pets tend to lick it and sunscreen made for humans can include the components that are toxic for animals (like zinc) and this can cause an emergency situation.

Talk to your veterinarian about sunscreens for your dog (don’t assume a sunscreen for people is appropriate for your dog).

10 of 14

Be wary around water

Not all dogs are natural swimmers, so watch your pooch when you’re near the pool, beach, or lake. Brachycephalic breeds like bulldogs, French bulldogs, and pugs can struggle in the water.

When playing at the beach, keep a close eye on your dog to make sure they can handle the waves well, and watch your dog for signs of exhaustion. Some dogs have so much fun playing that they don’t want to stop for a break, and exhaustion can be a dangerous combination with strong waves or undertow.

If your dog’s swimming skills aren’t excellent, consider using a dog life jacket so they can swim safely.

Swimming pool

First, if you own a pool, make sure to have a gate or pool cover. Puppies in particular are susceptible to drowning. If you let your dog swim in your pool, make sure they don’t drink the water as the chlorine in it can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

If your dog jumps in your swimming pool, he might not be able to get out without help and could easily drown. Make sure your dog can’t get into your swimming pool without you around. In a backyard pool, teach your dog how to enter the pool safely, and make sure your dog knows how to find their way to the stairs to exit.

Never leave your dog unsupervised with access to a pool; make sure you have a locked gate that separates your dog from the pool area when you are not watching.

Use a kiddie pool

Does your dog love the water? Fill up a kiddie pool with water for your pup to cool off in. I suggest picking up a plastic one, since their nails can tear the softer ones. Don’t have a kiddie pool? Plenty of dogs enjoy playing with the hose or sprinklers.

River and lake

If your dog will be swimming in a lake, pond, or river, check beforehand to make sure there are no algae warnings in the area. Certain water algae can cause sickness and even death in pets. 

Ocean

Please note that it's a big risk to let your dog swim in the ocean. Rolling waves can be dangerous for dogs, even if they’re good swimmers.

Don’t let dogs drink from oceans, lakes or pools 

Don’t let your dog drink seawater; it causes dehydration and vomiting. Salt toxicity can occur when dog drink too much salt water. Bring fresh water for your dog to drink and take them home if they can’t seem to stop drinking the sea water. 

And also make sure they don’t drink pool water as the chlorine in it can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Consider a life vest

Just like us, dogs enjoy cooling off in water, pool, lake, or ocean. But be very careful where you choose to let them. Not all dogs swim well. And even those that do, might not know how to get out of the pool. Also, strong currents and riptides can sweep a dog out to sea.

If you decide to take your doggy sailing or boating, be sure it wears a life vest in a bright color to stay visible and afloat in case of an accident. Always keep an eye on your furry companion when near water.

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Don’t shave your pet

You might think shaving your dog a cat for the summer is the best solution to overheating. But a pet's coat is naturally designed to keep it cool during the summer and warm in the winter. Feel free to trim the fur on your pet in the summer, but never shave. Be sure to leave at least a full inch of hair to protect your pet’s skin from sunburns. And don’t forget about your pet’s regular grooming schedule, no matter what season it is.

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Protect Paws

A pet’s paw pads are tough, but pets can burn their pads if they walk on hot pavement, cement, asphalt, metal or sand. Try to keep your pet off of hot asphalt; not only can it burn paws, but it can also increase body temperature and lead to overheating.

Before letting your pet walk on hot ground, test it first with your hand or your own foot. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet. Walking your dog during the cooler times of the day is always a good idea, and so is walking them on the grass. If neither option is possible, consider investing in doggie booties. Not only will they help protect your dog’s paws, they’ll make your little cutie look super dashing as well.

It’s also not a good idea to drive around with your dog in the bed of a truck – the hot metal can burn paws quickly (and they can fall out to be injured or killed in an accident).

13 of 14

Never leave your pet in the car

Taking your pets for a ride in the car or minivan? Yes, most pets love riding in cars. And, you may think leaving your pet in a car for a few minutes is no big deal. But, even when temperatures feel cooler to us, the temperature inside a car can quickly soar to deadly levels.

Leaving your pet in a hot car can seriously harm or kill them, which is why it’s illegal in many states. In a very short period of time, the temperature inside a car can rise 20–40 degrees. Yes, even with the windows cracked open. Pets can develop heatstroke within a matter of minutes in a hot car, so don’t play around with your pet’s life. 

So make sure if you have to go out of the car, always leave dog in car with AC running, but it would be best not to do it at all, if possible.

Safely see the sights

Never leave them inside—windows up or down—on hot days. Keep dogs’ heads in the car while driving; inner ear damage, lung infections, and injury happen when man’s best friend sticks his head out the window. Buckle up your dog with a harness or seat belt for dogs, or a crate or carrier secured with a seat belt. And never let dogs ride in the back of trucks. A crate in the truck bed keeps dogs from bouncing out in an accident or being hit with debris on the road.

14 of 14

Keep parasites off

In summer, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other parasites are practically everywhere, so consult with your veterinarian on the best pest preventives to use for your and your pets’ lifestyle. Do a thorough skin check (the same one you’d do for fleas) on your dog after coming inside to look for ticks.

Also, keep your animals off areas sprayed with chemicals or insecticides, and always store fertilizers and other poisonous substances out of their reach.

Have fun this summer! 🌞

 

Credits
thesprucepets.com
roanokeanimalhospital.com
puppyleaks.com
petcube.com
humanesociety.org
pethealthnetwork.com
onlynaturalpet.com
banfield.com