Summertime. The first thing you think of is the heat! Eighties – nineties – one-hundred – yikes! But if you think it’s hot for you, think about your pet, especially the furry ones. Did you know that your furry pet can get overheated and even suffer heatstroke? Read on to learn about ways to avoid these types of summer stress for your pets.
If your pet is a goldfish, iguana, snake, or another inside ‘pet,’ this blog won’t apply to you much. However, you don’t want to go away and leave your fish or reptilian pet without food, water, and a cool inside temperature. Also make sure that the room you leave them in is properly ventilated. Stale air can make your indoor pet suffer. But let’s address your furry pets, especially the ones who go outside or spend a lot of their time outside.
If you groom your pet on a regular basis you may already be trimming or shaving your four-legged friend down for the summer. If not, any long-haired dog or cat that spend time outside during the summer should be groomed, and the mats in their fur removed, to ease their heat index and discomfort. Each breed has their specifications for trimming and shaving, so follow those specs. Sometimes cutting off too much hair isn’t always good for your specific pet. Removing all their hair can leave them susceptible to sunburn. Yes, your pet can get a sunburn!
One of the ways to keep your pet cool during the summer is to hydrate, and the same is true for your pet. For inside animals, keep their water bowl clean and rinsed and refilled frequently. Another treat is to add ice-cubes to their water. This keeps the water cool and many pets will also chew the ice cubes.
Outside pets require a little more attention. First, make sure their water bowl is made out of a material that won’t heat-up in the summer sun. If the water or bowl is too hot your pet may not drink out of it. Second, refill their bowl several times during the day. Keep your eye on the bowl and see how much your pet is drinking. Many dogs, especially larger ones, can empty a water bowl in one session.
Another way to hydrate is to give them a bowl of hydrating fruits like watermelon, cucumber, and cantaloupe. Check with your Vet to make sure that what you give to your pet will not harm them.
You could add cooling products to your pet. There are cooling vests and bandanas that you can put on your pet to keep them cooler in the summer. There are also cooling mats and beds that you can add to your pets doghouse or sleeping area.
Shade during the summer is a great asset in keeping your outside pet cooler in the summer. If their doghouse or your backyard doesn’t have good shade, then put-up a tarp or umbrella to give your pet a cool, shady place to lie down during the day. You could even set-up a fan for your pet. Just make sure that the electrical cord is not in their reach so they don’t chew on it, and the fan is not where they can reach it to stick their paws or tongue in the fan. Also, secure the fan so it doesn’t tip over and hurt your pet or damage the fan.
Think about adjusting the activity levels of you and your pet during the heat of the summer. If you normally take afternoon walks, it would be wise to move the walk to the morning or early evening when it is cooler. If you normally play fetch or do training during the day, move these activities to cooler times also. You might even change the fetch routine to one where you play indoors with a stuffed animal. Or go outside and splash around in a kiddie pool. Even if you don’t want to get in the water, your pets would appreciate a cool pool to flop down in. Just make sure that your pet will be safe in that pool. They need to be able to get in and out of the pool comfortably and lay in the pool safely with no fear of drowning. If you aren’t’ sure your pet can do this you should stay with them and monitor their behavior.
Another tip for outside animals is to check them regularly for fleas and ticks. Summertime is a great time for these pests, and they love to latch-on to your furry friend. Strap on a flea and tick collar and do a regular check of your pet to keep them flea and tick clear. Make sure their dog or cat bed is cleaned regularly. You want to keep dirt, grass, and mud off of the bed, but also fleas and ticks.
We all liked to play in the hose when we were kids, and most pets would love a romp in the sprinkler or water from the hose also. This is not only entertaining for your pet, but also keeps them cool. One word of warning. If you hose them off later in the evening, make sure they are dried off so the cooler air of the night will not make them sick.
Now let’s talk about how to recognize heat stress and what to do if your pet gets overheated.
Common signs of heat stress include:
- Excessive panting and drooling
- Being sluggish and showing signs of weakness
- Vomiting and diarrhea.
Here are steps to take to cool down your pet and take them out of heat stress:
- Move them immediately to a cool area – like in air conditioning
- Give them cool water or ice cubes
- Cool them down with cool, wet towels
- If their condition continues, call your vet!
The best protection your pet can have against the heat and humidity of the summer is YOU! If you make sure that your pet has a cool, shaded place to rest and sleep; they are properly hydrated; you eliminate fleas and ticks; and you regulate their behavior, then your pet should get through the summer without suffering any ill effects. And if your pet is happy then you are happy!
So enjoy your summer and make sure your pet enjoys it also.
