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Warm Weather Pet Safety Tips
Warm weather is here for most of the country (let’s leave out the freak weather happening in places like Colorado, Missouri, et al), and that means that our pets want to spend a lot more time outside. (Who can blame them??)
Personally, I cannot keep Sasha in right now – I mean for the last couple weeks. Even when it’s past dark:30 and she knows damn well it’s past her curfew, she is mysteriously not
Photo Courtesy NSAL Website
answering my calls for her… bad cat. I know she is around and probably listening to me calling her and laughing at me knowing that she is just not coming home yet. But that’s another (funny) story…
Anyway, as summer approaches, there are several tips to remember to ensure the safety and health of our pets. Animals love to soak up the sun as much as we do, but there are a few precautions we as pet owners should take before allowing our furbabies to enjoy the warm weather or soak in the sun. (Side note: how many of you have dogs who LOVE to lay in the grass and loll around like cows or something when the sun is out? Cracks me up; precious Gibby used to love to do that after a dip in the pool!)
The experts at North Shore Animal League of America, (NSAL) have some tips to keep your pets happy and safe:
- Always make sure your pet has cool, clean water available. Dogs, and even cats, drink more water on hot days, and water warms up quickly.
- NEVER leave your pet in the car. I reviewed this earlier this year….
- Make sure your pets are protected with flea, tick and heartworm treatments and are up-to-date on vaccinations. According to NSAL, fleas thrive in temperatures between 65-80 degrees and in conditions of high humidity. Fleas live both on your animal and in your environment. Pre-adult fleas live in your home and yard and represent over 90% of the flea population. This immature form is more resistant to treatment than the adult flea.
- Springtime and early summer is mating season, as most of us know, particularly breeders. Make sure if you aren’t a breeder that your pet is spayed or neutered PLEASE so that they don’t contribute to the horrible US pet overpopulation problem.
- Be wary of your dog eating grass. If it’s treated with pesticide or fertilizer, it will be very dangerous. Avoid using pesticides in YOUR yard near a place where your pets play.
- Don’t let your dog drink from puddles. Standing water can be filled with bacteria leading to GI upset or other ailments.
- One final note to remember is that dogs and cats may get sunburn just like humans can. Crazy, right??? This is more likely in white animals with thin hair coats. If you have a pet that meets this criteria, it’s recommended that you apply sunscreen to your pet before he or she is allowed to be outside for extended periods of time.
We have to leave our dogs outside when we are gone as we have a Harrier Hound that has shredded 4 bed pillows and started on the bed. It was then that we decided that living in back bedroom with a doggie door to go outside wasn’t working. We took the doggie door out and now have to put them outside. Them being our 9.5 yr old Rottie and our 4 yr old Sheppard as well and the 3 yr old Harrier Hound. He is full of energy but at times we call him DWSAW. (Dog Who Stares At Walls) He sometimes either just stands or lays down a few feet from a blank wall and stares for 10 -15 minutes. Anyway back to the yard, there is a covered walkway that is cool and we keep a fresh bowl of water there too. Question for any one. We just bought a boat and are wondering if it is OK for the dogs to go swimming in the ocean to burn off energy? I am getting them life jackets and will rig up a small hoist to get them back in the boat. Any thoughts?
We have an 12 year old Choc. Lab that we leave in the house with the AC on. When she is not at home I bring her into the office with me at work and then bring her swimming after. She is at the age that she gets to hot in the summer to lay out in the sun. She does still love to roll in the tall grass after swimming. We have brought her swimming in the ocean before but not with a boat. We were just walking along the ocean. And she loved it. I would be careful if you bring them out in the boat in the ocean. Best of luck.
Unfortunately, pet owners love to take their dogs shopping with them. I already spotted dogs left in vehicles with the window cracked open so they could get some air. When it gets hot, the car becomes like an oven. Sigh…