5 ways to keep your pet safe this summer

In the dog days of summer, our pets seem to love getting outdoors just as much as people do, but danger can happen in seconds if we’re not careful.

1. First, your dog and cat absolutely must be taking year-round preventive heartworm medications. Mosquitoes carry heartworm disease. If your pet is not on prevention medication, please call our clinic right away to set up an appointment for a heartworm test, followed by a prescription for medication. Trust us, you will spend more money on treatment than prevention if your pet is lucky to survive this heartbreaking disease. Additionally, your dog and cat need flea and tick prevention medications.

2. Make sure your pets drink more water than normal. Signs of overheating or heat stroke include excessive panting, increased heart rate, drooling, seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomiting.

3. Don’t overexercise pets in the summer. It is a good idea to bring them indoors during extreme heat. A good “rule of paw” is: if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their paws. So, walk your dogs during the cooler morning or evening hours. Walk them in the grass instead of hot pavement when necessary.

4. Remember, all dogs don’t love to swim. Several smaller breeds often go into panic-mode when placed into water. Meantime, other breeds were meant for assisting in hunting and fishing, and they love water. To find out what your pet prefers, gently introduce them to a kiddie pool filled with water or a small puddle to see if they enjoy splashing around, or if they would prefer you to cool them off with a hose or bath.

5. Often, pet owners give their cat or dogs summer haircuts to keep cool. It is great to trim your dog or cat’s hair, but do not completely shave them. A pet’s coat still protects them from overheating and getting sunburned, so some fur is necessary in summer.

Summer is a great time for all of us to enjoy getting outside, and we hope you and your pets have a safe and fun season.