Hot Weather Advice

We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger, ASPCA experts warn. Here are their tips for keeping your pets cool while the sun shines.

Visit the vet
A visit to your vet for a spring or early summer check-up is a must. Make sure your pets get tested for heartworm if they aren’t on year-round preventive medication. Do parasites bug your animal companions? Ask your doctor to recommend a safe flea and tick control program. If you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

Made in the shade
Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.

Know the warning signs
Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees. Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

No parking!
On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time, even with the windows open, and this could lead to fatal heat stroke. Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. Leaving pets unattended in cars in extreme weather is also illegal in several states.

Make a safe splash
Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your pet off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep him from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Screen test
Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and make sure adjustable screens are tightly secured, to prevent injury through falling.

Summer style
Feel free to trim longer hair, but never shave your dog. The layers of dogs’ coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. And be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals.

Street smarts
When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

Copyright ASPCA, 2014