We all enjoy spending the warmer months exploring the outdoors with our favorite furry companions. But with temperatures rising very quickly, be sure not to put your pet in harms way. Check out some heat safety tips for keeping your pets safe in hot weather.
Never leave your pets in the car.
Even on warm, sunny days, the inside of a car heats up quickly, even with windows cracked. Never leave your pet alone in a parked car. If you see a pet in a car on a hot day and can’t locate the owner, call 911! Then, stay by the car until help arrives.
Watch out for hot pavement.
Dark pavement easily absorbs heat when the weather is very sunny and hot. Avoid walking on pavement for long periods of time as the hot pavement can potentially burn your pet’s paw pads. To see if pavement temperature is too hot, place your bare hand or bare foot on the pavement. If the pavement is too hot for you, it is too hot for your pet!
If your pet really needs the outdoor exercise, consider buying paw booties for your pet. This will protect the paw pads from potentially burning on the pavement. Many pet stores sell different sizes so that your pet can wear ones that fit most comfortably.
Provide cold water and shade.
If you must have your pet outdoors or must house our pets outside, provide them with a shaded shelter. And, always make sure they have plenty of cold water.
When out on adventures with your dog, be sure to bring cold water with you. At restaurants, covered patios are ideal to protect from the sun.
Be practical.
As much as we love spending time with our pets, we need to keep their safety a priority. Leave your pets at home if you plan to be outdoors for a long time, the weather is too hot, or your activity level will be intense. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Know how to identify heatstroke.
A dog’s normal body temperature is 101 to 102.5 degrees. If their temperature reaches 107 degrees, they can suffer brain damage or even death!
Heatstroke symptoms include: excessive panting, a sudden stopping of panting, salivation, an anxious or staring expression, weakness, muscle tremors, red tongue, blue lips, vomiting, collapse or coma.
If your dog show symptoms of heatstroke, immediately do the following:
- Move the dog to a cool, shady place.
- Pour cool water on him and offer him some water to drink.
- Fan him vigorously to promote evaporation.
- Rush him to the veterinarian
- DO NOT apply ice, since it will constrict blood flow and inhibit cooling.
Intense heat can cause the same problems for pets as it does for humans, including overheating, dehydration, sunburn and heatstroke.
By following our tips above, you can keep your pet safe in hot weather! Share the image below with your networks to help keep other pets safe.
