Keep your pet safe this summer
Preparation is cool
The yay and nays of pet care in the heat
There are times in our area when summer heat can push all the way past 40 degrees. None of us feel like hanging out in this kind of weather, in fact we do our best to get cool and stay cool.
Pets, especially those who are dark skinned or have thick coats, can find the heat tough. There are some great things that you can do to keep the summer stress away.
Never leave your pet in a closed vehicle.
Pets heat up in cars just as quickly as babies do. There is no excuse or reason for this. Not even to pop quickly to the shops or pick up the kids.
Dogs in this situation will die from heat stroke in minutes.
Even if you do leave the window open a bit when parked in the shade. We cannot stress enough the dangers of leaving dogs in cars, especially in the summer.
Read about signs of heatstroke to understand what to do if your pet overheats.
Try to plan your outings with your pet and avoid activities that leave your pet alone in the vehicle.
Things to avoid doing with your pet this summer
Leaving them in a vehicle even briefly
Kennels as a cool-off zone – they can sometimes trap heat and aren't effective places for your pet to cool down
Water containers that can be easily knocked over – pets can run out of supply pretty quickly if they like to play with water.
Strenuous exercise on extremely hot days
Midday walks – take walks in the early mornings or evenings, when the sun's heat is less intense
Letting them sunbake (especially white skin pets), they can develop skin cancer just like us.
Prolonged exposure to hot bitumen or sand, which can burn paws. A great test is to place your hand on the bitumen for 10 seconds. If it gets too hot for you, it's too hot for the dog.
Leaving dogs without shade on your ute – a shaded area with a water bowl will go a long way to keep workers cool in their travels.
Dogs that are short-faced like bulldogs, boxers, pugs and alike, have an especially hard time in the heat because they do not pant as efficiently as longer-faced dogs. Try to keep your dogs that are short-faced (bulldogs, boxers, pugs and alike) inside with air-conditioning or a fan on when it's really hot. All pets would benefit from a cool spot indoors when the temperatures get really high.
How to keep your dog cool
If your dog is outside on a hot day, make sure it has a shady spot to rest in
Always provide plenty of cool, fresh water at all times for your pet to drink. You can get nifty travel bowls or automatic refill bowls that keep the supply up
You may want to fill a child's wading pool (e.g. clam shell) with water and keep it in the shade for your dog to cool off in
For big dogs, consider getting a small children's blow up pool
Fun family water comps – use low-pressure water sprayers as high-pressure ones can hurt and make sure the water coming out of the tap is not hot
Safety tips for dogs in wading pools
Ensure water levels are safe against drowning. Your dog should be able to sit, stand and rest on their tummy without difficulty and get in and out easily
You must also consider the safety of any children that may be around when using wading pools for dogs
Safety tips for dogs swimming in your pool
Make sure your pets know how to get themselves out
Be sure that pool covers and fences are firmly in place; dogs have been known to slip into pools through openings in the pool covers and drown
Never leave your dog unattended in water and supervise dogs and kids inside and outside the water
Avoid throwing pets into water as this can lead to drowning.
Safety tips for dogs swimming in the ocean
If planning a trip to the coast, be careful with your pets swimming in the ocean.
Take care of strong tides
Be aware that pets can get sick if they drink salt water
Don't let your dog overdo it; swimming can be hard work and they may tire easily
How to protect your pet from sunburn?
There are great sun shirts available these days for dogs and if yours likes a sun soaked outing, wearing these shirts will help protect them from the harmful UV rays.
If your pet likes to sunbathe in the window, pet-purpose sunscreen applied to the tips of ears, the nose and other sensitive areas like the belly can provide some protection. Treatment for sun cancer can sometimes mean quite extensive surgery, so be mindful of protection and prevention as it can save the stress later on.
Read about signs of heatstroke to understand what to do if your pet overheats.
If concerned, contact the surgery directly on 02 6884 9900, or for an after-hours emergency 0418 638 380.