Pet Care in the Summer
When the weather heats up it’s important to know how to keep your pets cool and safe. Summertime brings about some of the most memorable pet experiences. Trips to the beach, spending time in the backyard, or curling up with a furry friend for some quality reading time. While there’s no denying that both pets and owners love the time they get to spend together each summer, pet safety and care in the heat are often overlooked.
We all want our pets to live long and healthy lives, which is why following proper summer safety for pets is of the utmost importance. Heat and pets are not always the best combination, so it is vital that you take all of the necessary precautions when it comes to keeping your furry friend safe as it gets hotter. In this article, we will provide you with essential tips on how to keep your pets cool and safe when the weather warms up.
Keeping Pets Hydrated
Proper pet hydration is important year-round, but especially during the hot summer months. When considering hot weather safety tips for pets, ensuring adequate hydration is always at the top of the priority list.
Importance of Hydration
Just like with humans, water is essential for all of our pets’ bodily functions. Proper hydration ensures efficient digestion, circulation, nutrient absorption, and waste elimination. Additionally, water helps our pets regulate their internal temperature. While humans sweat when they are hot, most of our pets pant to cool down. The process of panting requires sufficient hydration levels, or else there is serious risk for overheating and heat stroke. What’s more, adequate hydration also helps to prevent urinary and kidney issues, promote skin and coat health, as well as ensure our pets have enough energy to have fun all summer long. No one wants to see lethargic dogs in the summer panting heavily. It’s up to us to make sure our furry friends are happy, healthy, and hydrated.
Tips for Ensuring Proper Hydration
Keeping pets well hydrated is one of the most fundamental aspects of responsible pet ownership. Some practical hydration pet summer safety tips include:
- Have multiple sources of fresh, clean water available at all times.
- Walk in areas that have pet water fountains to encourage drinking.
- Consider an in-home pet water fountain (many pets are more attracted to running water).
- Add water to dry food or offer wet food to support hydration during eating times.
- Actively monitor water intake, especially during heat waves or after exercise.
- Provide positive reinforcement and rewards when your pets drink water on their own.
Signs of Dehydration
Most of us have experienced dehydration to some degree during our lives. While there are some similar signs of dehydration to look out for in our pets, others are not as obvious. Some noticeable symptoms of dehydration in pets include:
- Dry gums and nose
- Sunken eyes
- Lethargy and weakness
- Loss of skin elasticity (slow skin return when pinched)
- Excessive, heavy panting
- Decreased appetite
- Dark yellow urine or reduced urination
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Thick saliva
- Elevated heart rate
- Vomiting or diarrhea (in cases of severe dehydration)
Protecting Pets from Heat
Excessive heat and heat stroke are serious health hazards for all pets. Luckily, there are tell-tale signs to look out for in your dog including:
- Excessive panting
- Drooling
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Weakness or collapse
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Bright red or pale gums
- Confusion or disorientation
- Glazed eyes
- Lethargy or unresponsiveness
- Seizures
- Elevated body temperature (above 104°F)
Keeping a close watch for any irregularities in your pet’s health, demeanor, and behavior is the most important thing you can do to prevent heat stroke. Aside from that, make sure your pet has easy access to fresh water and cool, shaded areas. For pets with thick coats, you may want to consider grooming them down during warmer weather to ensure proper pet heat safety.
Risks of Heat Exposure
While death is the biggest concern related to heat exposure, there are also many long-term detriments associated with overheating. Some of these include:
- Organ failure (kidneys, liver, heart)
- Brain damage
- Permanent neurological damage
- Blood clotting disorders
- Muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
- Gastrointestinal issues (e.g., hemorrhagic gastroenteritis)
- Respiratory distress or failure
- Long-term cardiovascular problems
Avoiding Hot Surfaces
Aside from dehydration and the risk of heat stroke, you also need to make sure your pet’s paws are safe from dangerously hot surfaces when temperatures heat up. Hot pavement, asphalt, sand, and metal have the potential to permanently damage your pet’s fragile paws. While hot surfaces can’t always be avoided, some tips for protecting your pet from burnt feet include:
- Walk your pets during the early morning or late evening hours when the ground is less hot.
- Use pet booties or paw protectors.
- Walk on grass instead of pavement.
- Apply pet-safe paw balm to create a protective barrier.
- Keep walks on the shorter side and avoid hot surfaces.
- Avoid walking on metal surfaces (like manhole covers) that retain more heat.
Providing Shade and Shelter
Many of our pets enjoy staying outside even when the temperatures are high. If this is the case with your furry companion, be sure to fit your yard with multiple shaded areas and try to wet your paved surfaces with the hose as frequently as possible to avoid exposure to heated surfaces. You may consider installing misters under your patio to keep your pet cool and comfortable.
For indoor pets, it’s important to provide adequate cooling and ventilation during the warmer months. If you have AC, consider running it during peak heat hours. If AC isn’t an option, fans and open windows can help provide cool drafts for your pet to relax in.
Exercise and Playtime Safety
Particularly warm days are some of the best times to enjoy outdoor activities with our pets. That being said, ensuring exercise and playtime safety are extremely important. Here are some creative ideas for safe, outdoor fun in the heat:
- Sunrise or sunset walks
- Shaded parks with lots of trees and water stations
- Kiddie pools and sprinklers for splashing and playing
- Frozen treats like ice cubes as outdoor rewards
- Swimming in pet-friendly lakes, ponds, or beaches (make sure they wear flotation devices if necessary!)
- Playdates with other pets in cool environments
Adjusting Exercise Routines
It’s important that we do not deprive our pets of adequate exercise during warm temperatures, especially overweight pets. While it may be difficult to stick to the routines that our pets are accustomed to without risking the negative effects of heat exposure, you’ll find that most pets easily adjust to different exercise times when they realize how much nicer it is to enjoy the outdoors without the blistering sun. Walking your pet during the early morning hours before work is a great way to start the day before it gets too hot. Night walks are also a great way to wind down after a long day. When your schedule simply doesn’t allow for exercise during these times, make sure to take your pet somewhere shaded for midday fun. It goes without saying that all exercise should be accompanied by tons of hydration and water breaks.
Indoor Activities
While many pets prefer the outdoors, there are plenty of indoor activities that can be employed to keep pets active and entertained as well. Some of these include:
- Playing with interactive toys, like puzzle feeders and treat-dispensing balls
- Indoor fetch with soft toys
- Treat-based hide and seek
- Laser pointer or feather wand toys for cats
- Playing with bubbles
- Training sessions to teach new tricks or commands
- Catnip stuffed toys
- Regular grooming sessions to keep your pet’s coat healthy and foster bonding
Grooming and Skin Care
Practicing proper grooming and skin care techniques is always important for pets, but especially when the temperatures rise. Proper grooming and skin care during the warmer months ensures that your pet stays cool and comfortable, as well as keeps your house free from the nuisance of excessive shedding and flakey skin.
Summer Grooming Tips
No matter what type of animal you have, there are always warm-weather grooming techniques that can help improve your pet’s overall cleanliness and health. Whether you have a dog, cat, reptile, bird, or rodent, it is essential that you practice proper grooming to keep your pet cool and healthy. Some tips across the board include:
- Regular bathing
- Daily brushing for animals with fur
- Shorter hair cuts for long-haired cats and dogs
- Frequent misting for birds and reptiles
- Shedding assistance and gentle soaking for pets that molt
- Humidity regulation to ensure skin health for all pets
Protecting Pets from Sunburn
Just like humans, many of our pets can be harmed by the sun’s dangerous UV rays. This is especially true for pets that have short coats, light-colored fur, or exposed skin. It is crucial that you regularly apply pet-safe sunscreen and limit sun exposure during peak hours for pets that have access to the outdoors. Try your best to not leave pets unsupervised for extended periods of time, as they may accidentally burn their skin without meaning to.
Pest Prevention
Many pests are more prevalent during the warmer months. These nuisances can have negative effects on our pet’s health and happiness. Taking steps to prevent pet-related pests helps to keep our furry friends, and ourselves, in better physical conditions.
Common Summer Pests
Some of the most common summer pests include:
- Fleas
- Ticks
- Mites
- Mosquitos
- Flies
- Gnats
Preventive Measures
When it comes to fleas, ticks, and mites, be sure to use veterinarian-recommended preventatives regularly. If you notice your pet itching or biting excessively, be sure to visit your vet for a check up and prescription recommendations.
With regards to flies, gnats, and mosquitos, be sure to securely cover all of your waste products and fit your home’s windows and doors with protective screens. In certain environments, you may want to consider pet-friendly bug repellent to keep these nasty pests off of your pet’s skin. Mosquitos are notorious for spreading heartworm in dogs, so be extra careful to protect your pet from excessive bites with mosquito traps, repelling candles, and similar protective products.
Special Considerations for Different Types of Pets
All of our pets are unique. This is part of the reason why we love them so much. With this idea in mind, it is evident that each of our special friends require different types and levels of protection and care across the hotter part of the year. What works for some pets may be ineffective for others, so it’s important that you form a deep understanding of your pet’s needs.
Dogs
Some specific tips for dog owners during the warmer months include:
- Limit outdoor play during peak heat hours
- Shave longer coats down to prevent overheating
- Set up clean, cool water bowls in multiple locations around your house and yard
- Provide swimming or water-based activities for summer fun
- Regularly apply sunscreen and check skin for parasites
- Limit walks to shaded areas and avoid hot asphalt
- Never leave your dog alone in a hot car
Cats
Some specific heat safety tips for cat owners include:
- Provide cool surfaces to lie on, such as tile floors, cooling mats, or damp towels
- Avoid heat trapping by drawing curtains and blinds
- Promote indoor air circulation with fans and AC
- Limit sunbathing to avoid overheating and heat stroke
Small Animals and Exotic Pets
Some specific tips for caring for small and exotic pets in the heat include:
- Control enclosure temperatures, keeping them consistent and within the safe range for your pet’s species
- Provide adequate ventilation and humidity control
- Avoid exposing enclosures to direct sunlight
- Provide frozen treats as cooling snacks
- Limit handling during the hottest parts of the day to avoid stressing your pet and raising body temperature
Final Thoughts
We all want our pets to live long and healthy lives. The hotter parts of the year can be fun and filled with great memories, but they can also be dangerous for our pets if not navigated with care. No matter what type of pet you have, be sure to take the proper precautions and put their health and safety first. For more information on pet safety and care, or for information on how you can adopt a new companion, visit Helen Woodward Animal Center today.
If your dog having a reaction to the heat, come have them checked out at Companion Animal Hospital.
