☀️🐕 Summer Safety Tips!
We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but it’s important to remember that like any season, summer comes with its hazards. To make sure you’re prepared for whatever comes your way this summer, check out this list of summer safety tips from the experts at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC).
Visit the vet for an early-summer checkup! Make sure your dogs get tested for heartworm if they aren’t on year-round preventative medication.
Give dogs plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot or humid outdoors as dogs can get dehydrated quickly. Make sure your dogs have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful not to over-exercise them and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.
Know the symptoms of overheating in dogs, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. Symptoms can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.
Never leave your dogs alone in a parked vehicle. Not only can it lead to fatal heat stroke, but it’s illegal in several states!
Know that dogs with flat faces, like Pugs and Shih Tzus, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These dogs, 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.
Do not leave dogs unsupervised around a pool. If you plan on spending time near a pool, lake or beach with your dog, make sure you give them fresh water and avoid letting them drink from the pool, or ingest ocean or lake water. When swimming, introduce your dogs to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from their fur.
Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and make sure adjustable screens are tightly secured. Open unscreened windows pose a real danger to dogs, who often fall out of them.
Feel free to trim longer hair on your dog, but never shave your dog. The layers of dogs’ coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. And be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your dogs is labeled specifically for use on animals.
Don’t let dogs linger on hot asphalt when the temperature is very high. Being so close to the ground, your dog’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.
Use caution when using herbicides and insecticides. When applying these products to your yard it is best to keep your dog away from the area being treated, follow directions on the packaging and prevent your dog from accessing the area until it is dry or has been appropriately watered. Fertilizer exposures are also more common in the summer, and while typically not serious, they can cause some stomach upset and should still be treated seriously. Keep fertilizers out of reach and your dog out of the treated area until it is dry. Additionally, keep citronella candles, tiki torch products and insect coils out of dogs’ reach as well.
Be mindful of what you are planting in your garden. Being outdoors means more exposure to different types of plants—both ornamental and garden plants. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the plants in your yard or garden and the potential hazard they may pose to your dogs. Identifying possibly harmful plants ahead of time may prevent unwanted exposures. Always keep an eye on your dog when they are outside as even non-toxic plants can cause stomach upset if ingested.
Remember that food and drink can pose one of the biggest threats to pets. To keep them from having food that is too high in fat, or ingesting a food item that may be toxic, it’s best that your dog sticks to their normal diet and treats. Be sure to also keep the garbage out of reach, as snooping noses can find their way to hazardous items. If you’re enjoying alcoholic beverages at your festivities, be sure to keep your drinks up and away from dogs and clean up any spills before they have a chance to take a taste.
Never use fireworks around pets. Exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns or trauma, and even unused fireworks can contain hazardous materials. Many dogs are also fearful of loud noises and can become lost, scared or disoriented, so it’s best to keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area of your home.
