As the temperature rises, so do the safety risks for our furry friends. We’ve compiled a list of summer safety tips to keep your pets safe and happy during the warmer months.
Hot surfaces
Surfaces such as asphalt, sand and concrete can burn your pet’s paws. Try towalk your pet early in the morning or later in the evening as the temperature cools down or walk them on the grass.
If that isn’t possible, check the ground temperature by placing the back of your hand on the ground for at least 10 seconds. If it’s too hot for your hand, it is too hot for your pet’s paws.
Vehicles
Leaving your pet in your car, even in 70 degree weather, can lead to deadly consequences. A Stanford study found that a car’s interior can heat up by an average of 40 degrees within an hour, regardless of ambient temperature, and 80 percent of the temperature rise occurs within the first half-hour.
Cracking the windows makes little difference on the internal temperature, so it is best to leave your dog at home where it is cool and safe.
Dehydration
Make sure to check your pet’s water dish several times a day, and refill it with fresh, cool water.
Ice cubes or frozen broth cubes can be added to encourage them to drink more.
Adding wet food to their diet can also keep them hydrated.
Heat stroke
In addition to making sure your pet is hydrated, keep them in the shade as often as possible when outdoors. While dogs and cats like to bask in the sun, direct sunlight canoverheat them and cause heat stroke.
Pools
While pools can be a great way to cool your dog down and prevent heat stroke, chlorinecan upset a dog’s stomach and irritate their skin. Watch to make sure they don’t drink more than a mouthful of water, and don’t forget to rinse your dog with fresh water after their swim.
A “kiddy pool” filled with fresh, cold water is a safer option.
Sunburn
Animals can sunburn too, especially those with short, thin or light-colored coats. Sunburns can be painful, and overexposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer.
Ask your veterinarian about animal-safe sunscreens and how to apply them properly.
Barbeques
Food that is stuck to a barbecue after cooking can be too tempting for your pet to resist, and licking the barbecue grill can result in serious burns to an animal’s tongue or mouth.
Make sure to clean the grill thoroughly and close the lid, if possible.
Lighter fluid is a poison, so store it out of your pet’s reach.
These are just a few tips to help make the summer months with your pets enjoyable and safe. For more information on RedRover and its programs and services, please visitwww.RedRover.org.
Nicole Forsyth is president and CEO of RedRover, an organization that focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the human-animal bond through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. She writes Dollars and Pets for the Bay Area News Group. Send questions to petpalconnection@bayareanewsgroup.com.