Keeping Your Pet Safe During the Summer Months
When warm weather finally appears, it can be a great time to get out and about to enjoy the sun. And if you have a pet, it’s also a great time to bond outdoors!
Unfortunately, hot weather can cause problems for many pets. For this reason it’s important to take safety precautions when it’s hot, in order to make sure your pet is healthy and set to enjoy the warm weather.
Be sure that your pet has plenty of cold water available to drink, no matter if it’s indoor or outside during hot weather. The sun can cause pets to become very dehydrated – and having lots of water for your pet to drink will make sure your pet remains healthy and avoids sickness.
Making sure your pet is fully hydrated will also prevent your pet from getting heat stroke – a hot weather illness that many believe is only applicable to humans. Heat stroke in pets can often be detected if your dog or cat is panting a lot, staggering or if their tongue appears to be bright red.
Summer weather will often draw many families to an outdoor pool or beach to cool off from the sun. It’s a good idea to let pets swim to cool down, but also keep an eye on them while in the water. Unfortunately, pets can drown when they’re too tired to swim, so be sure to watch your pet while in water.
If you’re planning a road trip, make sure to let your pet out of the car or vehicle for a stretch during long drives. It’s also very important to remember not to leave pets in cars with the doors and windows closed – as vehicles can heat up very quickly, this can easily cause illness and sometimes even death, for many pets.
In some rare cases, pets can be at risk of being poisoned in the warmer summer months. Though this is a rare problem, pet owners should be sure to keep pets like dogs and cats off of lawns and away from plants that have recently been fertilized. In addition, if you have a pool in the garden, be sure to keep your pets away from the cleaning materials you might use.
While there are precautions that can be taken during warm weather to protect your pets, it may also be an idea to purchase pet insurance that will cover your pet in case of accident and emergency. That way, you can make sure your pet receives the right medical attention and care – no matter the cost.