July 11

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Summer Pet Safety - Essential Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe and Happy

Summer is a busy season for both us and our pets. With the warmer weather, we are excited to enjoy various outdoor activities, such as backyard barbecues, swimming at the pool or lake, and road trips. However, while there are many fun and exciting things to do in the summer, there are also certain risks for your pets. What are the potential dangers in summer for your pets, and what should you be aware of? In this blog, we'll discuss essential tips for summer pet safety.

Summer Pet Safety

From heatstroke to insect bites, summer brings a variety of risks that can affect your pet's health and well-being. Understanding these dangers and preventative measures can help ensure a safe and happy season for you and your pet.

Hot Weather

They don't call them the dog days of summer for a reason. The temperatures get hot in the summer. How can you protect your pet from the hot summer weather?

Outside:

Summer pet safety involves keeping your pet cool in the hot weather

Ensure your pet has access to shade and fresh water.
Do not tie them outside when it's hot.
Be careful of the amount of sun exposure your pet gets. Don't use human sunscreen on your pet.

Inside:

Use air conditioning or fans, or give access to cooler areas, such as a basement or a darker room with tile floors.
If you don't have air conditioning, consider allowing your dog to use a kiddie pool or placing water on their face, ears, and feet to help them cool down.

Cars:

Never leave your pet alone in a vehicle. It can quickly overheat, reaching deadly temperatures. Even with the windows cracked, the inside of a vehicle can reach 160 degrees in mere minutes.
If you must travel with your pet, take them inside or ensure someone stays in the car with the air conditioning on.

a very important summer pet safety tip is to never leave your pet alone in a hot car

Take Action:

If you see an animal left in a hot car or outside in unsafe conditions, call 911 or a humane officer immediately.

Extra Precautions:

Take extra precautions for older, overweight, or dogs with heart or lung diseases.
Dogs cool themselves by panting. Short-nosed dogs, such as Boston Terriers, Pekingese, Pugs, Lhasa Apsos, Shih Tzus, and Bulldogs, have a harder time cooling themselves versus a German shepherd.

Exercise

Just as you may exercise your pet differently in the cold months of winter, remember that you should also do some things differently in the hot months of summer.

Take walks in the early morning or late evening.
Any outdoor exercise should be brief and in the cooler hours.
Do not walk your pet during the noon hour or late afternoon.
If you have a dog that has to go for a walk to go to the bathroom, go early and keep it super short. Carry water with you.
Forgo the walks when it's super hot.
If you have a short-nosed dog, don't walk them on hot days. Keep them inside.
Do a pavement check. Put your hand on the pavement. Can you hold your hand on it there for an extended amount of time without it hurting or burning? If it's too hot for your hand, it's too hot for their paws

summer pet safety includes knowing about safe exercise for your dog in the heat

Watch Out for Heat Stroke

The summer heat and humidity affect our pets. If your pet spends time outside in the hotter weather, watch out for signs of heat stroke.

Signs of heat stroke can include excessive panting, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, rapid pulse, bright red gums, blue tongue or lips.

If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, you should immediately move it to a cool place, lower its body temperature with cool (NOT icy) water, and then contact your veterinarian.

Water Safety

Summer is a time to enjoy the water, whether at the pool or the lake, including for our pets. Whether your dog loves the water or is not the biggest fan, there are some things to know about summer pet safety and water.

Be cautious around swimming pools. Not all dogs are natural swimmers. Don't leave pets unsupervised around a pool.
Rinse your dog with fresh water after swimming to remove chlorine, salt, and other irritants from its fur.
Prevent your dog from drinking pool water. Pool water contains chemicals that can be harmful if ingested in large quantities.
Consider using a life jacket for your dog, especially if boating or in deep water.
After swimming, dry your dog's ears thoroughly to prevent ear infections.
Keep your pet away from water that appears pea-green, discolored, or looks slimy. There have been rising concerns in recent years of blue-green algae poisoning of pets.

Summer Pests

In the summer, a host of pesky pests can affect your pet. The two that cause the most concern are mosquitoes and ticks.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes start to hatch at 50 degrees, so even before the hot months of summer, mosquitoes live in and around you and your pet. Mosquitoes carry and spread heartworm disease to your dog when an infected mosquito bites them. Heartworms cause damage to your pet's blood vessels, which can lead to severe lung disease and heart failure.

You can ensure that your dog is safe from developing heartworm disease by ensuring that it is taking a heartworm preventive prescribed by your veterinarian. At Buddy's Vet, we use and recommend Heartgard, which should be used year-round, given once per month.

Please read our blog to learn more about protecting your pet from heartworms.

Ticks

Every year, the tick season worsens because nothing kills ticks, not even cold and harsh winters. Ticks aren't just an "up north" issue or reserved only for hunting dogs. Ticks are everywhere, even right in your backyard. Ticks are gross, and ticks are bad. Ticks transmit serious diseases, and in particular Lyme disease, to your pet.

You can protect your pet from ticks by checking them for ticks whenever they come in from outside and knowing what to do when you find ticks on your pet. Please read our blog on ticks and Lyme disease to learn more about ticks and what to do when you find one. Besides checking your pet for ticks when they come in from outside, your pet should also be on a tick preventative. At Buddy's Vets, we recommend giving your pet NexGard year-round, once per month, just like the heartworm preventative.

Summer Pet Safety and Vacations

For many people, summer means vacation time. Whether you take your pet with you on vacation or leave them behind, here are things to know to help keep your pet safe.

Road Trips

Get your pet used to being in a car.
Consult with your veterinarian about anti-anxiety or car sickness medications that may help your pet with car travel.
Have them in a pet carrier big enough for them to sit, stand, and turn around in.
Don't forget to pack for your pet: food, bowls, leash, toys, any medications, and a pet first-aid kit.
Have a contact of a local vet or emergency vet on hand for your destination.
Have a current ID on your pet, either by collar or microchipping.
Never leave your pet alone in the vehicle.

Leaving Your Pet Behind

If it's not feasible to take your pet with you or you choose not to, you can choose to board your pet or find a pet or house sitter.

If you plan to board your pet and know your travel plans, make sure to tour the facility so you have peace of mind about what kind of environment your pet will be in. This includes finding out what activities your pet will be doing, whether someone is there 24/7 and whether they have on-site video monitoring. When you tour the facility, make sure to ask lots of questions.

When you board your pet, make sure you:

Leave your contact information, travel location, a phone number of where you will be, your cell phone number, and an email.
Have a local contact person on hand in case of an emergency. Have a letter giving your local contact permission to take the animal to a local veterinarian or emergency center.
Bring things to make sure your pet is comfortable to include its own bed, food, treats, toys, and any medication it takes—basically anything your pet needs on a regular basis.
Discuss with the boarding facility about giving anything you're sending (food or medication).
Ensure your pet is current on all vaccinations, as it is a requirement for boarding facilities.

Airplanes

Simply put, if you don't have to take your pet with you on an airplane, it's not recommended, especially in summer. It can be scary for your pet. If you have to take your pet with you on a plane in the summer, here are some things to know:

You'll need to see your veterinarian beforehand to make sure your pet is healthy to fly and current on its vaccinations. You'll also most likely need a health certificate, as it's required by law when crossing state lines.
If your pet travels in cargo, you'll need a USDA-approved shipping crate. Cats and small dogs can travel under your seat in approved soft or hard crates.
Have proper ID on the crate and your pet, and consider microchipping your pet.
Exercise them, provide food and water, and take them to the potty as close to the flight as possible.
In case something happens, communicate with everyone you encounter at the airport that you're traveling with a pet in cargo.
Be aware that every airline has different guidelines for pet travel, including temperature guidelines. For example, some may not allow pets in the cargo when the temperature forecast is 85 degrees or higher.
Try to book a flight early or later in the day.
Airline policies for pet travel can vary and change, so check with your specific airline for the current requirements when booking your flight.

The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) also provides guidelines and resources for transporting your pet, which you can read here:

Navigating the pitfalls of pet air travel | American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org)

Transporting animals: Basic requirements and considerations | American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org)

Seasonal Fun

Summer is a time for backyard barbecues and outdoor parties, beginning with Memorial Day weekend and continuing through the Fourth of July to Labor Day. While these celebrations are fun, they pose certain dangers for your pets.

Food & Alcohol

Keep an eye on your pet if you are hosting a party, and tell guests not to feed your pet or to let them escape.
Consider putting your pets in a secure, safe area like a crate inside.
Don't give pets any alcohol.
Watch your pet around hot grills and keep them away from bonfires.
Secure garbage cans with tight-fitting lids or in locked areas to prevent pets from getting at potentially harmful food scraps, decorations, or packaging, which can cause choking, poisoning, or intestinal blockages.
If attending a party, leave your pets at home.

Fireworks & Storms

Many animals have noise phobias, especially when it comes to fireworks and storms. These phobias can heighten during the summer months. Here are some tips to help your pets with fireworks and storms.

helping pets with noise phobia is a part of summer pet safety

Ensure your pet has proper identification tags with up-to-date information and is microchipped if possible. Have a current photo of your pet in case it gets away from you.

If your pet has severe noise phobias, please consult your veterinarian to determine the best options to meet your pet's needs.

Summer Pet Safety for an Enjoyable Summer

Summer is a time for fun and adventure, but hot temperatures can affect us and our pets. We all want to enjoy summer while staying safe and healthy. Remember, our pets are also affected by the heat. We hope this blog has provided valuable insights into summer pet safety, allowing you and your furry companions to enjoy all the season's fun while staying safe and healthy.

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