Summertime may be a favorite time of year, but the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) warns that heat and pests can create hazards for pets and pet owners.
"Summertime can be deadly for pets," explains Dr. James Cook, president of the AVMA. "I advise pet owners to be attuned to their pet's response to hot weather. For example, some dogs will exercise with their owners in the summer heat until they literally drop from heat exhaustion. This is a serious situation that requires immediate attention from a veterinarian."
"The biggest problem in the summer is flea control," adds Cook. "Prevention is the best cure. Once fleas are on your pet, in your home, or in you carpet, you'll need the help of both a veterinarian and an exterminator. That's a situation more like a war than a treatment."
Here are more tips from the AVMA:
• Consider keeping dogs indoors, in air conditioning, on extremely hot days. If your dog overheats, lower his body temperature gradually by immersing him in cool water or moving into an air conditioned location and giving him small amounts of cold drinking water or ice cubes. Take your pet to your veterinarian immediately. Signs of heatstroke are panting hard, staggering gait, rapid heartbeat, listlessness, restlessness, dark red or purple gums and tongue, and vomiting.
• Never leave a dog inside a car in hot weather, even with the window cracked. A car's inside temperature can increase 40 degrees in an hour.
• A day at the beach can be fun, but make sure your dog can stay cool on the hot sand and remember salt water will dehydrate your pet. Bring drinking water and a portable bowl. Dogs love to swim, but inexperienced dogs can potentially drown - that's why supervision is important.
- from the AVMA
