PetKnows

When I walked out of my house this morning at 8am, it was already a very muggy 80 degrees out. The weatherman warned that it will reach the high 90’s today and tomorrow with heat indexes above 100 degrees, so I feel a need to remind everyone out there to remember their furry friends in this hot weather.

• If your pet is home alone during the day while you are at work, make sure you leave the air conditioning on, and leave out plenty of water. It’s also a good idea to have a neighbor check in on him during the day. While running the AC all day is be tough on your wallet and the environment, your pet’s safety and health is too important. Just imagine sitting in your house with a fur coat on in this weather… You think I’m kidding? I have an acquaintance who hates using her AC and says her cat will just have to learn to “tough it out.”
• Don’t take Fido on a long of a walk or let him run around as much as he usually does during a heat advisory; some dogs will push themselves too much in the heat.
• Take a bottle of water for Fido when you head out for a walk and give him drinks in small amounts regularly (if he drinks too much too fast, he could get sick).
• Keep Fido on the grass and dirt instead of the asphalt when you can. If the street is that hot and unbearable to bare feet for you, imagine what your dog’s paws feel!
• If you think your pup’s nose needs sunscreen, be sure to only use products approved for use on animals. Some human sun screens can contain chemicals that are toxic to pets.
• If your dog really loves sitting out in the sun, a cooling bed can help keep his body temperature down.
• Treat your pup to a frozen treat! You can freeze yogurt and fruit for him, or buy doggie ice cream. Mosby is a big fan of Frosty Paws

Watch carefully for signs of over heating “which include excessive panting and drooling and mild weakness, along with an elevated body temperature” (ASPCA). Some breeds, like bulldogs, are particularly prone to over heating and should be watched very carefully in hot weather.

If you suspect your dog is over heating, take him indoors immediately and cool him down by putting a cool, wet towel on his neck and behind his ears. If he is still showing signs of overheating or a heat stroke, call your vet or local animal hospital right away.

And if you have any other good hot-weather products to recommend, please leave them in the comments section!