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| FREE ARTICLE |
PET SAFETY IN SUMMER
By Alana Cunningham
Hot weather can take its toll on your four-legged
pals. Here are some simple precautions you
can take to keep cats and dogs safe:
1.
Keep pets hydrated and protect them from the
sun.
High temperatures can cause your pets to suffer
dehydration and heatstroke. Here are a few
ways to keep them cool:
• Never leave your animals in the car — not
even if you leave the windows rolled down.
According to a Stanford University School
of Medicine study the temperature inside of
a parked car can soar by 40°F in just an hour,
even on a mild day. Eighty per cent of that
rise in temperature occurs within the first
half hour. The best option is to leave your
pet at home while you drive to do errands.
• Make sure animals have easy access to bowls
of water and refill them throughout the day.
• Always have a few shaded areas in your backyard
where pets can hide out from the sun’s scorching
rays. Remember to keep them indoors during
the sunniest hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• If your pet is suffering from heatstroke
(see “10 Signs Your Pet Has Heatstroke”),
take her into a shaded or air-conditioned
area. Soak her with cool (not cold!) water,
preferably from a hose. Or, apply ice packs
and let her lick ice cubes if she’s able.
Then take her to your vet immediately.
• Even though pets are protected by fur, they
are still prone to sunburn. This is especially
true for pets with lighter hair and skin,
or thin or shaved coats. Using animal-specific
sunscreen is a good idea, especially if your
pet is likely to lick it. Nutri-Vet and Epi-Pet
have pet sunscreen sprays. Apply sunscreen
on the ears, paws, tip of the nose, lips,
and the belly if your pet likes to lie on
his back.
2. Practise water safety with your pet.
Not every cat or dog instinctively knows how
to swim; some have to learn. Also, it may
be difficult for your pets to stay afloat
in the water if they have health conditions
such as obesity or heart disease. So pay attention
to them around water.
• Never leave your pet unattended around pools,
lakes, rivers or streams.
• Spot your animal as she learns to swim in
the pool or lake. (It’s a good idea to clip
cats’ claws before introducing them to water
so you don’t get a nasty scratch.)
• If you have a pool, consider placing a safety
fence around it.
• Install an emergency dog ramp in your pool
and boat so your dog can easily get out of
the water.
3. Ward off West Nile virus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), in general, the risk
of cats and dogs contracting West Nile Virus
is very low. Also, these pets do not suffer
severe illness when infected with the virus.
However, young, elderly, or immune-deficient
cats and dogs are more at risk. Symptoms include
low appetite, problems walking, circling,
tremors, convulsions, depression and abnormal
head posture. There is no West Nile virus
vaccine for cats and dogs currently, so try
a little prevention:
• Keep your pets inside during the early morning
and evening hours to reduce exposure to mosquitoes
and their pesky bites.
• Keep your animals away from dead birds and
squirrels that may carry the virus.
• Remove all standing water from around your
home to keep mosquitoes away.
• If you’re very concerned about your pet
contracting the virus, you can buy animal-specific
mosquito repellent.
10 Signs Your
Pet Has Heatstroke
1. Heavy panting an excessive thirst
2. Restlessness
3. Fever
4. Dizziness and/or lack of coordination
5. Excessive salivation
6. Vomiting
7. Lethargy or excessive fatigue
8. A fast heartbeat
9. A purple or dark red tongue
10. Unconsciousness
Alana Cunningham has written articles
on pet care, college student finance and budgeting.
Find more articles like this one by her at
http://www.corecontentmedia.com.
View
more free articles.
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