As summer temperatures continue to rise, dog owners must pay even closer attention to their pet’s needs. If you want to keep your pet safe and alive, it’s essential to learn these summer safety tips for dogs. No dog deserves to experience this kind of pain!
Many dogs enjoy experiencing all that summer has to offer — but soaking up all that sun can be dangerous.
There’s nothing wrong with taking your pet out for picnics, hikes, swimming, or running — but owners must remember that dogs have a harder time keeping cool than humans.
Before you take another summertime outdoor adventure with your dog, take a look at the information below. Be sure to SHARE it with your family and friends, you could save a life!
Here are 7 Summer Safety Tips for Dogs:
1. It’s never, ever, EVER okay to leave your dog in a hot car
This tip may seem obvious, but it’s such a common mistake that we still decided to list it first. It only takes a few minutes — yes, MINUTES — for a pet to develop heat stroke and suffocate in a car. You’d be surprised how many people underestimate how hot it gets in parked cars.
According to Pet Health Network, on a 78-degree day, temperatures in a car can reach 90 degrees if parked in the shade and higher than 160 degrees if parked directly in the sun! No pet deserves to experience that kind of heat!
Experts suggest leaving your dog at home on warm days. Even if you’re just cruising around with your dog in the car, it’s best to bring water and a dish for him to drink from. When you leave the car, always take your dog with you.
2. Make sure your dog is protected from parasites like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes
The Centers for Disease Control recently issued a warning about the rise of tick-borne diseases — and dogs are especially at risk. It is very difficult to completely avoid exposure to parasites, but the best way to protect your dog is with the regular use of tick control products. Your veterinarian can advise you about the best product for your dog and your situation.
The CDC also suggests performing regular body checks — both on your dogs and the humans who spend a lot of time around them. The places where ticks attach can become red and irritated.
If not protected, your pet is at risk for Lyme disease, heartworm, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and several other life-threatening conditions that can be caught by people too! In some cases, ticks can consume enough of your dog’s blood to cause a deficiency called anemia.
3. Keep your dog’s paws cool
When the sun is beating down relentlessly, surfaces like asphalt or metal can get extremely hot! Although daily walks are just as important in the summertime, try to keep the trips short, especially when it is hot. This will ensure that your dog doesn’t get overheated and avoids painful burns to his paw pads.
Veterinarians suggest keeping your pet off hot surfaces, particularly hot asphalt and hot metal. In addition to causing pain to tender paws, hot asphalt can also increase body temperature and lead to overheating. The hot metal in the bed of a truck burns paws quickly too.
Paw pad burns are visible to the naked eye. Signs of paw pad burns include discomfort, holding up a foot, limping, or vocalizing when walking. In severe cases, a black paw pad can turn red when it is burned or if the paw pad is actually separating from the paw.
This is why veterinarians advise dog owners to keep walks to a minimum during summertime. If you want to walk your dog during summertime, you can avoid paw pad burns by walking on non-concrete surfaces.
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