Hot Weather Safety

If you’ve been feeling too hot during the summer weather lately, chances are your pets have too! Here are some tips for hot weather safety that could save your pet's life.

• Leaving your pets in a car on a hot day can cause irreversible organ damage or even death. On an 85 degree day, the inside of a car can exceed 100 degrees in just 10 minutes. If you’re doing errands this summer, leave your pets at home—preferably indoors.
• If your pets must be outdoors, make sure they are in an area with plenty of shade and fresh, cold water. Don’t rely on a doghouse to provide shade because the inside temperature is often hotter than the outside! Shade from trees or a tarp is best because--unlike a doghouse--these shady areas have adequate air flow.
• To minimize the risk of sunburn and heatstroke, limit exercise on hot days to morning and evening, as these are the coolest parts of the day.
• Pets’ paws can be burned by hot asphalt and concrete, so walk your pets on grass or dirt whenever possible.
• Monitor pets carefully on hot days for signs of heatstroke, particularly during times of high activity.  Watch for heavy panting, difficulty breathing, glazed eyes, rapid heartbeat, lethargy, dizziness, lack of coordination, excessive drooling, vomiting, deep red or purple tongue, and excessive thirst, as these signs may indicate heatstroke.
• If you suspect your pets might be suffering from heatstroke, move them to a shaded or air-conditioned area, pour cool (but not cold) water over them, give them small amounts of cool water to drink, and get them to a veterinarian as quickly as possible.

 For more hot weather safety tips, check out these websites: 
Keep Pets Safe in the Heat : The Humane Society of the United States 
Hot Weather Tips : ASPCA