Helpful tips on protecting pets from summer heat

With the first day of summer already here, there are a few things Guide Dogs of the Desert would like to remind all pet owners. Pet care should be taken seriously as pets can’t make the same judgment as humans do when they overheat.

Pet paws and scalding hot pavement

Pavement is hot! Pets do not have soles on their paws, so they are directly subjected to the hot summer pavement (cement and blacktop).

To determine if the pavement is too hot, a pet owner should take the palm of his hand and hold it on the cement for five seconds – if it’s too hot for him, it can scald his pet’s paws; they can blister and possibly cause an infection.

Even though people might think the pavement is cool enough, when they stop and talk to others and the dog remains sitting its feet will become hot, so the people should move into a shaded area.

Heat exhaustion

Remember that the only way a dog can cool itself is by panting, although they do sweat through the pads of their feet.

Pet owners should pay extra attention to the signs that their dogs will exhibit when they are getting too hot.

They should keep walks to the morning or late evening (after the pavement is shaded) when the weather is more conducive to both humans and pets going for a stroll.

Overheated motor vehicles, homes and buildings

From California Penal Code 597.1: Every owner, driver, or keeper of any animal who permits the animal to be in any building, enclosure, lane, street, square, or lot of any city, county, city and county, or judicial district without proper care and attention is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Any peace officer, humane society officer, or animal control officer shall take possession of the stray or abandoned animal left in a motor vehicle, home or building and shall provide care and treatment for the animal until the animal is deemed to be in suitable condition to be returned to the owner if and when penalties are paid.

Pools for relief

Pools can be a fun way to cool off from the summer heat.

Pet owners should set the boundaries, and tell their dogs when they can swim and never leave them unattended as they can drown just like children.

Chlorine pools can dry out a dog’s coat and salt water pools can make them sick if too much salt water is ingested.

Snake bites

This is the season for snakes of all varieties. The University of California in San Diego states that rattlesnake bites have been more venomous than in years past.

Dog walkers should stick to walking paths and make noise while walking in areas that snakes might be hiding in. Dogs should not be allowed to sniff under bushes or in holes, as they may be looking eye to eye with a rattlesnake.

If a dog encounters a snake, it should back away slowly without agitating the snake further. The owner should not scream, make sudden movements or stomp his feet. Snakes can strike half the distance of their length or more.

If a pet is bitten by a snake, the owner should seek medical attention immediately. In addition to seeking medical attention, the pet should be carried, if possible, to avoid any amount of activity, which will slow the process of the venom traveling through the bloodstream. Owners should not attempt to suck it out or place a tourniquet on their pet.

Not all veterinarians carry the anti-venom so they should call ahead and know if their vet carries this in stock. This is very expensive and most vets only carry a vial or two.

Fleas and ticks

With the onset of extreme heat comes the infestation of fleas and ticks. Owners should use a tick and flea product to protect their pet from the irritating pests.

Ticks carry Lyme disease, which can be harmful to not only pets but to humans as well. Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia, the predominant cause of Lyme disease in the US.

Heartworm

A pet needs to be protected from heartworm if it goes to an area that has abundant greenery, rivers, streams or lakes.

In order to administer the medicine necessary to prevent heartworm, a blood sample must be taken from the pet to ensure that it does not already have heartworm.

In its advanced stages, heartworm can be fatal.