The weather is getting hotter and lake days are calling, which means that summer is officially here! We want you to enjoy the warm weather and have a safe enjoyable summer with your pet. Here are a few helpful tips for preparing a happy and healthy summer for everyone in your family.
How to Keep Dogs Cool in Summer
It’s important to be proactive and plan around keeping your pet cool during the hot summer days. This will ensure their safety throughout the hottest Texas summer months. Below are some helpful tips for being proactive:
- Avoid walking your dog during the hottest parts of the day.
- You should wet your dog with water prior to walks on warm evenings.
- Remember the asphalt can burn bare paws. Avoid walking your dogs on asphalt during the hot parts of the days or get your dog heat protective shoes.
- Keep all pets indoors when the temperature is above 90° And remember a panting dog can be an early sign of overheating.
- A car gets DEADLY hot within minutes. Never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle!
Pet Poison Control & Choking Safety
Pets eat weird things. Remember your furry family member might swallow anything they like to carry in their mouths. The most common surgeries for obstructions include hair ties, socks, underwear, tampons, dish rags, squeakers from toys, pecans, and ribbons. Prevention is always better than surgery. If you see your pet swallow something, immediately call your veterinarian for advice about what to do. Other things to be aware of:
- Many plants can be poisonous to pets. For example, Easter lilies, Sago Palms, Mushrooms, and many other plants are very toxic!
- Rat bait doesn’t just kill rodents. It can also kill dogs and cats, so be very careful.
- Artificial sweeteners are also dangerous to pets. They can cause seizures and liver failure in pets.
Microchip Your Pet
It is required by the City of Dallas to microchip your pet. In addition to microchipping being law, it can also bring your pet home if they happen to get loose without their collars. It is also important to make sure to update your microchip information if your phone number has changed.
Be on the Alert Around Puddles and Ponds
While puddles, ponds, and other bodies of water can seem tempting for cooling off, they can also be dangerous for pets. It’s important to exercise safety precautions for your pet when around puddles and ponds because stagnant water can contain leptospirosis, which is a deadly bacterial infection. Stagnant water can also unfortunately carry the parasite giardia, which causes bad diarrhea and vomiting.
- Drain stagnant water and limit drinking of untreated water.
- It’s also important to keep dogs vaccinated for leptospirosis in Dallas.
Prepare for Fleas
Summer heat brings out fleas. Ask your vet about chewable tablets for dogs that are better than the old-fashioned topicals. For cats, there are newer better topicals than 5 years ago.
We also recommend sealing the crawl spaces under your house. Possums and stray cats are often the sources of uncontrolled flea issues in Dallas when they nest under our houses.
Prepare for Summer Allergies
If your pet is itchy and losing hair and it isn’t fleas it could be think about allergies. Food allergies happen but pollen allergies are actually much more common. Wipe down pets daily with a damp wash cloth and ask your veterinarian for help in order to navigate pollen allergies!
We hope you enjoy this summer while keeping your pet happy and healthy. We are always here should you need any help with your pet summer allergies, flea prevention, or anything else pet safety related.
You can book an appointment with us today!