Hot days and warm summer nights are right around the corner. For many people it’s an exciting time of the year. For pet owners around the US, it’s great to get outside more often with our pets going places and seeing the sights. As the temperatures increase, so do the risks for pets.

Keep these warm weather tips in mind and share them with your friends online. We’ve mentioned these before and we’ll mention them again. You may know all of these tips, but others may not. Have a fun and safe summer!

1. Don’t leave your pet in the car. You knew this one was going to come up, didn’t you? This is just an important reminder to never leave your pet in the car, even for a few minutes. Simply don’t do it.

2. Make sure your pet has water and watch for signs of dehydration. If you are planning to be outside with your pet any longer than 5 to 10 minutes, make sure there is fresh water readily available. Put the bowl of water near a shaded area, if possible, to keep the sun from beating down on them as they drink. If you are out and about, bring a bottle of water and a collapsible bowl for easy storage.

3. You might want to get their hair cut. Visit the groomer frequently during the hot summer months to maintain a shorter and cooler coat for your pet. Consider purchasing clippers for yourself to keep up with their hair in between visits. Tip: Some dogs can get a sunburn. Be sure to apply sunscreen to their skin if you do get their hair cut short or if they have white hair, short hair or light colored fur. Pit Bulls are especially susceptible to sunburns.

4. Avoid hot cement. You may not notice it on your feet, but driveways and sidewalks can get dangerously hot this time of the year. In Arizona, where we are located, some forms of artificial grass can also get uncomfortably warm. If you want to take you dog for a walk, do so while it’s cooler outside. Some people even use little booties for their pet to protect their paws. Take this tip seriously. Hot cement can severely burn the soft pads of their paws. Ouch!

5. Not all dogs like to swim. Some dogs can’t and don’t want to swim! You might think that spending a day at the lake with your dog is a great way to encourage exercise and swimming, while cooling off. You could be wrong. Some dogs simply don’t want to get wet. Be conscious of this before you take your dog swimming.

Please keep these hot weather pet safety tips in mind this summer. Do you have any other tips to share? What did we miss? Share them with us on our Facebook page: http://facebook.com/21stEssentialPet.   

• Photo Credit: Roman Schurte from Flickr creative commons 

Please share this post