Hot Weather Concerns 9 cool concepts to help your pet beat the heat
- Double the water: Your pet may occasionally tip his water over and may go all day without water. You may want to provide two bowls of water and keep them filled.
- Let ‘em drip: For outside dogs, place their water under a faucet that’s allowed to drip.
- Give them shelter: Direct sunshine raises body temperature fast which is why dogs and cats need cool places. It doesn't have to be fancy -- a porch, umbrella or even a leafy tree can provide a way to stay cool.
- Do a home check: During the hottest part of the day, check the temperature of your pet’s hideaway. If it’s too hot for you, chances are it’s too hot for your pet, too.
- Beat the heat: Try scheduling your pet’s romps in the early morning or late evening.
- Don’t push too hard: Pets don’t always know their own limits, so we have to put the brakes on them ourselves.
- Forget the haircut: It seems logical to get a summer ’do’, but some long coats are actually insulation from the heat. It’s okay to give him a trim, but don’t give a buzz cut unless that’s his usual style.
- Don’t fret about food: Most dogs and cats eat less during the summer months, so don’t be alarmed if your pet’s appetite falls off a bit.
- Put in a pool: Dogs often enjoy a cool dip on a hot day. Fill a small wading pool with an inch or two of water to give them a pleasant place to cool off.
Heatstroke is very serious condition and needs the attention of a vet immediately. The symptoms of heatstroke include exhaustion, heavy panting and a lurching gait.
**These tips are for home remedies only and should not ever be used as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your veterinarian. If your pet has a medical problem, we urge you to seek competent medical care.
-- For next Thursday: How to check your pet for dehydration --
- Double the water: Your pet may occasionally tip his water over and may go all day without water. You may want to provide two bowls of water and keep them filled.
- Let ‘em drip: For outside dogs, place their water under a faucet that’s allowed to drip.
- Give them shelter: Direct sunshine raises body temperature fast which is why dogs and cats need cool places. It doesn't have to be fancy -- a porch, umbrella or even a leafy tree can provide a way to stay cool.
- Do a home check: During the hottest part of the day, check the temperature of your pet’s hideaway. If it’s too hot for you, chances are it’s too hot for your pet, too.
- Beat the heat: Try scheduling your pet’s romps in the early morning or late evening.
- Don’t push too hard: Pets don’t always know their own limits, so we have to put the brakes on them ourselves.
- Forget the haircut: It seems logical to get a summer ’do’, but some long coats are actually insulation from the heat. It’s okay to give him a trim, but don’t give a buzz cut unless that’s his usual style.
- Don’t fret about food: Most dogs and cats eat less during the summer months, so don’t be alarmed if your pet’s appetite falls off a bit.
- Put in a pool: Dogs often enjoy a cool dip on a hot day. Fill a small wading pool with an inch or two of water to give them a pleasant place to cool off.
Heatstroke is very serious condition and needs the attention of a vet immediately. The symptoms of heatstroke include exhaustion, heavy panting and a lurching gait.
**These tips are for home remedies only and should not ever be used as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your veterinarian. If your pet has a medical problem, we urge you to seek competent medical care.
-- For next Thursday: How to check your pet for dehydration --
Now, how about sharing some fun or creative ways that you keep your pets cool during the summer heat. We would love to hear your ideas in the comments section below.
Alice England
Alice England
10 comments:
I wish Daisy would go in a pool..LOL not this Doxie. These are all great tips for keep the pets cool!
Daisy loves being in the sun. We always have a bowl of fresh cold water and sometimes put some ice cubes in there for her. If its too too hot, then shes not allowed to go outside. Before Daisy hated the fan blowing in her face but recently shes been laying in front of the fan, so I guess she likes it now.
Good post! My dog-in-law Toby easily gets overheated, so we went to the play ground at night (in Chicago)
AND my guinea pigs get frozen bottles in their cages to snuggle next to since we have no AC in the house. They also get baths in the tub!
Great post Alice. And very informative. There were some here I wouldn't have thought of. The 2nd water bowl is a good idea.
I did not know that about the long hair, actually insulating them from the hear. I keep mine with their full length hair.
I look forward to next weeks.
I also understand that a buzz cut in not a good idea because of sun burn. We have a pool here at the shop for the dogs to get into. They just love it. We also enjoy taking them to the lake and letting them go swimming.
Thanks Alice, great reminder tips for all of us! I keep several bowls inside & out for my pets and the neighbor's (brave) cat too. My girl, Angel, barely gets in the door from her evening walks and heads straight to the A/C register and plops right down on top of it to cool off, it's the funniest thing!
Great post and reminders. Sasha avoids the pool as you can see in the pics, but does get plenty of water with several water bowls and of course her own water bottle. heehee.
I am really enjoying the blogging! It's really fun to read.
I didn't know about cutting the fur. I keep Copper's fur short during the summer due to fleas. It's grown back so I am not going to cut it again.
Great info! Just found your blog! I am now a follower!
LuckyPups Blog
my girls are all in door spoiled pups. we live in a trailer so an air conditioner and a few fans are a must. if i am hot i know they are. when conditions get too warm it is off to the shower or sink for water fun and cool down! i always shave my girls in the summer, if we go out for walks it is early morning or early evening in a lightwieght dress and hat if they will wear one. they get to enjoy the sun without the burn and the breeze that finds its way under their cotton dress. lots of water is a must and one thing they can never get too much of. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, one can never be too careful when it comes to heat and sun exposure.
great tips, informative post!
Alice, awesome post! And believe it or not, you've cured some anxiety for me....the pups have slowed down on their eating...even the "chow-hound" ;-) Started worrying that they all had something, but everything else is normal...playing, walking, etc...Now I'm reminded that dogs DO slow their appetite in hot weather! I'm still watching to make sure it really isn't something serious, but now I have a reason to think they're just fine!!
I feed my pups ice cubes and homemade frozen treats in the hot weather. The go nuts for a Kong or other toy filled with peanut butter, applesauce, a little cheese, and some small dog treats broken into small pieces and frozen overnight...keeps 'em cool and busy!
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