Keep Your Pets Safe This Summer
Pets can become very ill if exposed to heat for a prolonged length of time
The summer is almost upon us, and although it officially does not commence for another 3 weeks, the temperatures have rocketed up to astoundingly hot numbers, making it impairitive for pet owners to look after their pets. Pets unlike humans, will not tell us if they are thirsty. They will simply drink if water is available and not drink if water is not available. A conscious dog owner will always make sure that their dog's water bowl is full of cold water, so that if their pet is thirsty, they can drink freely whenever they need too. Some dogs will simply drink for the sake of drinking and it is important for you to try to distinguish the difference between your dog simply drinking for the sake of it, or drinking due to the need to quench his/her thirst. If your dog is of the outdoors loving type, making sure to provide water to him/her while it is outside is very important. Having an outdoor water bowl can come in very handy, as it will save you from bringing the inside bowl outside every so often. Changing the water multiple times daily, insures that your dog is getting fresh water that is cool and appealing to him/her. Another helpful suggestion for you to consider for the outdoors dog, is to put a dab of sunscreen on your dog's nose. Your dog's nose is the only part of its body that when upright, is bare of dog hair, making it very susceptible to the sun's penetrating rays. Finally, dogs like humans can develop sun stroke if left outside for prolonged periods of time. Signs to watch for include; weakness, panting, tongue hanging out of mouth, rapid pulse, shivering, 0 interest in what's going on around them, etc. Dogs that do have sun stroke may not even opt to drink water, thus if your dog is displaying any of these symptoms, contacting your vet to discuss a plan of action might not be a bad idea. Read the full article