Fireworks, heat can cause harm or death to beloved animals
By Pat Summers, Special Writer
Replete with tips for a stylish, delicious and safe summer, spring’s fashion and lifestyle magazines are long gone by now. And I have yet to see a guide to keep your pets happy and healthy this summer.
Filling that gap, here are some reminders for pet parents who want to keep their dogs and cats cool in every way for the next few months.
Many basics here came from NorthStar VETS, Banfield Pet Hospital (www.banfield.com) and/or http://pets.webmd.com – excellent info sources. With more summer suggestions or related questions, contact me via my blog www.nj.com/pets and I’ll try to get answers for you.
Let’s start with the obvious: water. People carry water bottles around all the time – and should do the equivalent for their pets. Heat and humidity, excitement, and exercise all go better with clean, cool water. Make sure your cat or dog always has access to this literal lifesaver. And on a real scorcher, pets might enjoy an ice cube or two in the water bowl.
Then in the pet food and beverage department, remember: no chocolate in any form; no alcohol; and overall, no “people food.” Summer lets you grow your own pet treats, like a catnip plant or cat grass – all Jersey fresh.
Summer skin care applies to pets, too, starting with sheltering them from the sun. Shedding clothes may be people’s answer to heat, but pet coats are built-in temperature regulators. Dogs, especially, depend on some hair to protect them from sunburn or even skin cancers, and shaved skin invites trouble. Brush cats and dogs often, to prevent itching and matting and aid air circulation.
Everyone’s skin is subject to pests or worse in summer, so shield your pets from fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Ask your veterinarian about flea and tick protection, as well as ways to prevent heartworm disease transmitted by mosquitoes. (Cats, including indoor cats, are susceptible to feline heartworm disease – last year declared an epidemic. Worst of all, because there’s no curative treatment for it, prevention is crucial.)
Traveling together can sound good, and with some care, be good, too. If you’ll take your pets, be sure they’re wearing ID (collar and/or tattoo and/or microchip). Besides pet food and meds, take a gallon of home tap water they’re used to as a bridge to the water at your destination.
Keep cats in carriers and dogs in a harness or carriers – but never in the back of a truck – while you’re driving. Assure all pet heads are inside the vehicle, rather than hanging out, collecting dirt and debris.
Most important of all, whether you’re traveling cross country or to the corner store, never leave an animal in a car on a warm day, however briefly. The closed vehicle interferes with a dog’s natural cooling process, evaporation through panting. Even with windows cracked, the inside temp can rise very quickly, causing irreparable brain damage or even death.
Summer exercise is best done in the morning or evening when it’s cooler. Water-loving dogs can jump into pools, but not out, so make sure any pool has built-in steps for easy exits. Your pets look forward to play sessions and walks, so, to assure quality time with them, leave your phone at home.
Review the symptoms for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, with the first leading to the second if not treated. Don’t leave pets outside unattended, tied or chained and exposed to the sun. Avoid high temperatures in general and leave pets at home rather than risk their well-being.
Family fun comes with summer – except when it’s not fun, as with fireworks and festivals. These two “people events” come with noise and crowds that do nothing for pets, and in fact can injure their ears and/or cause them to bolt or snap out. Leave pets home!
Animal families typically grow in summer, and the human impulse is to help a baby animal found without a mother around. Don’t do it. At most, watch for the mother to reappear.
This is kitten season, for instance, and nursing mothers are usually not far from their young. To separate the two is to risk lives, especially when community kittens and cats are taken to a shelter. Leave the animals in place and contact a rescue group if you must do something.