The summer can be a great time to spend with your dog. You can go on walks, enjoy the beach, and relax in the sun. However, summertime can also be dangerous for your dog’s health if you don’t take precautions.
Overheating
The heat is, of course, a major concern. Dogs can easily become overheated, especially if they are dark colored or heavily coated. To prevent overheating, there are few things you can do. First, always make sure your dog has access to cool, clean water. If you are walking your dog or taking him for a car ride, have at least one bottle of water and a portable dog bowl with you. Also, try to plot your route so you’ll be near places where you could easily get more water for him.
Another way to prevent overheating on walks is to schedule the exercise during the early morning or late evenings and to avoid walking over asphalt which attracts heat. Hot roads and parking lots can cause a dog to overheat faster and can even burn the sensitive pads on its paws.
Obviously, you never want to leave your dog in a car during the summer. And if your dog spends most of his time in the yard make sure you have adequate shelter to protect him from the harsh sun.
To read more about Tips for Protecting Your Dog’s Health during the Summer
May 17, 2008 at 2:33 am
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Yes, the heat is your pets enemy and can kill an animal. So please, don’t leave your pet in the car on a hot day with the windows up or merly cracked a bit? You wouldn’t do that to your children (well, most of us). A pet is just a fragile and vulnerable. Water. Water it the single most important thing for any living thing. So please remember to take water along for yourself, your conpanions and YOUR PETS! Thanks for posting this. Hopefully people will pay attention to what you are saying!