Summer Pet Care
With summer just around the corner, the season is full of dangers for your pet.
The following are tips to help keep your pet safe and healthy.
When temperatures rise, the risk of heat stress also rises.
Animals do not sweat to cool down, as do humans. Heat stress can affect any
animal but particularly susceptible are the very young and older pets. Also
affected are short-nosed breeds, overweight pets, heavy-coated breeds and pets
with heart or respiratory disorders.
Signs of heat stress are profuse panting, excessive salivation, staring or anxious
expression, failure to respond to voice or commands, warm dry skin, high fever,
vomiting, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, muscular weakness, seizures or collapse. If
your pet is experiencing heat stress, your pet is in grave danger of death.
Reduce the animal’s temperature gradually with cool (not cold) water. Take your
pet to a veterinarian immediately.
To prevent heat stress, provide your pet with plenty of clean water at all times.
Provide adequate ventilation and air circulation. Provide shade for your pet when
they are outdoors. Avoid excessive exercising during hot weather. Exercise only
during the cool hours of the day. Never leave your pet in a parked vehicle.
Temperatures inside the vehicle will reach dangerous, possible fatal levels
extremely rapidly (15-30 minutes).
Warmer weather also brings out critters that consider your pet quite tasty to dine
upon.
Fleas and ticks are prevalent during warmer weather. Not only do these parasites
feed on your pet, they carry diseases. Many flea and tick diseases (such as
Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and the plague) are contagious to
humans.
Heartworm season has begun in Grant County and your pet is at risk. Have your
pet tested and begin preventative medication.
Critters not dining on you pet can cause your animal misery just the same. Your
pet will come into contact with wasps, bees, scorpions, spiders, toads, etc.
Symptoms will vary from mild swelling to serious life threats. If you suspect a
stinging insect has bitten your pet, contact your veterinarian.
Toads secrete toxic compounds that can be fatal. If you see your pet pick up a
toad, immediately rinse the pet’s mouth and rush your pet to a veterinarian. Many
symptoms appear within 15 minutes of exposure with death occurring within 30
minutes.
Leash your pet on walks and keep your pet from poking into dark secluded
places.
Allergies can affect any animal. Allergy tests are complex and making a
diagnosis for specific allergies difficult. Allergy symptoms can include wheezing,
coughing, lethargy, rashes, oozing eyes, missing fur and bloody sores. Allergies
can be from food, the environment, chemicals, pollen, airborne, fleas or
unknown. Allergies are a life long problem.
Treatment for allergies usually treats only the symptoms. There are desensitizing
injections available that have proven to be successful. Also available, locally, is
an acupuncture treatment program called NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy
Elimination Techniques) that has also been successful in desensitizing an
animal’s allergic reaction.
Treating an animal’s allergies takes time, commitment and effort. Your pet does
not deserve living in allergic torment. Discuss your pet’s allergies with your
veterinarian.
Vacation time and your pet require special considerations. Do you travel with
your pet or leave them behind. If you take your pet with you, is your pet welcome
where you are going?
Be sure to take along your pet’s current vaccination and health certificate, your
pet’s regular food, medications, an a supply of water for your pet. Your pet’s
bedding and favorite toy will help keep your pet comfortable in new surroundings.
Your pet is in an unfamiliar location; becoming lost is a real danger. Constant
control of your pet while on vacation is vital. Proper identification on your pet and
current photos should be taken along.
If you leave your pet behind, who will care for the animal? You must provide
reputable care for your pet in your absence. Most boarding facilities require
current vaccinations and space is limited. Your pet sitter must be reliable. Your
pet cannot make other arrangements if the person, you chose to watch over
them, fails to provide adequate care.
Make your pet’s summer pleasant time of the year.