By the American Red Cross
Never leave your pet in a hot vehicle, even for a few minutes. The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees even with the windows cracked open.
Limit exercise on hot days. Exercise in the early morning or evening hours.
Walk your pet in the grass if possible, to avoid hot surfaces burning their paws. If your pet is outside, make sure they have access to shade and plenty of cool water.
Water safety is important for your furry friends. Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—they aren’t all good swimmers.
Watch your pets at a backyard barbecue. Keep them away from the grill and know that some food can be poisonous to them. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate, and products with artificial sweeteners.
Heat stroke is a common problem for pets in warmer weather. Dogs with short noses or snouts, like the boxer or bulldog, are especially prone to heat stroke, along with overweight pets, those with an extremely thick fur coat, or any pet with upper respiratory problems such as laryngeal paralysis or collapsing trachea. Some of the signs of heat stroke in your pet are:
- Heavy panting and unable to calm down, even when lying down
- Brick red gum color
- Fast pulse rate
- Unable to get up
If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, take their temperature rectally.
If the temperature is above 105 degrees, cool the animal down. The easiest way to do this is by using the water hose. Stop cooling the animal when the temperature reaches 103 degrees.
Bring your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible, as heat stroke can lead to severe organ dysfunction and damage.
Some plants in your garden can be hazardous to animals. Visit the Animal Poison Control Center to find out which plants and flowers are poisonous to animals
