Protect Your Pets From the Sun

[Texasmujer]

Sunburns, heatstroke, dehydration---these summer silments don't just trouble humans. Nick Saint-Erne, D.V.M., resident veterinarian at PetsMart, offers these tips to keep your dog or cat healthy.

Outdoor cats are usually wily enough to find shade on the hottest days, but dogs need a bit more help. Dr. Saint-Erne recommends installing dogggie doors so pooches can come inside when the sun starts to blaze. If you don't want to do this, make sure there's plenty of tree or deck shade available. And don't rely on a doghouse for cooling off; they're poorly ventilated and actually trap heat to become little ovens.

It should go without saying, but a water source is critical in the summer months to prevent dehydrartion and heat stroke. Leave water bowls inside the house and out, preferably the self-refilling types you can find at pet stores.

A few extra groomings in the summre may be a good idea; long-haired dogs are much cooler when they're trimmed and detangled. Dr.Saint-Erne advises keeping at least 1 to 1 1/2 inch,though, depending on the coarseness of the fur; if you go shorter, your pet can get a sunburn.

On really hot days, go home early of call a neighbor to check on an outside dog. Disorientation or lethargy are signs of heatstroke: If you suspect heatstroke, spray your pooch with a hose and take him to the vet right away.
(Woman's Day, May 25; P.16 )

[mee]

Also you can spray them down with rubbing alcohol to lower body temperature (heatstroke). normal temp for cats and dogs is 100.5 - 102.5


A wee story- A very distraught lady came into my clinic last summer holding a limp little dog, we took it into an exam room, poor dog was already gone, we took its temp. (just trying to figure out why it died) It's core body temp was 109 thats only as high as our thermometer would measure. Owner said she only left the dog in the closed up car for about 5-6 minutes, it's not unusual for the temp outside to be as high as 100 degrees F here (tennessee) during the summer! And it bcomes much hotter in a vehicle!

[Texasmujer]

Oh, how sad; especially when you think that our pets depend on us to care for them, and keep them safe...