Summertime seems to last all year round in South Florida but the actual summer months are particularly hot. Sun and water safety tips for pets are often overlooked but are imperative to having a fun and accident-free summer with man’s best friend.
Fresh water: Pets become dehydrated very quickly in the heat so new bowls of fresh, cool water kept under shady areas is best.
Pool supervision: Make sure to never leave pets unsupervised around a pool, even near pools with covers, since they can drink the water which isn’t safe, or they may fall in.
Fur: Trim fur in the hotter months of the summer to help with overheating but do not shave them down completely as the fur acts as a barrier to the sun and prevents sunburn.
Hot paws: Keep daytime walks short as the hot asphalt can burn paws.
Indoors: Try to keep pets indoors in the shade and air conditioning as much as possible to prevent overheating.
Know the signs: Symptoms of overheating in pets include drooling, weakness, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, excessive panting, and in some cases seizures, collapse, bloody diarrhea and vomit.
No to cars: Never leave pets unattended in a vehicle. Summertime or not, pets must be supervised. Florida animal cruelty laws may apply when leaving a pet in a hot car.
This information was gathered from American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).