Hot Weather Tips

It feels like summer has already descended in the mountains. Today is National Heat Awareness Day so we want to remind everyone of a few ways you can make summer temps easier for your pet! Did you know that young, elderly, overweight, and dark colored pets are particularly susceptible to heat? Following are some tips to help keep any pet comfortable and safe this summer.

• First, never leave your pet in the car! Even at “lower” temperatures the interior temperature quickly becomes unsafe for any animal.

• Pets can also get dehydrated easily, so make sure to give them lots of fresh, clean water when it’s hot or humid outdoors.
• When you are outside, make sure that there are shady places for your pet to get out of the sun, but even then be mindful that shade doesn’t lower the temperature that much. Get outside in the morning or evening when it’s cooler, and get your pets inside when it’s extremely hot out.
• Be alert with your pets around water! Not all dogs can swim well! If your dog goes into the pool rinse them off to remove chemicals like chlorine or salt, and try to keep any of your pets from drinking pool water!
• Don’t forget that the ground can also be hot, especially if you’re walking on asphalt. The radiating heat can increase your dog’s body temp and their paw pads may burn. Look for grassy areas or ways to minimize walks on hot surfaces during the summer.

Finally, there are many products and ways to help keep your pet cool like cooling pads, kiddie pools to splash in, and of course, collapsible bowls so you can re-hydrate fido on the go.

Stay safe, and have fun!