The National Weather Service has named May 23 National Heat Awareness Day, reminding pet parents to pay attention to their fur babies when the temperatures outside begin to soar.
– Protect her paws! If you can’t comfortably place the back of your hand on the ground, it’s too hot for your pet’s sensitive paws. Paw protectors are a great solution if hot pavement just can’t be avoided.
– Limit exercise in the middle of a heat wave. A common standard is to allow high-energy exercise only to the point that the heat plus humidity is less than 150. So if it’s 75 degrees, but 80% humidity, that’s 150.
– On hot days, keep your pet primarily indoors, if possible, in an air-conditioned environment.
– Use breed-specific sunscreen to keep your pet safe from sunburn when she is outdoors.
– Monitor for and know the signs of heatstroke. Excessive panting, vomiting, a racing heart or even intense lethargy and sluggishness can all be signs. Make sure that you are able to provide your pet a cool, dry place to relax and plenty of fresh, clean water. Make sure your pet is staying hydrated, too–just because your pet has good access to water does not mean it is being consumed.
– Finally, never leave your pet in the car unattended. Even with a window down on an 85 degree Fahrenheit day internal temperatures can rise well over 100 degrees within 10 minutes.
Dogs and cats do not tolerate heat as well as humans do. Keep an eye on your furry family members and call us if you have any questions or concerns about them.
