As the summer heats up in
earnest, the Pennsylvania SPCA urges pet owners to take a few extra
precautions with their animals to keep them safe and
healthy.
"Every year during the hot months, our
Humane Law Enforcement Department receives a spike in calls about
animals being left outside without adequate shelter or water or being
left in hot cars all alone," said Marc Peralta, chief operating officer
of the Pennsylvania SPCA. "One of our goals is to educate pet owners on
how to keep their animals safe, especially in extreme weather
conditions."
Heatstroke can kill both dogs and cats.
Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty
breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild
weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures and
vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees. Pet
owners should take extra precautions with elderly or overweight
pets.
The Pennsylvania SPCA offers these hot weather
tips:
- If your pet spends time outside or in
the yard, make sure they have some shade to get out
of the sun. Make sure they have lots of fresh clear
water shaded from the direct sun. Water bowls sitting in the
sun can get very hot creating a scalding bowl of
water.
- Never leave a pet in a car
alone, even with the windows down a crack or the air
conditioner running. Even on cooler days, a car can become a furnace
very quickly.
- Consider getting an inexpensive
plastic kiddie pool for your dog to cool down in
post-outdoor exercise. Some dogs also like to play in
sprinklers.
- If you have a swimming pool, do
not leave your dog unattended in the pool area. Not all dogs
can swim - they can drown if they fall into the water. They can also get
sick from drinking chlorinated pool
water.
http://pspca.org/2012/06/tips-to-keep-your-pets-safe-and-healthy-during-summer-heat/
