TIPS

Summer Tips

Heat Stress
Any pet can suffer heat stress, not just dogs and cats, but some animals are more susceptible than others. Be especially careful with very young or old pets, pets that are overweight or have other health problems, and pets with thick fur.

Preventing Heat Stress
How do you prevent heat stress? You might have a drink of water, get out of the sun, go for a swim, and you wouldn't want to walk barefoot on the driveway after the sun's been beating down on it all morning, right? Not too different for pets.

Your pets are going to need plenty of fresh, clean water, and a shady place to get out of the sun. For dogs, you might want to put a child's wading pool in the yard filled with cool water. And hot pavement is hot pavement, whether you walk on two legs or four.

Never leave pets in a parked vehicle. At just 85°F, the temperature inside a car (even with the windows slightly open) will reach 102°F in 10 minutes. After a half hour, it'll get up to 120°F. At a body temperature of 107-108°F, your dog can suffer irreparable brain damage or death.

How do you know if your pet is suffering from heat stress? Look for heavy panting, salivation, warm dry skin, lethargy or unresponsiveness. If you suspect heat stress, spray the animal with cool water to reduce his temperature; you can also apply ice packs to his head, neck and belly. Then, contact a veterinarian.

Vacationing
When planning a vacation, don't forget to plan for your pet, too. If you're considering taking him with you, think very seriously about how you're traveling, where you'll be going, for how long, and what there will be for your pet to do once you get there. Remember, the trip should be enjoyable for both of you.

If you decide to leave your pet behind, be as careful as if you were booking a hotel room for yourself. Ask your vet to recommend a kennel, then visit the kennel to be sure it meets your standards.

If you choose to use a sitter, plan early, just as you would for your own vacation, and meet with the sitter first. Since there are likely to be other pets being supervised at the same time, ask if they've all been vaccinated. Just as you would for a child, be prepared with specific instructions on medication and feeding, and leave a number where you can be reached, as well as the number of your vet.

Taking Your Pet With You
Imagine you're planning a trip overseas. What would you do? You'd confirm reservations, obtain a passport, get vaccines of one sort or another, make sure you took your medication with you, and you wouldn't eat any strange food, or drink unsafe water. Well, it's not too different with your pet.

When making your own reservations, be sure that pets are accepted, and be specific; some lodgings may accept birds, for instance, but not cats and dogs.

Your pet needs an ID as much as you do. For you it's a passport or driver's license; for your pet it's an identification tag.

You won't need a vaccination for every trip you take, but your pet's vaccines must be up to date no matter where you go. Vaccination laws differ from state to state, and you want to be sure your pet's protected.

When you're packing your aspirin, make sure you pack your pet's medicines, too.

And strange food? You wouldn't drink water or eat food you don't trust, so don't let your pet do it either. Take a few days supply of water and your pet's food with you. If you're not traveling far, you'll probably be able to buy more while you're on vacation; if you're traveling far, take what you can and make sure you can provide for your pet once that runs out.