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Summer Pet Safety
Summer is fast approaching and Pet Network is here to help make this your best summer yet! Here are a few tips to keep your pet safe this summer.
At home
Shade- Make sure animals have access to shade when they are outside. Water- Always keep water available for your pet- ice cubes in the bowl are a refreshing treat! Lawn chemicals- Keep dogs
off of lawns that have been chemically treated or fertilized for 24 hours (or according to package instructions). Toxin exposure- Keep animals
and away from toxic plants and from ingesting organic material like mulch and mushrooms .
At the lake
Life jacket- Life jackets are important to keep your dog safe in the water, especially since some dogs enjoy swimming so much they will stay in the water past the point of exhaustion. Raw paw pads- Not only
can sand get too hot and burn a dog’s paw pads, it is also very rough and can cause abrasions. Routinely check your dog’s paw pads throughout your beach outing for raw pads. Fresh water- Even if you are near a body of water don’t forget to bring fresh, clean drinking water for your animal. Sunscreen- Animals can get sunburned just like humans especially those with short or light-colored fur. Make sure you use pet-specific sunscreen as common human sunscreen can be toxic to animals.
On a hike
Start slow- Slowly increase the length and difficulty of hikes you and your animal take, especially if they were less active during the winter months . Water- Offer water often (15-30 minutes depending on temperature and difficulty) and bring enough for both you and your pet. For a usual day hike, a large dog will need approximately 3 liters of water. Foxtails- Check your animal after every hike for foxtails. These are grass seeds that like to get lodged in animals’ fur especially around the paws and in the ears.
