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Beat the heat: Eight tips to keep your pet safe all summer
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"Good News" airs every Monday, 8:00 p.m. on GMA News TV Channel 11. Follow the "Good News" Facebook page and Twitter account for more tips to make your summer a memorable one!
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The sweltering summer heat spells bad news for more than just you and your skin – your pets are at risk, too! During this season, it’s important to make an extra effort to keep them cool and comfortable, since they’re also prone to heatstroke and dehydration.
To help your Fido and Kitty beat the heat, “Good News” lists down tips to keep your four-legged friends safe all summer.
1. Understand your pet’s quirks
Knowing your cats and dogs well will help you recognize an emergency. Taking action quickly will reduce harm.
When stressed from heat, dogs and cats alike exhibit the same symptoms: panting, anxiety, pacing, and increased heart rate and temperature.
Learning how to properly take your pet’s pulse and body temperature can help you recognize if they need immediate medical assistance. According to a study in America, normal body temperatures of animals should be around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius. Anything over 39 degrees is considered an emergency.
2. Provide a list of emergency information
It’s important to keep emergency information, like your veterinarian’s contact number and the address of the nearest clinic, with you at all times to avoid frantic searching when a situation happens.
Keeping your pets’ medical information up to date can also help vets do a medical evaluation during an emergency.
3. Watch out for signs of heat stroke
Symptoms of heat stroke in animals include rapid panting, excessive drooling, a dazed look, vomiting and hot skin. Animals who are too old, too young, overweight and not conditioned to regular exercise are at particular risk of heat stroke.
If your pet displays any of the signs mentioned, act quickly by moving it to a cool area. Run cool water over your pet’s body and wrap it with a water-soaked towel before taking it directly to a veterinarian.
4. Provide them with fresh water and adequate shade at all times
Dogs and cats dehydrate quickly, so it’s best if your pets have protection from heat and sun and have access to plenty of water every time they’re outside.
Make sure that you keep cool water inside, outside and in your car when traveling with your dogs or cats. For outdoor pets, you can try providing them with a kiddie pool filled with water and leaving it in the shade. Tree shades are also more ideal, rather than making them an enclosed doghouse which traps heat and does not provide relief.
5. Don’t lock them in a parked car
On hot days, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly. Even when the temperatures outside is only 27 degrees Celsius, the inside of a car can heat up to more than 37 degrees Celsius within a few minutes. Leaving your pets in a parked car puts them in high risk of heat stroke.
6. Limit vigorous activities especially on extremely hot days
As much as possible, avoid exercising and other strenuous activities with your pet during the sun’s peak hours, between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m..
Always carry water with you when you’re out and make frequent stops to keep your pet from dehydrating. Remember that they will keep up with you and will continue going until you tell them to stop.
7. Watch out for heat radiating from pavements or streets
If the road is too hot for your bare feet, then imagine what it's like for your pet’s paws. Asphalt can get very hot, so as much as possible, walk them on grass.
8. Avoid sunburn
Short-haired dogs and dogs and cats with pink skin and white hair are susceptible to sunburn. To protect your pet, ask your veterinarian about the proper sunscreen that can be applied to your pet’s ears and nose before taking them outside. — CM, GMA News
Other related articles from Good News:
Beat the heat: 10 tips to stay cool during summer
Photography tips to capture fun summer moments
‘Good News’: Fun summer activities for parent-child bonding
______________________________________________________________________________
The sweltering summer heat spells bad news for more than just you and your skin – your pets are at risk, too! During this season, it’s important to make an extra effort to keep them cool and comfortable, since they’re also prone to heatstroke and dehydration.
To help your Fido and Kitty beat the heat, “Good News” lists down tips to keep your four-legged friends safe all summer.
1. Understand your pet’s quirks
Knowing your cats and dogs well will help you recognize an emergency. Taking action quickly will reduce harm.
When stressed from heat, dogs and cats alike exhibit the same symptoms: panting, anxiety, pacing, and increased heart rate and temperature.
Learning how to properly take your pet’s pulse and body temperature can help you recognize if they need immediate medical assistance. According to a study in America, normal body temperatures of animals should be around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius. Anything over 39 degrees is considered an emergency.
2. Provide a list of emergency information
It’s important to keep emergency information, like your veterinarian’s contact number and the address of the nearest clinic, with you at all times to avoid frantic searching when a situation happens.
Keeping your pets’ medical information up to date can also help vets do a medical evaluation during an emergency.
3. Watch out for signs of heat stroke
Symptoms of heat stroke in animals include rapid panting, excessive drooling, a dazed look, vomiting and hot skin. Animals who are too old, too young, overweight and not conditioned to regular exercise are at particular risk of heat stroke.
If your pet displays any of the signs mentioned, act quickly by moving it to a cool area. Run cool water over your pet’s body and wrap it with a water-soaked towel before taking it directly to a veterinarian.
4. Provide them with fresh water and adequate shade at all times
Dogs and cats dehydrate quickly, so it’s best if your pets have protection from heat and sun and have access to plenty of water every time they’re outside.
Make sure that you keep cool water inside, outside and in your car when traveling with your dogs or cats. For outdoor pets, you can try providing them with a kiddie pool filled with water and leaving it in the shade. Tree shades are also more ideal, rather than making them an enclosed doghouse which traps heat and does not provide relief.
5. Don’t lock them in a parked car
On hot days, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly. Even when the temperatures outside is only 27 degrees Celsius, the inside of a car can heat up to more than 37 degrees Celsius within a few minutes. Leaving your pets in a parked car puts them in high risk of heat stroke.
6. Limit vigorous activities especially on extremely hot days
As much as possible, avoid exercising and other strenuous activities with your pet during the sun’s peak hours, between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m..
Always carry water with you when you’re out and make frequent stops to keep your pet from dehydrating. Remember that they will keep up with you and will continue going until you tell them to stop.
7. Watch out for heat radiating from pavements or streets
If the road is too hot for your bare feet, then imagine what it's like for your pet’s paws. Asphalt can get very hot, so as much as possible, walk them on grass.
8. Avoid sunburn
Short-haired dogs and dogs and cats with pink skin and white hair are susceptible to sunburn. To protect your pet, ask your veterinarian about the proper sunscreen that can be applied to your pet’s ears and nose before taking them outside. — CM, GMA News
Other related articles from Good News:
Beat the heat: 10 tips to stay cool during summer
Photography tips to capture fun summer moments
‘Good News’: Fun summer activities for parent-child bonding
