| You know that summer is hot. You also know | | | | the vehicle quickly rises to the point where |
| when you need to get out of the sun and cool | | | | any living thing inside will either die or |
| down. Listening to your own body is easy, but | | | | become very, very sick. Even if you park in |
| your four-legged friends can't talk to you. | | | | the shade and leave the windows down an inch |
| It's your job to protect them from the heat - | | | | or two, you're still putting your beloved pet |
| and all of the consequences of summer - by | | | | at risk. You should leave your dog at home |
| providing everything that they need to stay | | | | where he can stay in the shade or inside and |
| cool. | | | | have plenty of access to fresh, cool water. |
| | | | |
| When temperatures climb and your pets are | | | | -Don't expect your pets to be playful or |
| panting the afternoons away, follow these | | | | overly active on hot days. They don't need to |
| tips to keep them safe and happy even on the | | | | overexert themselves any more than you do. |
| hottest of days. | | | | Like humans, pets can suffer from heat |
| | | | exhaustion or heat strokes. |
| -If possible, let your animals come inside | | | | |
| during the worst heat every day. Early | | | | -Some pets love to swim. Provide these |
| afternoon is the hottest time of day for any | | | | animals with a kid's wading pool so that they |
| living thing: letting your cats or dogs soak | | | | can cool off whenever they get too hot. You |
| up some air conditioning for a few hours | | | | can also take your dog with you on trips to |
| every day will keep them cool and stop your | | | | the lake or other body of water. If he loves |
| worrying. | | | | to swim, the cool water will be great. The |
| | | | time he gets to spend with his human masters |
| -Make sure that your pets have access to | | | | only makes the experience better for |
| shady spots at all times. Trees are the best | | | | everybody. |
| sources of protection from the sun. If that | | | | |
| isn't possible, make sure that your pet can | | | | -You might be tempted to shave off all of |
| get under a covered area, such as a patio or | | | | your pet's hair, but this is not a good idea. |
| porch. | | | | The hair protects your animal's skin from the |
| | | | sun. The hair also helps channel cool air to |
| -Keep the pet's water supply cool and fresh. | | | | your pet's skin, which helps him stay cooler. |
| The water will heat up as the day passes, so | | | | Instead of buzzing everything, trim the hair |
| either change the dish often or invest in an | | | | to a shorter length. A professional groomer |
| auto-watering system. Many models attach to | | | | can do this inexpensively and properly. |
| your outdoor water faucet: as your pet | | | | |
| depletes the water supply, the system adds | | | | -If your pet seems sick or otherwise |
| more without overflowing or making a mess. | | | | abnormal, call your veterinarian immediately. |
| | | | If your cat or dog is dehydrated or is |
| -Never leave your animal in a car, even for | | | | suffering from heat exhaustion, he'll need |
| just a few minutes. The temperature inside | | | | quick treatment to get well again. |