Tips For Protecting Your Dog’s Health During The Summer

The summer can be a great time to spend with your dog. You can go on walks, enjoy the beach, and relax in the sun. However, summertime can also be dangerous for your dog’s health if you don’t take precautions.

Overheating

The heat is, of course, a major concern. Dogs can easily become overheated, especially if they are dark colored or heavily coated. To prevent overheating, there are few things you can do. First, always make sure your dog has access to cool, clean water. If you are walking your dog or taking him for a car ride, have at least one bottle of water and a portable dog bowl with you. Also, try to plot your route so you’ll be near places where you could easily get more water for him.

Another way to prevent overheating on walks is to schedule the exercise during the early morning or late evenings and to avoid walking over asphalt which attracts heat. Hot roads and parking lots can cause a dog to overheat faster and can even burn the sensitive pads on its paws.

Obviously, you never want to leave your dog in a car during the summer. And if your dog spends most of his time in the yard make sure you have adequate shelter to protect him from the harsh sun.

Heartworms

Besides overheating, you also need to worry about heartworms. A heartworm is a parasite that is transmitted to dogs (and to cats) from mosquitoes which is why the problem is worse during warmer weather and in places near water, including lakes, streams, or any type of standing water.

When an infected mosquito bites a dog, the heartworm enters his body and begins to grow. Eventually, the worms end up reproducing in the animal’s heart leading eventually to death. Besides avoiding mosquitoes, the best way to protect your dog is with heartworm preventative medication. The pills are given monthly throughout the year and are effective in 99% of dogs.

Remember not to use any type of insect repellent on your dog because the chemicals can be deadly to your animal who is likely to lick it off his fur.

Food, Fireworks, & Fun

Some of the most fun activities people enjoy during the summer can pose a health risk to dogs. For example, barbecuing in the backyard can be fun but if the grill is left unattended with your pets then it can get knocked over, your dog can burn himself on the grill, or even hurt himself on the hot charcoal or cooking utensils.

Another summer activity is using fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July. Dogs generally don’t appreciate fireworks as much as humans - the loud noises can scare them. Keep your dogs indoors if you or neighbors are going to be using fireworks to minimize your pet’s stress. Also, remember that fireworks can cause injuries to dogs and if they are not cleaned up properly can even be ingested by dogs which can lead to serious health complications.

Finally, don’t be tempted to see how your basset hound will behave after sipping some of your alcoholic beverages. If you or your friends have had one too many, this might sound like a great idea but dogs are not designed to handle alcohol. Resist the temptation. Dogs should never drink anything stronger than water.

By keeping these safety tips in mind, both you and your dog can have a happy, healthy, and safe summer.

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