Lifestyle

5 Ways to Keep Your Pets Cool This Summer

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Tony Maples Photography

 

The heat may prove dangerous to your dogs and cats. It’s not just outdoor animals, either. Pets can overheat just as people can, and maybe faster, depending on the circumstances. Pets are a part of your family who give you unconditional love. You know how to keep your other family members cool during the summer. Why not do the same for your furry family members? Keep them safe from excessive heat when the Texas Hill Country’s summer hits in full force!

1.  Give Them Frozen Treats

Banana Pup Pops for keeping pets cool

Photo: Pinterest/Bitz and Giggles

Keeping pets cool starts with their interiors. For dogs, have frozen treats on hand, and whenever you grab an ice cream bar for yourself, pull a treat out for your pup. Bitz and Giggles has a recipe for banana yogurt pops for dogs, but all the ingredients make them edible for people, too. Drop a few ice cubes in the water dish for your cats and dogs, too. They often like to play with the floating ice and it cools down the water in the bowl. Also, always keep plenty of water on hand for indoor and outdoor pets.

2. Use Yourself as a Thermometer

Thermometer showing 120 degree F temperature

Photo: Pixabay/johninuptown

If it’s too hot for you to go outside, it’s too hot for your fur-covered pets to venture outside. If you need to take your dog for a walk, go at dusk or dawn to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. When the temperatures rise to exceptional levels, don’t take your pet out for a run. Opt for a slower, shorter walk, instead, and try to stick to keeping your dog walking on grass. Hot concrete can burn your pet’s paws.

3. Know Your Pet

Cat and dog on path

Photo: maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com

Some pets are more susceptible to the heat than others. Pets with shorter snouts, such as pug dogs or Persian cats, or heavier builds have a harder time with hot, humid conditions. Long-haired pets should be clipped before the summer gets too hot, and if any of your pets has a chronic health problem or a temporary illness, keep it out of the summer heat.

4. Don’t Leave Pets Behind

Dog in Car

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

If you take your pets on car rides with you in the summer, never leave them inside the car, even with the windows cracked. Think of a greenhouse. The temperature rises quickly inside because heat cannot escape. This happens inside your car whenever you park it, and it can be deadly for animals inside. Don’t take the chance of losing your pets. Bring them inside whenever you park your vehicle. If you don’t have that option, leave them in your air-conditioned home.

5. Learn About Heatstroke

Dog at Vet

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Just as heatstroke can be dangerous for humans, it can also be deadly for pets. Because animals cannot tell you that they feel hot, it may not be obvious that they have a problem. Knowing what heatstroke looks like in your pets could possibly save their lives. To prevent it, keep your pets cool in the summer heat, but if you cannot, watch out for signs of illness.

Heatstroke in pets manifests as fever, excessive panting, lack of coordination, fast heartbeat, red gums, excessive tiredness, vomiting, seizures or unconsciousness. If you see any of these in your pets, get them inside immediately and pour cool water on your pets or wrap them in cool, damp towels. Never use ice water to cool your pets’ exteriors. Give your pets plenty to drink and take them to the vet at once. Heatstroke may be fatal in some cases, but immediate care at the first sign of symptoms could save lives.