Keep Your Pets Cool This Summer

With the summer months’ right around the corner, we all must keep a close eye on ourselves and our pets as the heat could get the best of us.

Every year, hundreds of pets die because they are left in parked cars, tethered outside without shade and water, or exercised in hot, humid weather. This is a serious threat in the state of Florida (http://goo.gl/Gna69).  Short-nosed breeds, such as Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and Pekingese, are more apt to getting heat stroke because panting in these breeds is less-effective in decreasing body temperature compared to other dogs.

 

The normal temperature for a dog or cat is about 101.5 degrees, plus or minus 1-2 degrees. If your pet’s temperature reaches 105 degrees, call our offices immediately as elevated body temperatures can cause multi-organ failure leading to possible death.

The symptoms of heat stroke include restlessness, panting, drooling, bright red gums, behavior changes and difficulty breathing. If you believe that your pet is experiencing these types of symptoms, call us right away. 

One dangerous thing to do is to put your pet in an ice-cold bath. This could cause constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and could trap the heat inside your pets’ body. Do not leave your pet unattended if you believe it may have heat stroke for 24 hours as symptoms that are mentioned above may not occur until later in the day.

Don’t leave your pets in the car, even if you are running a quick errand. Leave them home in a nice temperature and environment. Do the safe thing!