Hot Days, Happy Pets: Your Summer Safety Checklist

TL;DR

Top 10 Most Important Tips

• Never leave a pet alone in your car when the temperature reaches 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • It is illegal to leave your pet in a car when it is 75 degree F. Vehicles quickly become an oven in just a few minutes, even with the windows open. It's better to leave your pets at home.
• Keep the water bowl full, and give them plenty of shade.
  • These two things will help keep them cool on the hottest of days.
• Watch for signs of heat stroke.
  • If you notice excessive panting, brick-red gums, vomiting, or weakness in your pet, call your veterinarian.
• Don't overexercise your pet in the heat.
  • Pets easily overheat during walks or hikes, or even just playing when it's hot outside.
• If it's too hot for your bare feet, it's too hot for paws
  • Your pet can't tell you if their pads are burning, but if you wouldn't walk barefoot, don't make your pet walk on it either.
• Bring pets indoors during extreme heat
  • Senior, overweight, and animals with heart or lung conditions especially need to be kept cool. Certain breeds with flat faces also may need special care during extreme heat.
• Keep pets safe during fireworks
  • Animals are easily scared by fireworks and will run away if not secured. Make sure they are safe in the backyard or inside, and have plenty of comfort if they are nervous during celebrations.
• Celebration food is for humans, not pets.
  • Keep toxic foods and alcohol away from pets. Onions, grapes, garlic and alcohol are just a few of the foods we enjoy that are highly toxic to animals.
• Supervise pets around water
  • Not all dogs can swim. Watch them closely around water and clean them after they have been in pools and lakes.
• Call a veterinarian or poison control if you need help
  • Put ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 or your veterinarian phone number in your phone so you can call them quickly.

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Summer is a time for adventure and celebration with friends and family, including our furry ones. But they need different care than humans! Here are some ways to look out for your little best friends during the heat and fun this year.

Heat Safety

While dogs and cats have their own ways to keep cool, by stretching out on the cool floor or panting, here are some things you can do to help:

Provide shady, cool places for them, inside and outside, especially during the hottest times of the day (10am and 4pm)

Keep water dishes full.

Don't overexercise them.

You can trim their fur, but never shave them. Layered coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. Brushing regularly can prevent them from overheating.

Animals with flat faces, like bulldogs, boxers, pugs, and persian cats, are more susceptible to overheating.

Senior, overweight, or pets with heart or lung disease need extra care. Keep them as cool as possible.

Watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Call your vet with any concerns.

• Excessive panting
• Brick-red gums
• Vomiting
• Weakness or collapsing

In the Car

Your car quickly becomes an oven and is a dangerous place in the warmer months. It is illegal to leave an animal alone in a vehicle when the outside temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit and above.

Outside

If your pet doesn't have a lot of hair or fur, you can use pet-safe sunscreen to protect their skin. When treating your yard and home with herbicides and insecticides, keep your pets away. Follow directions on the packaging. Keep citronella candles, tiki torch products, and insect coils out of pets' reach. Protect them from bugs with preventative medications and insect repellant (make sure the label says it is pet safe first!) Watch out for snakes! If your pet is bitten by a snake or another potentially poisonous creature, get veterinary care as soon as possible. Watch out for pokey plants when out on walks! They can get into your pet's skin and cause infections. If the sidewalk or road is too hot for bare feet, it's too hot for bare paws. Consider booties for protection.

Outdoor Sheltering

It's best to keep your pet inside during the hottest times of day. If you must keep them outside, follow these tips for safety:

Give them a sturdy, cool shelter that they can enter standing, turn around and lie down. It needs to have ventilations and drainage. It should be shaded and help keep them cool.

If you must tie up your pet, make sure the tether is long and free of obstacles that might get them tangled.

Collars should be fitted properly.

Water should be secured so it can't be tipped over, and it should be in a plastic, not a metal bowl.

Animals should not be left unsupervised for long periods of time.

During excessive heat warnings, bring pets indoors.

Water Safety

Water is a great way to cool down, but do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool or any water.

When going to wild areas, check with local news for water conditions. Strong currents, toxic algae and wildlife can be dangerous to your pet. .

Keep a bowl of fresh water outside near the water. You don't want them drinking the pool or lake water if they are thirsty.

Not all dogs know how to swim easily. Teach them how to get in and out of the water first. Consider fitting them with their own life jacket.

Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from their fur.

Keep pools covered or gates closed to the pool when you aren't using it.

Fireworks

Fireworks can be scary to animals. Home is the safest place for pets during fireworks shows.

Keep fireworks away from your pets to prevent burns or trauma.

If they can still hear the fireworks and are nervous, give your pet a comfortable space where they can feel safe, such as a bed or crate with favorite toys or blankets. They may also feel safer in a room without windows, away from the noise.

Add white noise like a fan, air purifier, or soft music to cover the sound of the outside noise and help them relax.

If they are outside, make sure the fencing is secure and the gates are closed so they don't leave the yard.

In case of escape, make sure your pet has up-to-date ID tags and microchip information. If your pet does escape, contact your local municipal animal shelter as soon as possible, and post on online or social media lost and found pages.

Food

Your pet can join in the celebrations, but they don't need the same fancy food! Many foods we enjoy are toxic to our pets. Onions, garlic, grapes and chocolate are just a few toxic foods for dogs.

Keep your garbage out of reach, and clean up spills quickly before they have a chance to have a taste.

Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets.

Travel

If you are taking your pet on vacation, update their ID tag and microchip information. Bring a copy of their vaccination records, veterinarian's contact information and current photo.

Keep a leash, harness, collar, travel crate and first-aid kit in good condition.

Talk to your veterinarian about keeping your pet comfortable, calm and prevent carsickness.

If traveling outside of your local area, research the closest veterinarian clinic before you go in case of an emergency.

Poison

If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, whether food, pesticide or anything toxic, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 immediately.