By taking some small measures you can enjoy the warm weather safely with your dog. If your pet starts showing any symptoms or is acting a little out of character, visit a vet immediately or pay close attention to their behaviour: heatstroke and heat-related maladies are very real.
That said there are few things to look out for in summer and the hotter months:
Hayfever
What to do?
- Bath your dog in cool water
- Do not keep flowers and plants in the house
- When you cut the lawn, keep your pet away
- Trim your dog’s coat if he has long hair
- When pollen counts are high, keep them indoors
- Run your A/C overnight to filter pollen out of your home/indoor space
- Wash your pet’s bedding weekly with hot water (dry them completely though)
Paw Burns
What to do?
- Walk your dog when it’s cool
- Stay on grass if you happen to be out when it’s very hot
- Moisturise their paws
- Check and clean your dog’s paws regularly
Ticks!
What to do?
Conduct a thorough body check of your dog. They like hiding in dark, hidden areas of the animal, such as ears, groin and between the toes.
Excessive scratching or licking in one particular area is usually a tell-tale sign of ticks.
Be careful when removing ticks, the safest way to do this would be to use tweezers. Do not twist the tick, burn the tick or apply anything else to the skin as this could cause further damage or hurt your pet.
Sun Burn / Melanomas
What to do?
Pets with short or fine fur are especially at risk. (Also lighter coloured fur.)
- Limit sun exposure time, especially during the middle of the day.
- Use special pet sun cream on light or thin fur, the nose, ears or other exposed patches.
- Give them plenty of cool, clean water, refreshed regularly.
- Clip long-haired pets to prevent them from overheating.
- Never leave animals locked in cars, even for a few minutes.
- Consult a vet immediately if you notice ulcers, sores or sudden discolouration on your pet’s skin.