Warm Weather Tips to Keep Pets Safe

This week temperatures are about the highest they've been all year, with highs posting hovering around 95 degrees in Snellville. Here are some tips specifically for your furry friends.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) provides several tips on how to keep your dogs, cats and other pets safe in the hot weather:

• Visit the veterinarian. The ASPCA recommends taking your pet in for a check-up in the spring or early summer. In addition to talking to them about keeping your pet cool in the heat, also be sure your pets get heartwarm testing or preventative medicine.
• Provide shade and water. Like humans, pets can get dehydrated quickly in the heat, so be sure you leave out plenty of clean, fresh water and provide shade for your pet during the day. If you take your pets for walks, remember not to overexert them.
  
• Watch for dehydration and overheating. Symptoms of  overheating in pets include excessive panting, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, drooling, weakness, stupor and even collapse, according to the ASPCA website. In more severe cases, pets can have seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke because they cannot pant as effectively, so be sure t0 keep them indoors with air conditioning.
• Don't leave your pet in a parked vehicle. Pets should never be left in the car – especially during extreme hot (or cold) weather.
• Be safe near water. Not all pets are swimmers, so be sure to supervise them near water. The ASPCA also advises pet owners to rinse chlorine off animals after swimming.
• Watch pets near windows. According to the ASPCA, more pets are injured during the warmer months when they fall out of windows that either don't have screens or have screens that are not properly secured. Be on the safe side, check your windows, or keep them closed.
• Give your pet haircut. Shaving your dog's (or cat's) coat down to about an inch can keep them cooler while still providing protection from the sun. Brushing your pet's coat regularly can also help keep them cool.
  
• Stay off of hot asphalt. "Being so close the ground, your pooch's body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn," the ASPCA website reads. "Keep walks during these times to a minimum."
• Avoid using harsh chemicals near pets. Some flea and tick products, chemicals used to kill rodents and many fertilizers – all commonly used during warmer months – can be dangerous for your pet. If you think your pet has ingested a poison, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
• Keep table food away from pets. Many human foods and drinks are hazardous to pets, including alcohol, raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with the sweetener xylitol, according to the ASPCA.
• Keep your pets away from fireworks. Not only are fireworks potentially dangerous because they can burn or injure your pet, but they also contain "potentially toxic substances such as potassium nitrate, copper, chlorates, arsenic and other heavy metals," the ASPCA cautions.