KEEP THE ANIMALS IN YOUR LIFE SAFE AND HAPPY THIS SUMMER

[Guest guest]

Courtesy of Veggie Jews And " " Pete Cohon "

 

This a part of a longer post on Veggie Jews.

 

While long summer days mean fun for the whole family,

including those with four legs, summer heat, humidity, and activities

can challenge animals in ways that people might not consider.

 

Here are a few tips on how to make sure your dog or cat is safe and

having fun this summer.

 

During the " dog days " of summer, heatstroke

http://www.helpinga nimals.com/animalsHome_ dogs_cool.asp can come

on quickly and result in brain damage or death.

 

* Watch to make sure that a dog's pads don't burn on the hot pavement!

Surface temperatures of sidewalks and surfaces like black asphalt far

exceed the ambient temperature. For dogs, walking on such surfaces on

a hot day can be like dancing on hot coal!

* Never leave a dog in a parked car. Even if you are running a quick

errand, someone or something can distract or delay you. On a mild

73ºF day, the temperature inside a car can reach 120ºF in 30 minutes.

On a 90ºF day,the interior of a vehicle can reach 160ºF in several

minutes.

* If you see a dog who is panting excessively, drooling, or teetering

inside a car, take down the car's color, model, make, and license

plate number; have the owner paged inside the store or call local

humane authorities or police. If the situation is an emergency, do

whatever you can to get the dog out of the car—his or her life may

depend on it.

* Trim heavy-coated dogs' fur, but leave an inch for protection

against insects and sunburn.

* Watch for symptoms such as restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy

panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat,

fever, vomiting, or lack of coordination. If your dog shows any of

these symptoms, get him or her into the shade immediately and call

your veterinarian. Lower the animal's body temperature gradually by

providing water to drink; applying a cold towel or ice pack to the

head, neck, and chest; or immersing the dog in lukewarm (not cold)

water.

 

If you decide to get a cat this summer, never buy from a pet store or

breeder http://www.helpinganimals.com/ga_petstore.asp;

 

adopt from an animal shelter

http://www.helpinganimals.com/ga_helpLocalShelter.asp instead.

 

* If this is the first time you will be sharing your home with a cat,

read about the basics of feeding and care

http://www.helpinga nimals.com/animalsHome_cats.asp ;

* Summer poses extra dangers for cats from heat and humidity. The only

foolproof protection for them is true year-round: Cats should never be

allowed outside unaccompanied

http://www.helpinga nimals.com/animalsHome_cats_indoors.asp . Even

indoor conditions can be taxing for cats, so be sure to offer plenty

of fresh water and a cool spot in a shady room for relief from the

heat.

* Learn how to keep up with cats' shedding

http://www.askcarla.com/answers.asp?QuestionandanswerID=386 .

 

Another companion animal emergency—no matter what the season—is

overpopulation, which leads to animals' deaths. If you haven't

already done so, please read why you should sterilize your companion

animal http://www.helpinga nimals.com/factsheetFactsheetD

isplay.asp?ID=134 without delay, and find out how your dog or cat

could be hurt if you don't.

 

Thank you for your compassion and support. Together, we can make the

world a better place for all animals. I wish you a safe and happy

summer.

 

For all animals,

 

Ingrid E. Newkirk

President