Summer safety for pets

MARQUETTE COUNTY — It is that time of the year where the inside of cars can become a dangerous place for our furry friends.

It’s that time of the year where we need to be careful about who we are leaving in the car, especially on these hot summer days.
Pets of all kinds are left in hot cars every year and too many end up losing their lives to the heat.

“When possible leave your pets at home,” said Associate at Animal Medical Center, Leah Reid. “There are a lot of concerns with heat, so don’t leave your pet un-attended in a hot car. It can be a risk of them getting heatstroke and they can get dehydrated very quickly.”

This can also happen in other situations where you will need to act quickly to help your pets cool down.

“If you do find yourself in an area where you feel your pet is getting to hot you should give them fresh cool water,” added Reid. “That is the best thing to do, but don’t let them drink too much. This is because of the risk of them gulping too much water and actually getting water toxicity.”

As a pet owner it is also important to be aware of other heat related injuries your pets can receive. These include hot pavement that animals walk on and water coming from a hose that has been lying out in the sun.

The hot pavement can burn dog’s feet causing blisters and burns on the pads of their feet. While a hose if not being used and lying in the sun could be a danger due to the water temperature rising while in the hose.

This could result in accidentally burning your animal when trying to cool them down but instead you could be spraying them with scalding water.

These dangers are avoidable as long as you do research and know the signs of an animal having difficulties while in the heat.
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