We love our pets, don’t we! That’s the reason why we have them in the first place. Having a pet is also about as much responsibility as fun and all pet owners are well aware of this fact. Come summers and pet care becomes all the more essential as our furry friends aren’t able to speak how hot they feel. They thus depend upon their owners to look out for signs and make sure that they are well taken care of. We bring to you a few tips that might help keep your pets cool this summer.
Pet Care: Keeping Your Pets Cool This Summer
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Keep Their Exercise Under Control
Summer heat can be grueling on pets. It’s a good idea to keep the duration and intensity of exercise under control during the season. And its even better to avoid any exercise during afternoons. Workouts, if any must be restricted to early morning and evening hours. Also it’s a good idea to get your pets walking on grass instead of an asphalt road that can get very hot and cause burns in their paws. You should also get into the habit of carrying water for your pets just like you do for yourself. It can prevent dehydration.
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Pets Need Shade And Water Even More
Summer pet care includes plenty of shade provision for your pets along with abundant supply of clean, fresh and cool water. When considering a shady area for your pet prefer open spaces like tree shades that allow free flow of air, rather than closed shady spots like garages and small rooms. In a scenario when the heat goes beyond a certain limit, pets too need additional cooling devices other than room fans.
Keep Them Cool With Goodies
In addition to supplying fresh and cool water to your pets offer them candy popsicles once in a while to cool them from insides. You can also make use of ‘keep cool vests’ for pets. Of course, there isn’t anything like regular bathing sessions, if your pet enjoys water. You do not need to apply soap every time you bathe your pet as it may cause dryness. Plenty of water is enough:)
Image via: Pets Adorable
In Case Of A Heat Stroke
If you find your pet panting more than usual, is getting dizzy or lethargic, is unable to co-ordinate movement, is salivating more than usual, is feverish or excessively thirsty, they might be having a heat stroke. Apart from immediately scheduling a visit to the vet, take your pet to a shady cool area and apply ice packs or a cool towel over their head, neck and chest. Give them cool water to drink or ice cubes to lick.
Don’t Leave Your Pets In Parked Cars
Temperatures can soar rocket high in parked cars within a matter of a few minutes. Hence, it is a very bad idea to leave your pet in parked car even if for a few minutes with the air-conditioner on. Pets may suffer very serious organ damage or may even die if temperatures cross a certain limit.
Image Via: Pets I Love India
Pets owners should also be aware of a few other important things in summers. One, tick attacks increase during summers so you need to be vigilant. Two, your pet might like cool environs but its not necessary they like to swim as well, hence arrange for a floatation device for them if putting them in water. Later let them dry in a shady spot and not in the sun. Grooming becomes even more important in summers and you should brush your pet often to get rid of matted fur. But don’t shave your pet! Fur protects against the summer sun too:) It would be great to know of your summer pet care regime. Please do write to us.
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Brenda Lee says
Fabulous tips! I wish people would learn that animals are even more fragile than humans in the warmer temps and can get dehydrated very easily. Passing this along!