Summertime can be bummer time for your pets

Do you know how to protect your pet during the summer? There may be more to it than you think. Dr. Jen Remensperger and Dr. Heather Malka of the Bradshaw Veterinary Clinic in Elk Grove see many of the same summertime maladies and offer these tips for keeping your pet healthy and happy when the hot weather hits.
    Summer is the season of the flea, so the first imperative is flea protection. “There are things you have to be careful of, with over-the-counter products,” Dr. Remensperger says. “Some products for dogs can be toxic or fatal to cats.” She adds that OTC treatments are not always labeled as well as they should be. Also crucial is heartworm protection, what with mosquitoes running neck and neck with fleas in peskiness.
    The doctors also frequently see problems caused by foxtails—spiky grasses that can easily adhere to animal body parts. “If your pet is in an area with foxtails, beware,” Dr. Remensperger says. “Foxtails like to travel into paws, noses, ears and foot pads. If your animal is suddenly sneezing, limping or pawing at his/her ears, you should have them evaluated.” Not just a pain in the paw, foxtails have been known to migrate through tissue—for example, from the nose to the esophagus, or from a paw up through a limb to the spine. Left untreated, foxtails can cause serious, even life-threatening, problems.
    Dr. Malka warns people of over-exerting their dogs in the heat. Leaving dogs in cars or subjecting them to excessive activity (especially if the animal isn’t used to it) in higher temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. A dog's body temperature is normally between 100 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit, and a rise to 105 F is all that’s needed to physically endanger your dog. In a hot car, temperatures can rapidly rise by more than 30 degrees per minute—this, on top of the 90 to 100 F degree outside temperature.  “Would you leave your child in that?” Dr. Remensperger asks.
    The doctors also recommend that you keep in mind that the temperatures of streets and sidewalks can be extremely high and can cause damage to the pads of your pet’s feet. A swimming pool can present a particular danger, as the water can soften those pads, rendering them more vulnerable to tearing. A good rule of thumb, the doctors say, is to “be aware that your dog is walking without shoes on, and your cat too.”
    Most importantly: Remember that your pets must have shade and water available to them at all times. 
    With proper precautions, both you and your four-pawed friends will sail through our long, hot summers in comfort and good health.

Do you like what you read? Subscribe to Solano Magazine »