Keeping pets safe during the hottest summer months can be challenging. The high temperatures and humidity that often appear suddenly can put pets at risk for heatstroke, burns, and other seasonal dangers. Our Cobb & Co Veterinary Clinic team shares eight tips to help keep your furry pal safe all season.

1. Administer parasite preventives to your pet

Warmer temperatures create ideal conditions for parasites, which can infest your pet and transmit diseases. Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention is essential for all pets year-round, but especially during the summer months. You can purchase your veterinarian-recommended products directly from the manufacturers through our trusted online pharmacy, which allows you to take advantage of product rebates and efficacy guarantees.

2. Learn about heatstroke to assess your pet’s risk

Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition that results when a pet’s body temperature rises above normal. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat is often to blame, but the condition can develop rapidly in pets left in hot cars or outdoors without shade. Immediate intervention and veterinary care are required to provide your pet with their best recovery chance, but up to 50% of affected pets die despite this care. Some pets are more sensitive to heat than others and may require extra accommodations on hot days. Sensitive groups include:

  • Brachycephalic (i.e., short-nosed) breeds
  • Seniors, puppies, and kittens
  • Double-coated breeds
  • Pets with chronic health conditions
  • Pets with respiratory conditions

3. Provide your pet with water and shade

Always ensure that pets can access fresh, clean water to stay hydrated, which can assist in temperature regulation and help prevent overheating. Consider placing multiple water bowls around your home and yard, and bring water and a collapsible bowl with you on walks. Additionally, create shady spots in the yard to provide respite from intense sunlight and plan walking routes based on shade availability.

4. Limit outdoor activities with your pet

Try to schedule walks and playtime early in the morning or late in the evening when temperatures are cooler. Remember, pavement can remain hot long after sunset, so always check the temperature on the ground before heading out with your furry pal. Consider keeping heat-sensitive pets indoors whenever possible. Set up indoor games or training exercises to keep them occupied.

5. Use cooling products on your pet

Cooling products, including mats, vests, and kiddie pools, can help lower your pet’s temperature without forcing them to stay inside. You can also try a low-cost cooling alternative: put a wet bandana or towel in the freezer for a few minutes and then wrap it around your pet’s neck.

6. Supervise your pet while outdoors

A pet’s heat-related illness can develop quickly. However, by supervising your pet closely while outdoors, you can help prevent these conditions. If the temperature is high, go outside with your pet so you can determine when they need to take a break. Never leave your pet unattended outdoors or in a parked car or other enclosed space, which can heat up quickly—like an oven—and harm your pet.

7. Keep your pet well-groomed

Regular grooming helps prevent matting, removes loose fur, and keeps your pet cool. However, shaving them can ultimately have the opposite effect by altering the coat’s temperature-regulating properties. Brush your pet frequently and ask your groomer for a breed-appropriate summer trim.

8. Protect your pet from noise phobias

Thunderstorms and fireworks, which can trigger noise phobias in pets, often accompany summer heat waves. Noise aversion is a treatable behavioral condition that affects up to two-thirds of dogs, but the condition often goes undetected and untreated. If your pet cowers, shakes, drools, pants, or panics in response to noise, ask our team about prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) treatment options to help them cope.

Prevent your pet from overdoing it in the heat by following our summer safety tips. Contact our Cobb & Co Veterinary Clinic team for additional heat safety advice or to schedule a summer checkup, behavioral evaluation, or parasite control consultation.