Pets and parents alike look forward to spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger, warn ASPCA experts. “Even the healthiest pets can suffer from dehydration, heat stroke and sunburn if overexposed to the heat,” says Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, “and heat stroke can be fatal if not treated promptly.” Watch out for the following symptoms of overheating in pets: excessive panting or difficulty breathing, drooling, mild weakness, stupor and even collapse. Pets can also suffer from seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.

Take these simple precautions, provided by ASPCA experts, to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

• Avoid dehydration by always having fresh, clean water available and lots of shady places where pets can cool off.
• When the weather’s extremely hot, keep your pets indoors.
• Give your dog a light summer haircut to help prevent overheating. Shave the hair to a one-inch length, but never down to the skin, as fur offers protection from the sun. Brushing your cat more often than usual can also help prevent problems caused by excessive heat.
• When using sunscreen or insect repellent, be sure the product is labeled specifically for use on animals.
• Never leave an animal alone in a parked vehicle. “On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time—even with the windows open—which could lead to fatal heat stroke,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital.

Please visit ASPCA.org for our complete list of hot weather safety tips!

We can’t thank you enough for staying with Levi while we were on vacation.  We were so relieved to know that he would enjoy all the comforts and belly rubs of his home environment instead of having to stay at a kennel with limited social interaction.  Even though we felt like crazy people going through all the instructions with you, as a fellow dog lover, you made us feel totally sane!  We also appreciate the fact that you do not discriminate against certain breeds and that you are well-versed in dog behavior; even though Levi can be shy, it was clear from your updates and photos that you made him feel at ease immediately.  Thank you for giving us peace of mind while we were away and for spoiling Levi as much, if not more, than we do.

Sincerely,

Mary and Jason Moore

• Keep dogs on a leash or confined by fence. Do not let dogs run loose even if they are usually well-behaved. Many dogs get hit by cars whose owners think they "do not need a leash".
• Many cats also get hit by cars. Be sure to keep cats indoors or confined with a specially-designed cat fence.
• Do not exercise dogs or allow them to exercise or play hard during very hot weather or the hottest part of day. Exercise your dogs in the early morning and evening.
• Do not let brachcephalic (short-nosed breeds, such as bulldogs or pugs) dogs over-exercise when it is hot outside.
• Dogs that have noisy breathing may have a medical condition. Have them examined by a vet and use caution with exercise in the heat.
• Make sure all windows have well-fitting screens if you're going to keep windows open.  "High-Rise Syndrome" occurs when pets fall out of windows or doors and are seriously or fatally injured.