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Downey, CA… The Heat is On! Who doesn’t love
the good times and outdoor activities that only Summer time can
bring here in Southern California? Considering most folks are an
hour or less away from a beach or minutes from a local park, the “to
do” list may very well include lots of outdoor fun. Of course, pets
(particularly our dogs) love to romp, play and hang out with us
during fun outdoor activities, but the heat can be very dangerous,
and may oftentimes bring on sudden deadly consequences to our furry
friends IF we’re not careful in our planning.
The Southeast Area Animal Control Authority (SEAACA), the regional
animal control provider to twelve area cities, would like to offer
some Summer-time advice to keep us all safe and healthy.
Animals need plenty of cool, fresh water. Clean bowls
regularly to keep algae and other gummy stuff away. Add ice cubes on
hot days.
As the sun moves, shade disappears. That cool bowl of water
in the morning shade will be a cooked bowl of water when the
afternoon sun hits it. Set out more than one water bowl, so that at
least one is in shade at all times.
Every animal needs the freedom to move into a shady spot. Be
sure outdoor pet areas have a shade tree or overhead protection from
the sun. Besides the deadly risk of overheating, pets can sunburn,
especially those with short coats and fair skin.
Get pets off hard surfaces. Cement, pavement, asphalt and
packed dirt get hot and stay hot. Walking on a hot, hard surface can
burn paws. Resting on a hot, hard surface can overheat and dehydrate
a pet.
Keep pets breathing easy indoors with good ventilation. Open
windows and turn on fans. Check window screens to be sure no pet can
escape.
Warm Weather Release Never leave a pet alone inside a vehicle.
Even with windows rolled down on a cloudy day, the windshield
magnifies heat so the interior becomes an incubator. Every year,
pets perish because their owners thought it was OK to leave them
"just while I run into the store."
A truck bed is no place for animals. A truck bed is a virtual
moving furnace.
On road trips and hikes, bring a thermos of ice water and bowl
just for your pet. Sporting goods stores sell handy collapsible
bowls that tuck into a pocket.
Grooming is about more than looking good; it's about pet health
too. Clip fur to one inch (not down to the skin!) so pets don't
swelter in heavy coats. Weekly brushings prevent painful knots.
Check your pet's skin regularly and treat for hot spots, fleas and
ticks. Give soothing baths to calm itchy skin.
It's foxtail season! Those little dried arrows pierce skin
and travel deeper. Once a foxtail gets under the skin it will not
back out, and must be removed by a veterinarian. Foxtails cause
painful infections and even can kill by entering the bloodstream and
then the heart. Check your pet's coat often and remove all foxtails
before they embed themselves.
Older, overweight and short-nosed pets are especially susceptible
to the heat. Be doubly careful if your pet is any of these.
Be sure to allow rest time for your dog in between strenuous play
periods. Most dogs will play to the point of exhaustion, so
monitor play time and the outdoor temperature.
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Animal
Law Enforcement & Rescue
