To prevent this from happening, give your animal some basic lessons. Have your dog or cat go into the water and help lead it to the stairs or ramp to get out of the water. This training will make it easier for your dog or cat if it falls in by accident at any point. Dehydration is a constant issue for animals as well. The extra heat will force your pet to consume substantially larger amounts of water in the summertime. There is a great temptation to give your dog or cat ice cold water. It is a good idea to avoid this and stick to room temperature liquids. If the water is too cold the animal is likely to end up vomiting bile and becoming even more dehydrated. This becomes especially likely if your pet drinks fast, which happens very often during the hot summer months. The occasional ice-cube or frozen treat can be helpful to help your dehydrated pet cool down. During the summer, staying cool is the greatest challenge of all. Never leave your pet in a parked car with the windows closed. In less then ten minutes that car can get up around 120 degrees. Temperatures that high could kill your animal. If you must leave a pet unattended in your vehicle park it in the shade, put the windows down and be sure to have water that your pet can drink. Pets with flat faces and/or thick fur are at the highest risk for heat stroke. Try to take your pet out in the cool of the morning or early evening to keep it from overheating. The daytime hours can be too much for your animal.

It is also a good idea to keep track of how the sun shines in your yard. A place that is shaded at one time may be bright in another because of how the sun moves across the sky. Be sure that your dog or cat is resting in the shade as much as possible while outside. At the least make sure that shade is available at all times so that your pet can find relief from the sun. They will know when they are too hot, at least most of the time, be sure to give them ample opportunities to find relief. Excessive panting is one of the earliest signs of heat exhaustion, but if symptoms get to the point of vomiting be sure to get your animal cooled down. One sure fire way to do this is to pour cool water on the dog or cat and work the liquid into its coat. If this does not help, and the animal ends up losing consciousness you should take it to a veterinarian immediately. Summer is one of the best times to have fun with your pet. Playing a game of fetch that involves your dog jumping into a body of water can be very fun. Watching your cat chase after butterflies can be entertaining as well. However, if you want to enjoy these pastimes you need to be sure to take care of your animal in the summer heat. When the proper precautions are taken your pets have a great chance of keeping cool and staying safe. Take some time to get yourself and your pet ready for the summer sun, and enjoy a safe and happy summer together.

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