After a long, very wet winter we are welcoming the warm sunny weather we’ve all come to enjoy here in northern California. That’s the good news. The other side of the coin is the danger that hot dry weather presents, especially to our pets.
Heat
During warm weather the temperature inside of a car can skyrocket to 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, even in the shade and even with the windows cracked! A study conducted at the Stanford University School of Medicine showed that temperatures may rise dramatically inside a car even on mild days. With outside temperatures as low as 72 degrees, the interior of the car can heat up 40 additional degrees within 30 minutes. A cracked window provides little relief if any at all. Dogs and cats can only exchange heat through their pads or by panting. Pets left in a car even for “just a minute” may suffer from heat stroke, brain and organ damage and even death so think twice about taking them with you, unless of course your destination is pet friendly. They may love to travel, but this summer they might just like lounging in their cool comfortable home. If you see a pet alone in a car that appears to be in danger, take action.
Foxtails
These barbed burrs are everywhere our pets walk and play so being aware of them is a real advantage to keeping your pets free of these painful pests! Foxtails go into any place they can on your pet. They often go up noses, causing severe and powerful sneezing – sometimes with blood. They may go into the ear causing the pet to shake their head. This is PAINFUL – especially if it is touching the eardrum. Cats are at eye level with foxtails so they often will get one in their eye. You may not see it though because they will be squinting. These are all emergencies. Dogs often will have them migrate into their paws, so it’s is a good idea to check your pet’s feet each day and remove any foxtails. You may notice them licking a foot more than usual. This is often an indication that one already has entered the foot and is causing pain and swelling. Long coated dogs and cats are also at risk because the thick fur can catch the foxtail and hide it as it migrates in. If you usually keep your pet’s coat short for the summer, now is the time to get him or her groomed.
Snakebite
Rattlesnake bites can be quite painful and harmful to dogs and cats. The obvious way to keep you pet from being bitten is to avoid areas where snakes are likely to be like on trails at higher elevations. If however, your pet does get bit it’s important to get him to the closest veterinary
clinic so he can be treated for shock and possibly be give antivenom. Click here for more helpful information on snakebites prevention and treatment. https://dogtrekker.com/story/Snakebites
4th July
We’ve all heard of pets – especially dogs – that are terrified of the sound of fireworks. If this sounds like your pet or you know someone who deals with this know there are measures you can take to help alleviate the trauma. This link has several safety tips from the ASPCA: http://bit.ly/2QE3qIC.