Summer Safety Tips

Summertime with your family and your best furry dog friends should really be “fun in the sun”, but there are a few things you need to remember. Beyond providing your dog access to cool shade and water, Reach Out Rescue & Resources has some suggestions and tips for you to remember this summer!

• Heatstroke - Parked cars and hot summer days just do NOT mix, and leaving your windows open will NOT make a discernable difference. Your parked car will heat-up like an oven in just a few minutes. Unlike humans, dogs do not perspire; they can only cool-off through panting, through their feet, or drinking cool water. If your dog is in a hot parked car, they won’t have cool water (water won’t stay cool in a hot car!!), so panting is their only real way to cool-off. Unfortunately, this won’t work, because if they have only overheated air to breathe in a parked car, your dog won’t be able to cool-off and can suffer brain and organ damage after just 15 minutes. If you see a pet left in a car, call 911 or your local police for help immediately. Click here for more information on avoiding heatstroke for your dogs. For more on the "Don't Cook Your Dog" campaign, click here.

• Sun Block - Do you think that dogs can’t get sunburn or skin cancer? Think again! If you have a dog with an overall light-colored coat or has light-colored and/or white hair or light-colored skin-pigment around the eyes, ears and nose, they can get sunburn or even have a risk of skin cancer. Talk to your vet about sun block that your dog cannot lick off, Check-out what Petfinder.com has to say on this topic here.

• Traveling Around Town with Your Dog - There are many communities that require you to keep your dog restrained while being transported in your car. Two examples of potential dangers… your dog jumped over the front seat to sit next to you, causing an accident or if your dog is sitting in the front seat, he could be seriously injured by deployed airbags. There are many great items that you can purchase that will allow you to secure your dog to your backseat seatbelts, or you can use a crate. Something else you could try is a pet barrier to keep your dog in the back of your car. NEVER put your dog in the back of a pickup truck; this is extremely dangerous. Click here to read about this from the ASPCA.
  
  Keep your dog’s head INSIDE your car, otherwise your dog could get an eye or ear injury (or worse) from debris whipping by his head.
  
  And ALWAYS be sure to attach a leash to your dog BEFORE letting him out of your car.

• Swimming and Your Dog - Many dogs enjoy playing and swimming in lakes, rivers, oceans… really just about anywhere. The problem is that there could be lots of bad stuff in that water! Be sure to rinse your dog off to prevent ear and eye infections; this also helps to get rid of bugs that might have decided to hide in your dog’s fur.
  
  If you have a pool, be sure that your dog knows how to get out! Your dog’s instinct is to get out of water the same way they got in. That works just fine in the ocean or a lake, but most likely will not work in your pool! If your dog does this in your pool, he might drown trying to get out. You MUST teach your dog where and how to get out of your pool.
  
  And remember – NOT ALL DOGS LIKE OR KNOW HOW TO SWIM. If your dog seems interested, get him used to the water and swimming gradually. And NEVER throw your nervous or inexperienced dog into the water.

• Fireworks - Many dogs are frightened by fireworks; the level of fear can vary greatly. Since we can anticipate 4th of July celebrations, there are things that you can do. If you are staying home... act as you normally would, so that your dog's anxiety isn't increased. If you plan to go out to celebrate, ensure all your doors and windows are securely locked as the last thing you want is your dog to get scared run away. There is typically a spike in "July 4th dogs", who became scared and ran away, only later to be found on the streets and brought to their dog rescue shelters. For additional information, click here or click here.

• Thunderstorms - Many dogs seem to fear thunderstorms; the level of fear can vary greatly. If your dog seems to have a fear of thunderstorms, keep this in mind. Many dogs seem to be able to sense a storm approaching, due to the falling barometric pressure (and usually long before you even know a storm is imminent); in severe cases, some dogs will even show great anxiety before the storm hits.
  
  Be sure that you stay calm during thunderstorms, as dogs will sense your fear. Let your dog stay close, and try to distract him with a little playtime. Try not speak to your dog in a sympathetic voice, as this will reinforce your dog’s behavior.
  
  Some things to try... close your windows and curtains, turn on your TV or radio to mask the thunder, or if your dog uses a crate or has another kind of “safety zone”, lead him to that location. For additional information, click here or click here.

• Fleas and ticks - With the warmer weather comes the return of these pesky critters.  Your pet should be on year round heartworm preventative, as well as flea and tick control. You can find lots of helpful information on ticks by clicking here.

• Toxins in Your Yard - Check-out the ASPCA’s list of toxic and non-toxic plants and trees. Also read about toxic mushrooms from the North American Mycological Association.

• Cooling Beds - Your dog loves his bed, but when he gets hot he will look for a cooler spot to sleep… such as a tile or hardwood floor. If you’d like your dog to enjoy his bed year-round, buy a cooling dog bed (some are filled with circulating water).

Fun Things to Do with Your Dog!

• Kiddie Pool - Have a kiddie pool on hand (a nice shallow one), which will give your dog a great, safe way to cool off! Or you could even use a hose or sprinkler to gently spray your dog – make a game of it!

• Pupsicles! - You can either buy frozen treats for your dogs, or make your own! Freeze some low-sodium beef, chicken or veggie broth in ice cube trays. Or try plain unsweetened yogurt mixed with chopped meat or veggies and freeze it! Just be careful with ice cubes; some vets caution that ice cubes can damage your dog’s teeth.