Keeping your pet cool during the heat.
As summer approaches, the temperature rises. Florida is known for its gorgeous beaches and sunny weather, that means it will be getting HOT, not just warm but down right sweltering! We know that we have to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen while we are outside in the heat, but let us not forget our animal friends! It is very important to monitor our pets temperatures while they are outside in the heat. Don’t worry though, there are a lot of ways to keep our pets cool, some of them can even be fun!
One of the major things to consider is limiting the time spent out in the heat. While walks for your dog are important, you should schedule them around the coolest parts of the day. The coolest parts of the day are normally in the early morning, the early evening or at night. If you can concentrate the larger part of your outdoor activities to these times you will decrease the extreme heat your dog will be exposed to. If you have a cat that likes to go outside, try to keep them in during the hottest parts of the day which are from around noon until 5pm. If you can make sure they have access to a nice cool place outside that would be good as well, a covered area that doesn’t receive much sunlight, low to the ground and dark so that it will retain it’s cool temperature.
Another great way to help keep animals cool during the summer is to provide them with ice to play with. You can make ice into a fun game, freeze treats or toys in ice and let your dog figure out how to get to them. Not only will they be getting a mental work out, but they will also be cooling themselves down with the ice! You can also provide ice in a kid’s pool with water or even just some ice cubes to chew on! You can even drop a few ice cubes in their water bowl, some dogs like to “bob for ice cubes” and really enjoy the extra chill their water gets!
Some people want to shave their dogs fur to help keep them cool in the summer, this isn’t always a good idea. Most dogs fur has adapted over time to not only help keep them warm, but to also help retain the cool air around their skin. If you do shave your dog, please remember that just like humans, they are susceptible to sunburn! You can apply sunscreen to a dog to help protect their skin from the sun. Before you cut your dogs hair, or shave them, it is important to speak with a groomer or vet.
Just remember that as the weather warms up, the sun begins shining more, and the outdoors becomes a more playful place to keep your pets in mind. Summer is a great time of year, so let’s make sure our animals enjoy it as much as we do!