Action Tips: Help Your Pet Beat The Heat

The summer heat and humidity spells bad news for more than just you (and your hair). It affects your pets too.

But no worries, we’ve got some tips that will ensure your four-legged friend stays cool.

• Reduce the heat. Man’s best friend can’t cool themselves as easily as we can. Make sure there’s always plenty of cool water and shade.
• Don't lock them in. Never leave your pet in a parked car. An 85 degree day outside means the temperature inside a car with the windows slightly opened can reach 102 degrees in 10 minutes. (Yikes.)
• Skip the workout. Just like you wouldn’t run at 2 p.m. on a hot day, your dog wouldn’t want to take a walk (or play catch) then either. The heated concrete could burn their paws.
• Avoid the burn. Pale and short-haired pets are susceptible to sunburn. The bridge of a dog’s nose, tips of his ears, belly, groin, and inside of legs (due to the sunlight reflection off the sidewalk and sand on the beach) can get burned. Get a sunscreen labeled for animals and protect your pet.
• Stop the overheating. In case a pet has gotten too much sun, apply cool towels/ice packs on her head, neck and chest. You can also run cool water over her. Ice cubes and small amounts of cool water are a must.
• Be the swim coach. Puppies and dogs might want to take a quick dip to cool off. But this is only a good idea if they know how to get out (and obvi know how to swim). Make sure you teach them how to exit and never leave pets unsupervised.