Enjoy a Cooler, Safer Summer With Your Pet

The dog days of summer are so named for a reason, although they're just as rough on cats as on canines. As temperatures rise, your outdoor space may feel intolerable to your dog or cat, and could even pose potential dangers. As a loving pet owner, you want to do everything you can to help your pet enjoy their summer! Let's examine some smart tips for maintaining summertime pet health even on the hottest days of the year.

Create a Shady Spot

Both humans and animals naturally seek shade to avoid the full wrath of the sun's rays. Does your pet have a naturally shady outdoor space it can lie on those hot days, or a large, leafy tree that it can sit under? If not, add an awning to your patio, add large parasols to your deck, or build a doghouse to serve as a refuge. (Yes, cats can use doghouses too!)

Provide Plenty of Cool Water for Your Pet

Your pet needs ready access to cool or lukewarm water whenever it stays outdoors on a sunny summer day. Watch that water bowl carefully, testing its temperature occasionally with a finger. If the water feels too warm for your pet to drink, replace it with fresh, cooler water. If you worry about the water disappearing faster than you can refill it by hand, purchase a water bowl that refills automatically, with a hose that extends to an indoor or outdoor spigot.

A cool deck or patio gets even cooler when you spray a little water onto it. You can also spread out a damp towel for your buddy to lie on. When the surrounding terrain is too hot for comfort, these surfaces will soothe overheated paws.

Add Some Fun Water Activities

Water isn't just a cool thing to drink in the summertime – it's also fun to play in! While some pets prefer not to get wet (as evidenced at bathtime), others like to wade, swim, or take a quick dip in an available water source. Try filling up a small kiddie pool in your backyard, and see if your pet adopts it as a quick, easy way to cool down.

Water in motion can be a lot of fun for a pet as well. For instance, many dogs enjoy playing in water sprayed from a sprinkler or garden hose. These simple solutions can open up a whole new way to entertain and protect your pet on a hot day.

Serve Some Homemade Frozen Treats

Just as humans often turn to ice cream and popsicles when they want to cool off, frozen treats for pets can prove a big hit with the animals in your life. Of course, you don't want to feed your pet actual ice cream or other treats designed for humans, since these items may contain excessive sugar, pet-toxic sweeteners like xylitol and other potentially harmful ingredients. But you always have the option of creating homemade frozen pet treats for your four-legged friend. Examples include:

• Cold or frozen foods - Your dog may love munching on cold blueberries, chucks of cantaloupe or watermelon, or refrigerated peanut butter. Your cat may safely consume these items too, although their carnivorous diet means that they won't derive any essential health benefits from them (other than hydration from the water they contain).
• Frozen yogurt pops - Your pet may get a kick out of these DIY frozen treats. Simply combine plain yogurt with any of the food items listed above, freeze it in molds, and serve. Just make sure that your pet isn't lactose intolerant before feeding it yogurt. As an alternative, your cat might love ice pops made with frozen water from a can of tuna.

If you don't have any tasty pet-friendly treats already sitting in your freezer, you can always give your pet some ice. Pets often enjoy chewing on ice chips or cubes, lapping them up from the patio, deck, or ground. (They may also love lying or rolling on the icy surface!) If you want to minimize the risk of tooth damage that might be caused by chewing on big ice cubes, pour out a bag of crushed ice instead.

Bring Your Pet Indoors

Some summer days are just too hot for comfort -- and different kinds of dogs and cats have different heat tolerances. For instance, a brachycephalic (flat-faced) dog such as a Pug or French Bulldog cannot cool itself through breathing as easily as a dog with a long snout. If you have such a pet, bring it indoors frequently so it can cool off in a climate-controlled environment.

If Your Pet Gets Too Hot, Your Vet Can Help

Despite your best efforts, sometimes the summer sun can still cause trouble. If your pet gets overheated, its internal temperature may spike, resulting in a dangerous condition called heatstroke. If you see symptoms such as confusion, restlessness, gum color changes, and vomiting or diarrhea, prompt emergency veterinary care could save your pet's life. But with any luck, these cool summertime tips will help your pet enjoy a comfortable, trouble-free summer!