FYI: Dog Tips

[AJE]

It’s summertime, and the living isn’t always easy for our animal companions. Dogs can suffer from the same problems that humans do—overheating, dehydration and even sunburn—when the mercury rises. By taking these simple precautions, you can keep your animal companions happy and healthy in the hot weather:

* Exercise your dog in the cool of the early morning or evening—never when it's extremely hot or humid. Take care not to let your dog stand on hot asphalt, as his sensitive paw pads can easily burn.

* Provide plenty of shade and cool, clean water for animals kept outdoors. And please bring your cat or dog inside during the hottest part of the day to rest in a cool part of the house.

* Never leave your animal alone in a vehicle. Overheating can be fatal. Even with the doors open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day.

* Some animals will need extra care in hot weather, especially those who are elderly and overweight or have heart or lung disease. Certain breeds of dogs, including pugs, bulldogs, Boston terriers, Pekingese, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus, also need extra attention on hot days. If your pet is showing signs of heatstroke or exhaustion, take him to your veterinarian immediately.

[Scarberry2003]

We keep a wading pool filled for our kids AND our golden retriever mix. We also keep her trimmed back a great deal in the summer,, she looks a bit funny at first, but she's alot cooler now.

Also, freezing gallon jugs of water and setting them inside the dog house during the hot part of the day, cools the air in the dog house, plus gives them something nice and cool to cuddle up to, 2 liter or even 20 oz bottles work good for small dogs, and also for other animals such as rabbits. Just put them back in the freezer at night, ready to go again the next day.(until they chew a hole in them).

Word of caution about ice water though, it can give an animal bad stomach cramps if they drink too much of it too fast, so cool water is better than ice water for drinking.

I came across an article also on putting powered Gatorade mix in my horse's water. They like the flavor, which encourages them to drink more, plus the electrolytes help with dehydration.

I do not know if this would be appropriate for dogs or cats or other animals such as rabbits, check with a vet and get thier advice on that.

Had a white dog once who had a really PINK nose, suncreen works just as good on them as it does on us, used it on her nose, ears and belly.
As a redhead, I am very sympathetic to those who burn easy LOLOL.

keep cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!