Keep your Pet Safe in Summer
You without doubt think of on the safety of your family. However do not forget your pets. This is a key element of pet care. Summer is particularly difficult and different for your animal. The two main things to watch for are the results of the heat and holidays.
Lets commence with the results of the heat on the pet. Just like us – they will want more water, keep it accessible 24 / 7. If you frequently go dog walking ensure they have the ability to have water, every sixty minutes or so, or even more often if you are of the vigorous type.
You would be justifiably locked up for leaving your children or baby in a locked car in the sun, it is astounding and a disgrace the number of people who do this to their animals. This can kill an animal, temperatures in the sun, can rapidly increase to more than 100 degrees. Putting the window slightly ajar, is next to useless.
Pets are similar to ourselves, with the same amount of activity, you need less food to preserve your weight in the summer. If you, or your pet, keep eating the same, you without doubt will increase your weight. Pet obesity is becoming more of an issue. Increasing weight during summer, is likely to slow the pet down in winter and this can then lead to more weight gain, so think of reducing the food, or as a minimum, monitor your pets weight.
Also be careful with leaving moist / wet food out. The food will most quickly go off as its temperature approaches blood temperature of ~100 degrees. If the animal does not eat moist food within thirty minutes, remove it. Dry food is perfectly safe, as long as it does not become wet. So if you have a slobbery animal, little and often should be the principle. Watch out for condensation, or drops of water from the air conditioner.
Whilst walking the dog in the heat, this may not have caused problems, nevertheless, he may without warning want to leap into some water, with company – you if you are holding onto the lead. Perhaps more dangerous is the jump into a river, if he is not on a lead. In London, if you are by the Serpentine, you can often see people being hauled in! Not helped by dogs wanting to say hi to the ducks. In summer there is often more wildlife around for them to chase, so be watchful and controlling.
Summer, is additionally the time of the long vacation. So if you are having to choose a pet sitter, try to find a professional business such as London Pet Sitting, who vet and train their pet sitters. A professional pet sitter, will even identify all the dangers as part of their agreement. Pet Sitting is often the best option for the animal, they prefer to be in their normal area. If not, and you have to put them in kennels, check the kennels out. Ideally a personal commendation, as in everything there can be great and not so good. The pet may not like it, but they are secure.
You may be wanting to take your pet on vacation with you. Without doubt the most dangerous choice for an animal. Prepare and plan well. Food, water, toys, blankets etc. The trip in the car is risky for ourselves as well. Certainly consider using a pet restraint, you wear one, for obvious reason, so ensure your pet has one. The danger of dehydration, so plan for water stops for you and your pet every sixty minutes, perhaps a bit longer if you have air conditioning – on. Be very careful on the stops, look out for traffic movement, and the pet may want to take a run for it (you might as well).
When you arrive you will be in a new location. So do a thorough review for any risks to your pet. The greatest one is escape, above all in motels, straight out onto a main highway and cars. Did you know that digestion of fruit and particularly {raisins and grapes} is dangerous to dogs, so keep an eye on them.
Pets, will struggle to find their way back to your hotel, if lost, we all know of good cases and happy endings when pets get lost near their normal home. This is not the case in a strange place. Ensure you have solid and visible name / phone tags and keep them on a leash.
I wish you and your pets have a happy, event free holiday.
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