Keep your pets safe amidst summer heat

The heat is on, which means most of you probably are cranking up the air-conditioning in your homes to keep yourself cool. For our four-legged friends, it’s not that simple.

Dr. Annie Flood of the Ocean City Animal Hospital says panting, excessive salivating and glossed-over eyes are just a few signs of a pet suffering from overheating.

“Most people see their pets as a form of child, so it absolutely is very similar to that.” Says Dr. Flood.

Dr. Flood explains smaller cats and dogs with longer hair have more issues cooling themselves off than bigger ones with shorter hair. She says hair acts like insulation and can trap some of the heat.

She also stressed the importance of not leaving a pet inside of a car, even if you’re just running into a store for a minute.

“A lot of people think that if they leave that window cracked, it’s actually going to allow air flow that will help to keep the car cooler. It’s not. So pets are going to be at risk very quickly in a hot car.” Says Dr. Flood.

There are also important things to keep in mind if you’re going on vacation with your pet. Dr. Flood says beaches can be dangerous to a cat or dogs health, unless proper precaution is taken. When you slather sunscreen on yourself, don’t forget your pet; especially parts of his or her body with lighter-colored fur.

Dr. Flood says those parts are apparently more sensitive to sunburn and says there are options for sunscreens for your pets you can find at your local pet store..

She also recommends to consider the time of day they’ll be outside.

“Gear it more towards early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun is going down and we don’t have those temperature spikes.” Says Dr. Flood.

Dr. Flood says if you do see a pet inside a car on a hot day and cannot locate the owner, do not hesitate to contact authorities.