FOR YOUR PETS
BY JENNIFER GOFORTH GREGORY
HUNTER, A 3-year-old black Lab, was
panting heavily and headed straight for the
cool basement after running for miles with
his owner on a sweltering summer afternoon. His owners later found out that
Hunter had suffered a massive heat stroke,
and they spent several anxious days wondering if their four-legged family member
would survive.
After a lengthy and expensive stay at
the veterinary hospital, Hunter recovered
and has no lasting damage from his run.
“Hunter wasn’t used to running that far
and didn’t have water during the jog,” says
Dr. Gretchen Schoeffler, chief, Companion
Animal Emergency and Critical Care,
Cornell University College of Veterinary
Medicine, who treated Hunter. “When you
are outside with your pet, be sure to watch
for signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke,
such as excessive panting, trying to stop
or seeking shade.”
Heatstroke is just one of many dangers
that increase for cats and dogs during the
warm summer months. But by taking
preventive measures, you can keep your
pets safe from the following common dan-
gers while enjoying time together in the
outdoors.
Sun exposure and/or skin cancer
While the thought of putting sunscreen
on your cat or dog may make you giggle,
“Pets can get sun-
burned as well as skin
cancer from sun expo-
sure, especially on areas
without fur such as their
noses and inside their ears,”
says Dr. Ari Zabell, director of client
advocate support for Banfield Pet Hospital,
which operates veterinary clinics across the
country . “We don’t think about cats going
outside, but [indoor] cats sit in the window
and bask in the sunlight.”
Leaving pets in the car
Many people leave their pets in the car
for a few minutes while they run into a
store. But in the summer months, even a
few minutes can turn deadly for animals.
According to a study by the University of
San Francisco, when it is 88 degrees outside, the interior temperature of a car
reaches 105 degrees within 20 minutes.
“People don’t think about the car get-
ting too hot since it cools off quickly, espe-
cially if they crack a window, but our pets
don’t sweat so they overheat quickly, which
can be life-threatening,” says Zabell. The
Humane Society of the United States rec-
ommends never leaving your dog or cat
unattended in the car for any period of
time, regardless of the weather.
Snakes, spiders and insects
During summer, many cats and dogs
suffer from reactions to snake, spider or
insect bites. Schoeffler says that if your pet
is bitten by a spider or snake, you need to
bring the pet into the vet immediately.
“Snake bites can either be just a local
wound or life-threatening, depending on
the type of snake,” she says. “It’s important
that we know what type of snake they were
bit by so we can properly treat the animal.”
She recommends taking a picture of
the snake if possible, or even bringing in
the dead snake.
Eating people food
Many pet owners will toss their dog a
leftover hot dog after a barbecue, or the
pooch will break into the trash and eat
leftovers. “Eating only a hot dog or a ham-
burger can really wreak havoc on their
intestinal system because they
are not used to it and [it] can
cause diarrhea and vomit-
ing. Some pets even get
pancreatitis, which can
be life-threatening,
from eating table
food,” says Zabell.
Dogs also often
get bones lodged in
their throat or their
intestines. Zabell rec-
ommends only feeding
pets their appropriate
food as well as making
sure that all table food and
garbage is out of their reach.
Lost pets
Since many people take their pets on
vacation or spend time outside with them,
the number of lost pets rises during the
summer months. “Your dog and cat should
have a collar with up-to-date ID tags on at
all times. If you take your dog hiking or to
the beach, it’s safest to not let them off-
leash,” says Dr. Tina Wisemer, medical
director of the ASPCA Animal Poison
Control Center. “Microchipping can help
return an animal to its rightful owner if
their collar comes off.”
If you’re traveling, make sure that your
cellphone number is on your pet’s ID tag so
that you can quickly be reunited, instead of
a message being left at an empty house. C
Jennifer Goforth Gregory is a freelance
writer and lives in North Carolina with her
husband, two kids and three dogs.
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Pet protection
Keep your pets safe
