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54 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2022 Tails & Trails - All Pets We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry friends, but summer can spell danger. To begin with, you can prevent your pet from having problems by taking a few precautions. Visit the veterinarian for a spring or early summer checkup. Make sure your pets get tested for heartworm if they aren't on year-round preventative medication. Pets can get dehydrated outdoors. Make sure your pets have lots of fresh water and a shady place out of the sun. Be careful not to over exercise them and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot. Know overheating symptoms: excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, stupor, or even collapse. Symptoms can also include seizures and vomiting. Elderly or overweight pets should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms. Never leave animals alone in a parked vehicle. It can lead to fatal heat stroke. Don't leave pets unsupervised around a pool; not all dogs are good swimmers. After a pool swim, hose off your dog to remove chlorine from its fur. Do not let pets drink pool water as it contains chemicals. Make sure dogs wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after it has been swimming in lakes, rivers, or the ocean. Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed. Trim longer hair on your dog but never shave your dog; the layers of dogs' coats protect them from sunburn. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. And be sure that the sunscreen or insect repellent you use on your pets is labeled specifically for pets. When the temperature is extremely high, don't let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep citronella candles, tiki torch products, and insect coils out of your pets' reach. Call your veterinarian if you suspect your animal has ingested a poisonous substance. Remember that food and drink commonly found at barbecues can be poisonous to pets. Keep alcoholic beverages away from them as they can cause intoxication, depression, and coma. Similarly, remember that the snacks enjoyed by your human friends should not be a treat for your pet. Any change of diet even for one meal may give your dog or cat severe digestive ailments. These simple tips can help you and your pets enjoy the summer. ~ Vivian Walker vivr@ sbcglobal.net