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| LIFE IN SOLERA | AUGUST 2022 | 7 Solera CERT Cadre HOT WEATHER SAFETY TIPS We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry babies, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger. To prevent your pet from overheating, take these simple precautions provided by American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) experts: • Visit the vet 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 quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it's hot or humid outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful not to over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot. • Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. Symptoms can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea, and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees. • Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible. • Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. Not only can it lead to fatal heat stroke, but it is also illegal in California! • Feel free to trim longer hair on your dog, but but never shave your dog: never shave your dog: The layers of dogs' coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. And be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals. • When the temperature is very high, don't let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close to the ground, your pooch's body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum. • Remember that food and drink commonly found at barbecues can be poisonous to pets. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate, and products with the sweetener xylitol. This article was brought to you by Ray C. Gayton-Jacob, coordinator for the City of Beaumont CERT program at Solera. To learn more or be a part of Solera CERT, send a message to solera.cert@gmal.com. Ray and Gina with their fur baby Riley