Help Keep Your Pet Cool This Summer

Iams shares tips to help keep your pet cool this summer!

While we lather up our sun screen to prevent a burn and put our hats on to protect our faces from the sun, we must not forget about our furry friends in this scorching heat. While we can take a step inside to enjoy the refreshing breeze from our fans or air conditioning, pets do not have the ability to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from overheating.

Here are some helpful tips from Iams to share with your readers for keeping your pets cool this summer:

· Do not leave a pet alone in a car in warm weather - While you may love bringing your pet to the grocery store or shopping mall, please remember to never leave a pet alone in a vehicle in this summer heat. A car acts like an oven; temperatures can reach over 49 °C and will cause your pet to suffer from heat exhaustion or even stroke. Simply cracking a window will not cut it!

· Sun in small doses - Hot weather can cause lots of problems for dogs and cats, especially the ones with the thick furry coats as they retain the heat. Remember to treat your pet as you like to be treated, if you can’t stand to be in the sun for long, neither can your pet.

· Prevent overheating and keep cool - Air conditioning is the best way to help your pets stay cool in this warm weather. If you don’t have air conditioning, try placing fans in places where your dog likes to sleep. A fan will help to circulate the air inside your home and prevent your pet from over heating

· Be a pro with the H20! - Be sure to keep your pet hydrated! Simply keep their dish filled with fresh cool water. Try using ice cubes during the hottest part of the day, this will keep the water extra cool and they may even like the crunch.

· Splish, splash cool off with a bath - While you are enjoying a day by the pool or relaxing in the garden soaking up the rays, fill up a kiddie pool with water for your dog to get in and splash around, wet your pup down with a garden hose or place a cool wet towel on your dog for evaporative cooling

· All paws on deck - Did you know that pet’s paws react the same way to scorching hot pavement as our bare feet? When taking your dog for a long walk on a hot day, remember that if the pavement is too hot for you, it is probably too hot for your dog’s paws. Try walking in the park or ravine where the ground is grassy and bring along water to make frequent stops. It’s important to not take long walks or over-exert in the summer!

· Exercise with caution - Senior and overweight pets are more at risk to suffer from the heat, so be sure to take additional precautions when taking older and overweight dogs for walks. While exercise is still important in the heat, be patient and walk slower!

· For more Pet Health information, visit Iams.com