You without doubt spend time on the safety of yourselves and your family. However do not forget your animals. This is a crucial part of pet care. Summer is particularly difficult and different for your animal. The two areas to watch for are the results of the heat and vacations.
Lets get going with the effect of the hot weather on the pet. Just like us – they will need more water, make it accessible at all times. If you frequently go dog walking ensure they have the ability to have water, every sixty minutes or so, or even more regularly if you are of the active type.
You would be justifiably locked up for leaving your children or baby in a locked car in the sun, it is surprising and a shame the amount of people who do this to their pets. This can kill an animal, temperatures in the sun, can swiftly increase to over 100 degrees. Putting the window slightly ajar, is next to useless.
Pets are similar to ourselves, with no change to activity level, you need fewer calories to maintain your weight during summer. If you, or your pet, keep consuming the same, you without doubt will put on weight. Pet obesity is becoming more of an issue. Putting on weight during summer, may slow the pet down in winter and this can then lead to more weight gain, so think of reducing the intake of food, or as a minimum, monitor your animals weight.
Also be careful with leaving moist / wet food out. The food will most quickly go off as its temperature gets near to blood temperature of ~100 degrees. If the pet does not eat wet food within thirty minutes, remove it. Dry food is very safe, as long as it does not become wet. So if you have a slobbery pet, little and often should be the rule. Also be careful about condensation, or drops of water from the air conditioner.
Whilst walking the dog in the heat, this may not have caused problems, watch out, he may suddenly want to leap into some water, with you if you are holding onto the lead. Even more dangerous is the leap into a river, if he is not on a leash. In London, if you are by the Serpentine, you can often see people being pulled in! Not helped by dogs chasing the ducks. In summer there is often more wildlife around for them to chase, so be even more careful.
Summer, is additionally the time of the long holiday. So if you are having to find a pet sitter, try to find a professional business such as London Pet Sitting, who vet and train their pet sitters. A good pet sitter, will even check out all the risks as part of their agreement. This is often the best option for the animal, they prefer to be in their home area. If not, and you must board them, check the boarding out. Preferably a personal recommendation, as in everything there can be great and poor. The pet may not like it, but they are secure.
You may be wanting to take your animal on holiday with you. This is the most risky option for a pet. Prepare and plan well. Food, water, toys, blankets etc. The trip in the automobile is dangerous for ourselves as well. Certainly consider using a pet restraint, you wear one, for good reason, so buy one, if you don’t have one for your pet. The problem of dehydration, so plan for water stops for you and your pet every hour, or a bit longer if you have air conditioning – on. Be very vigilant on the stops, there are often cars moving about, and the pet may want to take a run for it (you might as well).
When you arrive you will be in a strange location. So check it out thoroughly for any risks to your pet. The greatest one is escape, above all in motels, rooms opening out onto a main road and cars. Do not forget that digestion of fruit and especially {raisins and grapes} is dangerous to dogs, so keep them away from the fruit.
Pets, will struggle to find their way back to your motel, if lost, its not as likely as if they were at home – and the neighbours know them. This is not the case in a strange place. Ensure you have good name / phone tags and keep them on a lead.
I hope you and your animals have a happy, event free holiday.
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