The hotter times of the year can be rough on your animals, especially those that live outdoors. While enjoying summer is great fun for you and the pets you own, you should take care to mind these summer pet care tips for keeping your furry friends happy and healthy.

For dogs, the hot months can bring about trouble with heartworms. These internal parasites can kill your dog. Heartworms come from the larvae of mosquitoes that bite your canine. They travel through the blood stream and grow while residing in the heart. In time, they grow to be quite large and can suffocate a dogs heart. Talk to your vet about the heartworm preventative you should give your pet.

You know how it feels to be hot and thirsty, so keep this mind when pets are outdoors. Dehydration can happen fast and cause heat stroke in animals as easily as it does in humans. Always make sure you keep a fresh and clean supply of water on hand for all your outdoor animals. This is vital to their good health during the hottest months of the year.

Heat is not the only danger that poses a threat to pets during the warmer months. Parasites like fleas and ticks can become thick during this time of year as well. To prevent pets and your home from becoming infested, you need to take steps early on in the season for preventing it. Talk to your vet about the best shampoo, dip, and flea and tick preventive for pets. You need to also learn about the safest and surest way to safeguard your yard and home.

Most every pet owner has heard horror stories about those pets that were left in cars during the heat without windows being rolled down. In fact, even with windows down, your animal could suffer extreme heat exhaustion that could lead to heat stroke if left unattended in a vehicle during the hotter months. Always make arrangements for your pets to remain home in the cool when you go out during the hottest months.

The warmer months bring about parties and celebrations you and pets may enjoy together. However, you should always keep in mind the foods that might be offered to your pets during a cook out by unknowing guests. Either instruct guests not to feed your animals or put pets up in a safe place during festivities. It is better to be safe than sorry because some foods could cause poisonous reactions in pets.

The celebrations you might enjoy that include fireworks can be a terrifying and disturbing event for your pets. If you are having a fireworks display at your home, make sure you have your pets tucked safely at a friends home or indoors in an area they can feel safe at. This is particularly dangerous for the older pet that could be frightened right into cardiac arrest.

By following summer pet care tips, you and your pets can enjoy the warmer months together for many years to come. Always keep an eye out for those animals that are experiencing signs of heat exhaustion and get them to a vet right away. Making sure you keep up good vigilance is a part of being a responsible pet owner.

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Category: Pets
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