Thoughts for summer from Pets and Apartment

Summer is a wonderful time for you and your pet. You both can finally escape the same old four walls and enjoy the freedom of being outside. It’s a time when many of us travel and take our pets into different situations, and different environments with some new risks. With all the adventures that summer has to offer, it makes sense to do some thinking before you leave the comfort and safety of your home.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind:
I live in the city so other than being able to get out more, nothing much changes.
This is complete nonsense. Sorry to abuse you, but fleas, heat, spoiled food, insect bites and fertilizers/pesticides are not restricted to the suburbs or the countryside.

Heat, water and travel:

Pets and extreme heat don’t mix well. Make sure that your pet has access to fresh water at least every couple of hours when you are in hot conditions. Keep this top of mind when you are traveling any distance by car. Animals are prone to heat stroke and need water and access to shade and cooler temperatures frequently. If your pet gets overheated don’t be afraid to cool them off with a hose.

Food:

Don’t leave food [particularly wet or moist varieties] uncovered for any length of
time. Warmer summer temperatures speed up spoilage often in 2-3 hours. Spoiled food attracts insects which lay eggs on the food which can lead to worms and other health problems. Any food over a day old should be discarded. a wonderful time for you and your pet. You both can finally escape the same old four walls and enjoy the freedom of being outside. It’s a time when many of us travel and take our pets into different situations, and different environments with some new risks. With all the adventures that summer has to offer, it makes sense to do some thinking before you leave the comfort and safety of your home.

Fertilizers/Pesticides: One thing that many pet owners tend to forget is that most fertilizers and pesticides are very toxic to pets. Don’t let your pet eat grass or chew on plants as some plants are toxic even without added chemicals. Even letting a pet run on freshly treated grass can be risky.

Bugs: The three biggest insect threats in the summer are fleas, flying insects and ticks/spiders all of which can cause your pet distress and, with a small
pet, even death. These pests are particularly active in the summer, even in most urban environments.

If you take your pet out in the summer assume that they will be targeted by opportunistic fleas; use a collar or other flea preparation to prevent
your pet from becoming a flea hotel. Don’t wait until the fleas become obvious… treat first. Ask your vet for treatment suggestions. Fleas can
carry tapeworms so this should be checked too [again, your vet can give you some suggestions].

Pets suffer as much as people do from flying insect bites but the results can be more severe as mosquitoes can carry heartworms; it’s more than simple discomfort. If you are being bitten there is every chance that your pet is having the same problem so ask your vet about heartworm prevention.

Ticks and spider bites will normally show up as a raised bump on the skin and should be treated seriously as some spider bites can kill a pet under 50 lbs. Check your pet’s skin particularly if you are in areas with old dry lumber or other dry debris. Ticks can be usually identified by a dark coloured mass on the swelling and care should be taken in removing them. Use tweezers and a heat source to encourage the tick to back out. Don’t touch the tick and dispose of it by flushing down a sink or toilet. Removing only part of the tick can cause further infection.