Summer Hazards

This hot summer we have been having is wonderful! However please remember that the long hot days and the balmy nights mean we are often out and about with our pets more often, or they are out and about in the yard more often!

Here are a few things we would like to remind you to watch out for.

Heat exhaustion:

It can be easy to over do it in the heat and our pets (and wildlife) are super susceptible to heatstroke. Keep an eye out for excessive, exaggerated or noisy panting, drooling, weakness or collapse. If you think your pet might have heat stroke, bring your pet to us immediately (or seek emergency veterinary care). It's best to place your pet in front of the air conditioner or a fan while you are in the car. You can also place wet towels on hairless parts of the body (footpads and groins).

Hot underfoot:

Many people forget that footpaths, decking, tin roofs and bitumen roads get incredibly hot during the summer. Even sand can sometimes be too hot to walk on. This can cause painful burns to your pet's paws so be extremely careful in the heat. If it is too hot for you to walk on in bare feet, it will be too hot for your pet!

PLEASE DO NOT WALK YOUR DOG IN THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY! All too often I see people walking their dogs in the steaming heat, please only walk your dogs in the early morning or late evening. Even taking them to the beach on a super hot day can be dangerous with the sand becoming super hot and little access to fresh drinking water.

Grass seeds:

These pesky little beasts can wreak havoc. Certain types of grass seeds are shaped like a pointy arrow with a sharp tip and once they are caught in your pet’s fur they can start to burrow aggressively into your pet’s skin with no way of escaping. If the seed does not exit, a painful abscess can form and this may lead to the need for surgery to remove the seed or remnants. Keep an eye out for a lump or swelling (particularly between the toes), excessive licking, pain or bloody discharge from a small wound.