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SEASONAL PET SAFETY TIPS

Now that warmer weather is here, continue to use good common sense in keeping your beloved pets happy and comfortable. Here are some tips we find useful:

Always make sure that your pet has ample supply of fresh, clean water.
Change the water in your pets' bowls several times a day and clean out any dirt, algae growth or mineral deposits regularly with a stiff brush. Always rinse your pets' bowls out thoroughly to make sure no soapy residue remains to contaminate your pets' water.
Add some ice cubes to your pets' water bowl to keep things cool.
Brush out any dead hair that your pet may lose due to change of seasons and warmer weather.
Buy a plastic kiddie pool for your pet to play and cool down in if your pet likes water.
Pay attention to your pet's skin and, in addition for checking for fleas and ticks, check for and treat any insect bites that may lead to hot spots developing.

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SUMMER TRAVEL SAFETY FOR YOUR PET

If you take your pet on the road with you this summer, keep safety in mind. As always, use common sense. Here are some helpful tips:

- Make sure your pet has an ID tag on his collar, including your home address and phone number; also add a termporary 'travel ID tag' with your destination address and phone number; and numbers of all cell phones you have with you.

- Bring water from home for your pet to drink, as drinking strange water could upset your pet's tummy. Bring ice cubes from home to cool your pet's water while on the road.

- Never leave your pet alone in a parked vehicle - your pet could be stolen or, worse, heat buildup in a parked vehicle could be fatal.

- Bring along a copy of your pet's most recent Rabies Certificate and other health information that other municipalities might require.

Cool stuff for any canine lover to know!

• In Asia, royalty used to put their Pekingese in their coat sleeves to keep them warm. The breed was the exclusive property of the Chinese Imperial Court, and commoners even had to bow to the dogs.

• The oldest breed of dog native to North America is the Chihuahua. • Dogs turn in circles before lying down because of natural instinct; in the wild their wolf ancestors did this to flatten long grass into a cozy bed.

• A puppy's eyes do not open until they are 10 to 15 days old. Vision is usually not completely developed until they are approximately four weeks old.

• A mixed-breed dog will usually possess the behavioral traits of the breed they most closely resemble in appearance.

• The classic Poodle haircut was originally meant to improve the dog's swimming abilities as a retriever, with the pom-poms left in place to warm their joints, and a fluffy bulbous tail meant to stick up out of the water so they're able to be spotted easily.

• A puppy's natural instinct will make them chew on absolutely anything that they come into contact with, (so always be sure they have something safe to nibble on).

• Puppies should remain with their mother until they are at least eight weeks old. During this time she will teach them not to bite and how to get along with fellow littermates.

• 39% percent of pet parents say they have more photos of their pet than of their spouse or significant other. Just 21% say they have more photos of their spouse or significant other than of their pet.

• Survivors of the Titanic included two dogs: a Pekingese and a Pomeranian.

• An American Animal Hospital Association poll showed that 33% of dog parents admit that they talk to their dogs on the phone or leave messages on an answering machine while away from home.

• The oldest dog lived for 29 years. He was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, who died in 1939.

• Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible.

• The smallest mature dog was a Yorkshire Terrier from Blackburn, England that was 2 1/2 inches high at its shoulder, and weighed only four ounces.

• The tallest dog is a Great Dane named Gibson in Grass Valley, CA, who stands 42.6 inches high at the shoulder, (when he stands upright on his hind legs, he's over 7 feet tall!), and weighs 170 pounds.

• If you notice a dog when he is fast asleep, you will see his eyes moving back and forth under the lids, as a human’s eyes do. Researchers are almost certain that dogs dream.

• Dog's nose prints are used to identify them, just as fingerprints are used to identify humans.

• When a dog bays at the moon, he is following his basic instinct to call the pack together.

• 70% of pet parents sign their pet's name on greeting cards. 58% include pets in family and holiday photos.

IN THE HEAT - NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET IN A HOT VEHICLE!!

PLEASE keep your dogs safe in the heat!

NEVER leave a dog in the car in this heat!!

Don't even leave your pet in the sun without access to shade!!

ALWAYS make sure there is plenty of clean, fresh water available for them!!
Dogs don't have many sweat glands and so cool their body temperature by panting. They lose heat through evaporation from the mouth. If they can't cool off enough, their body temperature can rise to a dangerous level, causing heatstroke. Dogs can develop heatstroke within just a few minutes, with the body temperature rising to 108 degrees or higher, and can die if not cared for immediately. Wet the body with cool, not cold, water and get to a veterinarian immediately!

Heat exhaustion is caused by too much exercise on hot days, but the dog's body temp may not rise to dangerous levels. Heat exhaustion may cause collapse, vomiting, muscle cramps, or other symptoms. Keep hot weather exercise for your dog to a minimum.

The foreoging info was paraphrased from BowTie Press's Dog Bible edited by Kristin Mehus-Roe.

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SEASONAL PET SAFETY TIPS

SUMMER TRAVEL SAFETY FOR YOUR PET

IN THE HEAT - NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET IN A HOT VEHICLE!!