Summer Pet Safety Tips

It's hot, Don! Summer has officially arrived, and so have the dangers associated with very hot temperatures. Here are some tips for keeping your pets safe and happy this summer.

First and foremost, FIREWORKS!

• Do not take your pet to fireworks displays. If you're considering it... just don't. They do not want to be there. You do, but they don't. Leave them at home.
• During the time of June 29th-July 9th in Vanderburgh County, fireworks can legally be set off during certain hours. Be proactive when leaving pets unattended.. you never know when your neighbors or a nearby business may set off fireworks. If your pet is home alone (indoors!!), turn on a soft TV or radio for some ambient noise. Make sure doors & windows are securely closed. Pets have been known to bust out screens to get away from the noise.
• Don't leave your personal fireworks unattended, or allow your pet to roam freely in a yard where they are being set off. If your pet gets a firework in their mouth, lit or unlit, the consequences could be fatal.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification at all times! This includes a well-fitted collar and up-to-date ID tags, plus a microchip. Your pet can be microchipped at the VHS Low-Cost Vaccine Clinic on Saturdays, or for $15 at Evansville Animal Care & Control during business hours.
• For helpful products like a Thundershirt or other calming aids, shop 1-800-PetMeds. Not only are they the affordable choice for pet medication and supplies, they also care about shelter animals and will give our shelter a generous donation when you shop through our special link!

Other tips for safe summer fun:

• Use caution with pool chemicals. Many common pool treatments are poisonous to animal
• Beware of blue-green algae when letting your dogs play in ponds, lakes, or rivers.
• Animals are drawn to the delicious smell of what’s on the BBQ as much as we are. Keep an eye on your pet and make sure you keep them away from matches, lighters, and grills to avoid fire hazards and burns.
• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended. Alcohol is very toxic to animals and their curiosity might get the best of them with an unattended drink.
• Make sure you keep your own insect repellent and sunscreen out of reach of your pets. Some brands will be toxic.
• Don’t put glow products (i.e. sticks, necklaces, etc.) on your pet. Yes, these products aren’t highly toxic, but ingestion can result in excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
• Grapes/raisins, onions/garlic, and peanut butter sweetened with xylitol is harmful to dogs. Be sure your pet is not getting table scraps at family barbecues & gatherings.
• NEVER leave your pet in a vehicle, even for a few minutes. Temperatures rise much faster inside cars even with the windows down. Dogs (and children!) die every year in hot cars. Check out the graphic at right for more hot car tips from the ASPCA.
• Keep your dog inside in the air-conditioning. If you must leave them outdoors occasionally for any prolonged period of time, be sure they have adequate shelter from the sun and fresh cool water. They also need a grassy area to lay, as concrete or asphalt can heat up very quickly in sunlight and cause burns to paw pads.
  
  If you see an animal in distress on someone else's property or in a vehicle, call Evansville Animal Care & Control at 812-435-6015 (or the animal authority in your county) to request a welfare check.
  
  
• Make sure your pet is up-to-date on their heartworm and flea/tick prevention! Heartworms are very prevalent in our area of the United States, and all it takes is one mosquito bite outside going potty to transmit them. It makes no difference if your dog is an "inside dog." Ticks are also projected to be a huge problem this year. Get your dog's monthly heartworm /parasite preventative from your veterinarian or from the VHS Low-Cost Vaccine Clinic on Saturdays. You can buy various products either for heartworm and flea/tick separately, or one product to prevent multiple parasites. Heartworms are fatal if left untreated, and are much more expensive to treat than the cost of one simple monthly pill!

Help keep your own pets and other pets in our community safe this summer!