We Don’t Like Hot Dogs!

  Posted on July 19, 2011  by Joy of Living  No comments

Bolt, the Yorkie-Poo guest columnist: Hey! I don’t know what the weather is like where you live right now, but here in the Midwest, it’s not just HOT, it’s UNBEARABLE!  I sweat just opening up the door!  While my master just loves this kind of heat and humidity (crazy gal!), I cannot tolerate it, and neither can your pets.  I just want to toss out a few reminders for you of things you can do for your pet to make the heat more tolerable for them and to reduce the risk of illness or even death from these elevated temperatures.

The ASPCA reminds us to do the following for our pets when the temperatures soar:

• Keep them indoors whenever possible.  Trust me….even when I simply go outside to tkae care of business, within seconds, I am panting miserably. Hey! I’m delicate!
• Keep their fur coats trimmed. Seriously….would YOU like to wear a winter coat when it is 95 degrees outside?
• Be sure to have plenty of fresh, cool water on hand.  Your pets need to stay hydrated.
• This one is obvious, but I still see it time and time again.  PLEASE don’t leave your pet in a hot car.  Within moments, that vehicle can become a furnace and can lead to heat stroke or even death. Remember! You would never sit in a hot car with the windows rolled up, right?
• Keep walks to a minimum.  Our paws are sensitive to the hot asphalt, and with our bodies so much closer to the ground, the heat rising off the pavement is off the charts!  You know what it feels like just to walk out of the pool to your lounge chair in barefeet on the hot pavement.  It’s just as bad, if not worse, for us!

Well, in short, just exercise common sense in this hot and humid weather.  I say, let’s rent a movie, grab some treats, and settle in on the couch!