Summer is upon us! This is a particularly hazardous time of year for our canine companions—keep your dog safe and sound with these quick tips from a London, ON veterinarian.

Limit Outdoor Time

One of the easiest ways to make sure that your dog doesn’t experience dangerous heatstroke or become dehydrated this summer is to keep outdoor time to a minimum. Exercise your dog in the cooler morning or evening hours, when the sun isn’t directly overhead and temperatures are a bit cooler. Your pooch will thank you!

Proper Hydration

Provide your dog with a large bowl of cool, fresh water to drink from at all times, whether he’s spending time indoors or out. This is essential for staving off deadly dehydration. On extremely hot days, try adding a few ice cubes to keep things extra refreshing.

Grooming Tips

Brush your dog on a daily basis; this removes loose and dead fur from the coat, allowing your dog to remain cooler throughout hot summer days. You can also trim longer areas of hair to help keep Fido cool, but never shave your dog—this can expose the skin to dangerous sunburn.

Practice Parasite Control

Now that the weather has warmed up, parasites like heartworm, roundworm, fleas, ticks, and disease-carrying mosquitoes are just waiting for the chance to latch on to your dog. Stop these critters in their tracks by having your dog wear seasonal or year-round pest preventatives. It’s the easiest way to avoid a problem before it takes hold! Talk to your vet if your dog isn’t already set up with the proper preventatives.

Beware of Asphalt

Asphalt surfaces like driveways and parking lots can become unbearably hot after the summer sun beats down on them all day. For a dog forced to linger on these surfaces, paw-pad burns and blisters are a very real danger! Do your best to avoid blacktop surfaces whenever possible, walking on cooler grass or dirt instead.

Careful with Cars

Never leave your dog in a parked car on a hot summer’s day—it’s all too easy for temperatures inside the car to skyrocket, even if the windows are cracked. A dog left inside can experience deadly heatstroke in a matter of a few short minutes!

Your London, ON vet can give you more great tips for keeping your dog safe as summer rolls on. Call the office today—we’re here to help!