Water & Fire

By: Bridget Monrad, R.N. | Jun 14, 2016

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Summer is here! While hot temperatures are very important to consider, summer time brings around many more factors which could pose threats to your pets’ safety!

Pools

• While the odds of a pet drowning are about 1 in 1,028, it is still possible! Make sure your furry family members are always supervised if they are going for a swim.
• Many people assume all dogs know how to swim, and in fact most can doggy paddle. However, swimming classes can be a good idea for your pets! Such classes can teach your pets to recognize how long they can swim for and help them find safe ways to enter and exit the pool.
• If you have a pool in your back yard, make sure it is fenced off so that your pet cannot swim unaccompanied or accidentally fall in.
• Make sure your pool has stairs or a ramp, making it easy for your pet to get in and out. Train your pets to know where the exit point is, so they are able to recognize it and swim to it on their own.
• Make sure your pets have a water bowl by the pool; it is not good for their health if they drink chlorine.
• If you have a pool cover, make sure it is hard and not soft or floating. Pets cannot distinguish between a hard or a floating pool cover; therefore, if they see a surface over the water, they may try to walk on it. If it is a floating cover, then your pet will unexpectedly fall in which can make it harder for them to find an exit in the panic of the moment.
• Heat stroke is also possible. The water keeps your pet’s body temperature down so it is harder for them to tell when they are too hot or tired. Make sure to limit your pet’s activities and balance it with plenty of rest in the shade.

Lakes & Oceans

The same rules as with pools apply, but there are also other factors to consider:

• If you are playing a game of fetch, you need to make sure you do not overwhelm your pets with lots of different toys; some dogs are retrievers by nature and will keep swimming further and further away after a toy or another object in the water. You want to make sure to keep them close so they do not swim too far away and get exhausted or pulled even further by the current.
• If you are taking your pets out on a jet ski or boat, make sure they are wearing a life vest! Even if your pet knows how to swim, a sudden turn of the boat could throw them overboard, so it’s always best to be prepared. A life vest will help your pet stay afloat and make it easy for you to find them.
• Make sure your pets have plenty of fresh water nearby. Drinking lake or ocean water can make your pets prone to certain infections or diseases.

Fireworks

The summer time brings about holidays; many of which involve fireworks. Fireworks are often something new and scary for your furry family members so here are a few tips on how you can protect them and keep them calm should any fireworks be set off by your house!

• Keep your pet safety away from fireworks; leave your pets indoors especially on the fourth of July. The flashes and booming sounds will often frightened pets and they will try to escape to get away from such noises and lights.
• If you think your dog will do OK in the yard, think again! They may jump the fence, nudge the gate, or dig a hole under the fence in fear of the firework noise, especially since it is louder outside.
• Keep a TV or radio on inside to help distract your pets from the loud noises outside.
• Safeguard your pet with a collar and I.D. Identification collars as well as microchips help ensure your pet can safely get back to you should they get out. Make sure their identification includes their name, a contact phone number and a home address. This will help whoever finds your pet get in touch with you, or a shelter will be able to look up your information easier so that you may be reunited with your furry family member.
• If your pet is probe to anxiety you can speak to your veterinarian about techniques that may help alleviate your pet’s anxiety.

Contact us at www.HappyTailsTravel.com if you have any more questions or concerns regarding the safety of your pets during the summer and holiday season. Your pets comfort and safety is our number one priority!