Summer Pet FunYes it's Here, Summer has officially arrived and the heat is on! The cool spring weather is gone and we can see cars sizzle, the atmosphere ripple with heat waves, and colors baked right out of signs and posters.
Temperatures are skirting with triple digits, keep a wary eye on your pets, who are just as susceptible to heat stroke and sunburn as you are.
The normal body temperature for dogs and cats is much higher than our own, between 101 and 103 degrees. Usually, their fur coats have their own cooling systems, but in this weather, sometimes that is just not good enough, said Carla Thompson, veterinarian at Paisano Animal Clinic.
Animals are more prone to heat stroke, dehydration, sunburn and dangerous negligence.
Heat stoke is the biggest problem, "and that can be fatal," Thompson said.
If your pet is overheating and is possibly in mortal danger, the animal would be panting heavily, unresponsive and hot to the touch.
The condition causes the tongue and other mucus membranes to become red and it causes the dog to be unsteady, vomit and have bloody diarrhea. Body temperature goes up to over 106 degrees and the episode can end in a coma or death. "Cats are no less at risk," Thompson said.
