How to take care of your pets during the summer

Summertime poses all sorts of risks to your pet, and heat is just one of them. Watch this video to learn how to take care of your pets during the summer.

You Will Need

* A pet brush
* A pet life jacket
* Heartworm and tick medication
* And anti-flea ointment

Step 1. Protect them from the heat

Protect your pets from the heat by keeping them out of parked cars, making sure their drinking bowls are full, providing shade when they’re outdoors, and brushing them regularly to remove excess hair.

Older, obese, and short-nosed dogs are more sensitive to the heat.

Step 2. Safeguard them around water

Safeguard your pets around water. If you’re at the beach, make sure they have a lot of drinking water so they don’t lap up ocean or lake water. Install animal exit devices in your pool, and rinse pets after they have a swim to remove chlorine. Put life jackets on them when taking them out on a boat.

Step 3. Prevent them from getting poisoned

Check with the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (at aspca.org) to see if your yard has any plants that are dangerous to pets.

Step 4. Check them for ticks

Check your dog for ticks and foxtails if they’ve spent time outside, especially in fields or woods.

Step 5. Give them their meds

If heartworms are a problem in your area, have your pet tested, and give them medication to protect them from heartworms, which are transmitted by mosquitoes.

Step 6. Make fleas flee

Get rid of fleas by treating them monthly with a topical ointment from your veterinarian.

Step 7. Keep dogs out of truck beds

Don’t put a dog in a truck bed for a ride – no matter how nice a day it is.

Step 8. Take them inside during fireworks

Take pets inside during fireworks, and distract them with a new toy or by petting them.

FACT: July 5th is the biggest day of the year for lost pets to end up at animal shelters.