Get Healthy: Summertime pest, heat precautions are needed for pets, too

Heat exhaustion, paw health, sunburn and pests are among the issues pets face in warm weather. 

“Fleas are a common parasite that quickly infest animals and can pass tapeworms as well as other less common diseases,” says Dr. Amelia Erickson, a veterinarian at Humane Indiana. “Ticks can pass nasty diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis." Both can bite humans.

Erickson notes that even indoor pets need parasite protection because fleas can tag along on pants and shoes and recommends prescription flea and tick prevention medicine, which she says is more effective than over-the-counter products.

“Flea and tick prevention can be given as a topical on the back of the neck, a pill for cats, a chewable for dogs or the Seresto collar,” she says.

Dr. Lisa Preston, of St. John Animal Clinic, adds that warmer winters warrant  tick protection year-round. "When the temperature is over 32 degrees ... your animal can pick up ticks,” she says.

Other pests include heartworms, which are spread by mosquito bites, require arduous treatment and can cause heart failure and death.

“While cats rarely have clinical heartworm, dogs are very prone to it,” says Erickson. “Even dogs who live primarily inside should be on heartworm prevention, because as we all know, mosquitos are very talented at finding a way inside.”

Parked cars, even with the windows cracked open, pose another risk to pets.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, temperatures in a car can rise nearly 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes, leading to heatstroke or death. When the weather is mild, the interior of a car can become an oven. Even when the outside temperature is just 70 degrees, a car's interior can top 110 in an hour, the association says. 

“When you see a lot of panting or your dog is hot to the touch and getting weak, those are all signs that you need to get them out of the sun and into a cool area,”  Preston says, noting that panting helps pets regulate their body temperature to cool down. “But not being able to sweat makes them way more prone to heatstroke because they just can't cool themselves. If you notice that your pets’ symptoms are really severe, get them in your car and transfer them to the vet or the emergency clinic right away.”

If your pet is showing signs of being overheated, give them drinks of tepid  water, Preston says, adding that ice packs can cause their blood vessels to constrict and make things worse.

On very hot days, Erickson recommends walking your dog early in the morning or later in the evening.

Because asphalt and concrete can get hot, it can hurt your dog. Erickson says to test it with your bare feet to determine. If it hurts your feet, walk the dog in the grass or shade or try to put booties on the dog. 

“We can keep our pets safe by taking simple precautions,” says Preston. “That way, we can all enjoy the summer.”