Benefits of Dog Pet Insurance
Dr. Roth
Posted by Fuzzy Help on
By Dr. Sarah Wallace
Imagine heading out to a park or the beach on a 70, 80, 90+ degree day. You are in short sleeves, right? Now imagine you are out in the same heat wearing a winter coat and snow pants. Keep this in mind whenever your furry friend is out with you. If you are hot, they are going to be much hotter. Dogs don’t sweat like we do, so they do not have a good way to release body heat. See that tongue sticking out of their mouth? That’s the only form of air conditioning they have. So what does that mean?
Dogs share some of the most common sunburn areas as humans: the top of the nose, the tops of the ears, and the face where fur is minimal. Since the sun can reach these areas easily, it is important to protect these areas on your pet. The easiest way to pick a sunscreen is to pick one developed specifically for pets, as some ingredients in human sunscreens can be toxic to our friends – especially those who like grooming. Be especially careful if you are applying sunscreen to your cat as cats can get sick from certain sunscreen ingredients. Some tips:
Another option for dogs and one of the best options for cats are the clear, fast-drying spray sunscreens made for human babies.
Since outdoor doggie fun will often involve encounters with other fun-loving canines of unknown vaccination status, make sure your pet is protected. Vaccines are key to pet summer safety! This year, of particular concern are canine influenza and kennel cough. Another one to consider is for leptospirosis, a bacteria that can cause kidney disease, liver disease, or both and can make your dog gravely ill. If you bring your dog out into the wilderness, especially lakes, ponds, puddles, swamps or other non-moving bodies of water, these are the areas that your dog could potentially encounter (and consume) lepto bacteria. Please don’t skip these preventative steps – don’t let dehydration or illness ruin your (and your pups’) well-deserved summer fun. Questions? Contact our vet team directly!