Dog
Cat
Horse
Poultry
Farm
Bird
Fish
Little Pets
Wildlife
Reptile
Shop First Aid
The beautiful hot and humid Australian Summer weather has well and truly arrived! Here are a few things to remember to keep your pet happy, healthy and safe this summer.
Parasites
In the hot summer months parasites like fleas, ticks and worms thrive and can be detrimental to your pet’s health. It is important to keep flea treatments up to date, even if you don’t see any fleas on your pet. It is much easier to prevent a flea outbreak rather than eradicate one. Also be sure to use tick prevention, especially if you live in a tick area. The deadly paralysis tick can kill a pet within days, so be sure to use a tick treatment product and check your pet daily. With more mosquitoes around during summer it means that there is a higher risk of heartworm being transmitted, so be sure to stay compliant with your pets heartworm prevention. Also make sure your pet’s intestinal worming program is up to date.
Storms
Storms are a part of summer and can occur at anytime. It is important to always ensure that your dog has access to safe shelter and a way to stay protected if a storm hits. Make sure that your yard and fencing is secure as dog’s often take fright in a storm and try to escape. If your dog is particularly scared or anxious in storms perhaps look at trying a product to help keep them calm like the Thundershirt, Adaptil Collars and Diffusers or HomeoPet Storm Stress.
Swimming
There is no better way to cool down on a hot day than to swim, but always be sure that it is safety first. Ensure that swimming pool fences are secure and the pool area can not be accessed by your dog. Always closely supervise your dog in the pool or beach making sure you can reach them if they get into trouble. Ensure that the water they are swimming in is safe and suitable for their swimming ability.
Heat Stroke
The extreme heat and humidity of summer can lead to heat stroke in pets which can quickly become life threatening. Always supply your pet with adequate cool water, plenty of shade and avoid exercising them in the heat of the day. Learn the signs of heat stroke and always contact your veterinarian immediately if you ever suspect that your pet is suffering from heat stroke.
For more information on all of these topics visit the vet-n-pet DIRECT Help Centre.
Until next time,
Bec
