How to Keep Pets Cool and Hydrated This Summer

How serious are veterinarians and pet stores about pet health in Henderson, NV? Very serious, which is why we want to help you maintain your pet’s health and keep them safe throughout the summer months. Here are a few ways to keep pets cool and hydrated this summer.

The importance of proper hydration

For their health and wellbeing, make sure your pets get enough water and stay hydrated. This is especially important in the summer, as hot days have the potential to be dangerous or even deadly. Proper hydration does the following:

• Promotes urinary tract health: When pets stay hydrated, the risk of urinary tract infections decreases. Also, dangerous obstructions like urinary stones or crystals can be avoided.
• Regulates body temperature: Water cools pets’ bodies, both inside and out. Being able to regulate body temperature helps pets maintain a healthy and consistent temperature in hot weather.
• Boosts energy: Water feeds the brain and body, and it helps pets convert fat into energy. Good hydration equals more energy for play on hot days!
• Promotes healing: Drinking water keeps kidneys healthy and flushes toxins from the body. If your pet is sick, injured or healing from surgery, drinking water can help them recover more quickly.

How to keep your pet cool and hydrated

Here are some excellent tips to help keep your pet cool and hydrated this summer:

• Watch for signs of dehydration: It’s important that you know the signs of dehydration in animals. Signs include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, dry or sticky gums, loss of energy, dry and sunken eyes, long periods of excessive panting and loss of skin elasticity.
• Make sure pets drink enough water: On average, pets need one ounce of water per pound of body weight. Monitoring your pet’s water intake throughout the day can be difficult to do—especially if your pet has access to multiple sources of water—but do your best to keep track.
• Always offer fresh water: Pets should have access to fresh water at all times. This is crucial during toasty summer days. Just like humans, animals drink water whenever they get thirsty, not on a schedule. Every pet is different, so it’s best to monitor pet water bowls and add water when levels get low. Another must is rinsing out bowls and replacing them with fresh water every day. Replace water in outside bowls more often.
• Feed water-heavy foods as snacks: If you have dogs, you can offer them safe water-heavy fruits and vegetables as snacks (in moderation). Chilled water-filled foods like sliced watermelon and cucumbers are great sources of hydration. On extra hot summer days, put these treats in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes for tasty slushiness.
• Provide shade when pets are outside: Your pet’s coat can heat up quickly in the sun. So, even if your pet is outside for short time, make sure they have a shady spot to cool off.

Pet health in Henderson, NV is important to the team at The Soggy Dog, which is why we carry a supply of quality pet food, treats, care products, toys, accessories and more. For your convenience, we’re open seven days a week!

Categorised in: Pet Health

This post was written by Writer