Summer Safety Tips For Pets

As the temperatures heat up, doctors from BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Carrollwood recommend taking certain precautions to ensure your pet doesn’t suffer from any heat-related injuries.

"It's less than a week into summer and we’ve already seen multiple cases of heatstroke at several of our locations," said Dr. Neil Shaw, chief medical officer of BluePearl in a press release. "It’s very important for people to remember that their pets are sensitive to the heat."

BluePearl doctors recommend for pets to be kept in an air conditioned environment during the heat of the day and to limit strenuous activities such as running and playing.

Some other helpful tips include:
- Lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and dark red gums are all signs of heat related distress in dogs.
- Don’t give sports drinks or electrolyte supplements to pets. Dogs cool off by panting and they do not sweat like people. 
- If your pet does become overheated, spray the animal down with room temperature or cool water, but never ice water.

"Ultimately, any time you feel your pet may be in need of medical assistance, please don’t hesitate to get them to your veterinarian as soon as possible," said Shaw. "Time is often the difference between life and death."

In other news about pet care organizations, The Hillsborough Animal Health Foundation and the Hillsborough County Veterinary Medicine Society recently recognized Shelly, a 4-year-old Chihuahua-Yorkie mix service dog, for her dedicated service to her owner, Paul Armstrong of Brandon, who is a quadriplegic.

The HAHF and HCVMS also presented scholarship awards to local college students pursuing careers in veterinary medicine: Rhonda L. Fouts, Hillsborough Community College, and Michael Kearley, University of Florida.
 
The ceremony honoring the two was held at Main Sail Suites Hotel and Convention Center not too far from Carrollwood.

The foundation is celebrating 25 years of public service and advocacy for responsible, healthy, happy pet ownership. It was founded in 1987 by a community-minded group of Hillsborough County veterinarians to foster the human/animal bond and promote responsible pet ownership, improved pet health and pet care through an emphasis on pet owner education.

Several Carrollwood vet clinics are members of the foundation, including Blue Pearl Veterinary.