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This is the time of year when pet owners, and their animals, spend a lot more time outside.
Some outdoor activities, along with the soaring Mercury can present hazzards for our pets.
To protect your pets this summer, ASPCA recommends the following:
• Keep pets in the shade and out of hot cars.
• Say "no" to certain foods and beverages. Barbecue scraps and alcoholic beverages can cause serious digestive distress, coma or death for pets.
• Use pesticides with care. Commonly-used flea and tick products, rodenticides (mouse and rat baits), and lawn and garden insecticides can be harmful to cats and dogs if ingested, ASPCA warns. Keep those products out of pets reach.
• Be careful around the water. Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool — not all dogs are good swimmers.
• Beware of "High Rise Syndrome" "During warmer months, we see an increase in injured animals as a result of 'High-Rise Syndrome,' which occurs when pets fall out of windows or balconies and are seriously or fatally injured.
• Beware of heated situations. When taking your dog outdoors, keep a close eye on those around you. Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy outdoor activities with your pet, but with more people and their dogs enjoying the warmer weather, tempers may flare over territory.
• Never use fireworks around pets. "While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns or trauma to curious pets, even unused fireworks are hazardous," Dr. Hansen says. "Many types of fireworks contain potentially toxic substances such as potassium nitrate, copper, chlorates, arsenic and other heavy metals."