PET TIP: Hot-Weather Safety

Boss the dog. Submitted.

In response to COVID-19, the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus has temporarily suspended adoption services, and all adoptable animals have been moved to the Green Bay and Milwaukee campuses. To learn about WHS’s response to COVID-19, visit wihumane.org/coronavirus. Until adoption services resume, WHS will provide tips to help pets stay healthy and happy. 

Hot-Weather Safety Tips

As the weather continues to warm up, it’s important to take precautions to keep your pet safe and cool. Never leave an animal alone in a car because the temperature can soar within minutes, even with the windows cracked. 

When going for walks, test the pavement with your palm. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet. On especially hot days, take walks earlier in the morning or later at night, when the temperature is a bit lower. 

Ensure that your pet has access to shade, and regulate the temperature in your home if possible. Watch your pet for difficulty breathing, vomiting, bright-red gums, blue tongue or lips, or diarrhea because these are all signs of potential heat stroke. 

If your pet is showing any of these symptoms, move her or him to a cool place; start to lower the body temperature gradually with cool (not icy) water; and contact your veterinarian right away.