Summer dangers for pets

(FOX Providence) - The weather is warming up and that means families, pets included, are spending more time outside. But, these beautiful days also bring dangers for your pets.

Dr. Krissy DePaula, of Ocean State Veterinary Specialists , joined The Rhode Show for more information on what to watch out for.

Summer is the busiest time of year for a veterinary emergency clinic – the combination of pets being outside more (and subject to vehicle trauma, dog fights, etc.) and the presence of disease-transmitting parasites like ticks, allergies, etc. all add to our routine emergency caseload.

Common Emergencies and how to prevent them:

Trauma –
Pets should not be allowed to roam free, especially if you live near a busy road. A high quality fence, or invisible fencing, is ideal for dogs. Invisible fencing can be great, but will not keep other dogs out. So if you live in a densely populated area, or somewhere where other people let their dogs roam – you may want a more solid fence.

Cats are not only likely to be hit by cars, or attacked by dogs, but if they are out at night they are likely to be taken by coyotes or other wildlife. If you must let your cat out – make sure to get him inside for the night! Cats who wander, even during the day, are more likely to come in contact with stray cats who may carry some common contagious viruses, so again – indoors is best for cats!

Highrise syndrome- another common summer hazard which I saw a lot of while working in NYC is what we call high rise syndrome. It occurs when a pet falls from greater than 2 stories because the windows are open.

We give cats credit that they are more graceful then they really are- depending on what story they fall from we see head and dental trauma, lung injury, internal bleeding, orthopedic and neurologic injury, and the injury can be life threatening. The easiest way to prevent this is to make sure you have screens on your windows.

Fleas and Ticks and Maggots:
Tick transmitted diseases are very common in this area. We see not only Lyme disease, but diseases such as Anaplasmosis which can cause serious and life-threatening systemic illness in both cats and dogs. While most of these conditions can be treated if identified in time, the best way to deal with them is through rigorous tick prevention. You should consult your veterinarian for the safest and most effective method of parasite control for your pet.

Permethrin toxicity- On that note – we see quite a lot of flea and tick product toxicity in cats. Cats are sensitive to products that contain Permethrin which is available in OTC flea and tick products. Sometimes, people buy products for dogs and, in an effort to cut costs, split a dog dose between multiple cats. Cats are very sensitive to these products (causes muscle tremors and seizures).

Cats should use only products designed for cats. Also make sure you apply the medication appropriately right between the shoulder blades and don’t go down the back too far (Can demonstrate on my cat the correct way to apply the product).

These products are most toxic when they are ingested and as cats love to groom the reason we place the medication right between the shoulder blades is so they cannot lick it. If you do notice that you have applied the incorrect product or notice that your cat starts having muscle tremors bathe your cat in luke warm water with Dawn soap if able and then bring to your veterinarian.

Take care of any open wounds, abrasions, or puncture wounds on your dog or cat as during the summer months flies will lay eggs which can lead to severe maggot infestations.

Heat Stroke – This is a good time to remind everyone about the dangers of overheating your pets. We see several serious cases of heatstroke every summer. This can occur from leaving dogs in the car on a hot day, to leaving dogs tied in the sun without shade or water, or even just not being aware that a happy dog is overdoing it on a hot day.

Dogs cannot sweat to cool down like people can. They can sweat a little through their paw pads, but the main way dogs cool down is by panting. Panting isn’t the easiest way to cool off, especially the "short-nosed" breeds.

Dogs such as Bulldogs, Pugs, and Pekingese are called brachycephalic breeds. They are most at risk for heatstroke due to high temperatures and overexertion.

Because of their anatomy, nostrils may be smaller, the soft tissue at the back of the the throat may impede air flow, and they may have a smaller trachea (windpipe) than other dogs their size.

Some older dogs develop a condition called laryngeal paralysis, where they cannot open their airway completely when breathing.

Dogs with this condition are particularly prone to heatstroke because they cannot pant as effectively. They can get into trouble on a day that might otherwise not seem particularly uncomfortable.

Points to remember:

Exercise in the early morning or late evening when it is not as hot

Always have cool water available to drink

Use a hose or let them swim