Summer Safety for Pets

Ah summertime – sunshine, blue skies, birdsong, late sunsets, swimming, hiking, touring, just relaxing and having fun. Our pets love summer as much as we do!  Here in the southwest it’s imperative you keep your pets safe in the heat.

If you, the family, etc. all love the outdoors and all it offers, it makes sense you’d take your dog with you. While there is certainly nothing wrong with that, please keep in mind the warm/hot weather can be dangerous. It’s hard for pets to keep cool when the sun is beating down and animals don’t sweat like people. Dogs do sweat, but not very much, and it does little to cool them off. More commonly they cool down by panting. Think about it though, when there is only hot air for a dog to breathe, it’s a lot harder for them to keep cool right?

So what do you do? At El Portal Sedona Hotel we suggest you follow these simple steps and you and your canine companion will enjoy the season together!

1. NEVER leave your dog in a hot car…temps can run up to 160° when parked in the sun! It takes only MINUTES for your dog to develop heat stroke and suffocate. Take them with you when you leave the vehicle, and ALWAYS bring water and a dish for them to keep the hydrated.
2. Keep their paws cool – keep them off hot asphalt and pavement.  Dogs paws can burn, and raise body temperature and lead to overheating. Please do not travel with your pets in the bed of a truck.
3. Have water & shade for them. You love to hike (and there is exceptional hiking in Sedona), but remember when you take your dogs with you, they get thirsty faster than you do. Other than panting, they have no other way to cool off, except to drink. Choose a hike with trees to provide much needed shade for both you and your dog!
4. Keep pets protected from parasites. Ticks, fleas and mosquitos are not your dog’s best outdoor friends. They can be risk for Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, heartworm, and a host of other nasty and hazardous conditions. Don’t forget, many of these diseases can be caught by you too!
5. Dogs can sunburn too. Believe it or not, especially dogs with light or short coats can get nasty sunburns, which are as painful for them as they are to you. Most breed have hair/fur too protect them, but what about noses, ear tips, etc.? Check with your vet for pet safe sunscreens.

This isn’t a complete list of summer safety for your pets, but it’s a start, and a lot is just common sense. We hope you and your dogs have a fun and safe summer. At El Portal Sedona Hotel, we love pets and our guests’ pets! Take a trip to Sedona and stay with us, your pet friendly hotel in Sedona! 1.800.313.0017