PET CARE ON SUMMER CAR TRIPS
Bringing Spot along on a family road trip this summer to Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, the Gulf Coast for swimming, boating, fishing or even visiting friends in Beaumont, Orange, or Port Arthur who also have dogs, will be a fun adventure. But before you begin traveling, be sure to keep his safety a top priority.
Along the Gulf Coast, the summer heat lasts well into the fall months, it can hit the 80's well into October, pets can become severely dehydrated or even die when left unattended in a vehicle, or outside for lengthy periods of time.
Here are some tips to keep your pet safe in the heat on your next summer drive:
? Always check the temperature ? When driving down the road, stopping at a rest stop, or even pulling over for the night, constantly monitor the temperature, both outside the car or truck and inside. If you have air conditioning running while driving, it doesn?t take long for the heat to filter into the vehicle and cause dangerous temperatures once parked and turned off. If leaving your pet outside for a time, do a temperature check, either in the sun or the shade, and make certain he can survive the heat.
? Never leave Spot alone ? Spot is a member of the family, and on summer road trips, he should be with the family at all times. This close monitoring allows you to keep an eye on his condition, and assess him for signs of heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses.
? Keep cooling implements handy ? ice, fans, water ? all the tools that you use to cool yourself can also help keep Spot feeling more comfortable in the heat as well. If your destination is a lake or the Gulf, let him splash around in the water to help cool his body heat. And if you?re in an area without air conditioning, install fans at floor level so he can keep cool.
Always have plenty of drinking water available to keep him hydrated.
? Always check the temperature ? When driving down the road, stopping at a rest stop, or even pulling over for the night, constantly monitor the temperature, both outside the car or truck and inside. If you have air conditioning running while driving, it doesn?t take long for the heat to filter into the vehicle and cause dangerous temperatures once parked and turned off. If leaving your pet outside for a time, do a temperature check, either in the sun or the shade, and make certain he can survive the heat.
? Never leave Spot alone ? Spot is a member of the family, and on summer road trips, he should be with the family at all times. This close monitoring allows you to keep an eye on his condition, and assess him for signs of heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses.
? Keep cooling implements handy ? ice, fans, water ? all the tools that you use to cool yourself can also help keep Spot feeling more comfortable in the heat as well. If your destination is a lake or the Gulf, let him splash around in the water to help cool his body heat. And if you?re in an area without air conditioning, install fans at floor level so he can keep cool.
Always have plenty of drinking water available to keep him hydrated.