Celebrate pet safety this summer
PET BULLETIN
‘Mews and Yips’ from the Central Aroostook Humane Society
By Amanda McQueen
If you are like many families in Aroostook County, you are looking forward to all that our short summers have to offer. Lately, we’ve been experiencing what I hope is a preview of a beautiful summer season with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Keep in mind though, if you are a pet owner, to take proper precautions to protect your beloved furry friends from possible summertime dangers.
Here are 10 suggestions of things to keep in mind over the summer:
1. Never leave your pets in a parked car! Not even for just a minute, not even if the car is running with the air conditioner on. Even on an average summer day with a cooling breeze, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. 
On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die.
2. Limit exercise on hot days. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, who are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets, who typically have difficulty breathing. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible. Always carry water with you to keep your dog from dehydrating.
3. No cocktail hour for you. Alcoholic beverages are potentially poisonous to pets. If ingested, your pet may become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases. Be sure to keep your summertime cocktails out of your pet’s reach.
4. Avoid treating with scraps from the grill. Changing your pet’s diet, even if it is just for one meal, can give your pet indigestion and diarrhea. This is especially true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. Also, keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes, raisins, salt and yeast dough could all be toxic to your pets.
5. Do not use sunscreen or insect repellent on your pet. Unless it is labeled specifically for use on animals. If your pet ingests a sunscreen product, you may see symptoms of drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The use of an insect repellent that contains DEET could lead to neurological problems in your pet.
6. Citronella is dangerous. Keep any citronella products, including candles, insect coils and tiki torch oil products out of reach of your pets. If you pet ingests citronella, it can cause stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If it is inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
7. Keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Some matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage your pet’s blood cells and in turn, cause difficulty breathing — or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can irritate your pet’s skin, and if ingested, it can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.
8. Water, water everywhere. Ensure that your pet has unlimited access to water, especially during the summer when they can become more easily dehydrated.
9. Oh, the humidity! Remember that too much sun and heat (and humidity can be dangerous to pets. Keep them inside when it’s extremely hot and/or humid; make sure they have access to shady spots when outdoors and don’t leave them outside for extended periods of time in hot weather. Educate yourself on the signs that a pet may be overheating.
10. Don’t go out with a bang! For pet owners, though, it is better that during upcoming celebrations like the Fourth of July, you leave your pets at home. The loud crowds and boom of the fireworks could startle your pets and cause them to run away, so it is best to leave them home.
Be sure that your pet has proper identification tags in case they do manage to escape.
Amanda McQueen is vice president of the Board of Directors of the Central Aroostook Humane Society.
