Protect your pet with these summertime pet care tips.
- Keep your pet’s heartworm meds up to date – While you should be administering heartworm meds all year, you must stay on top of this during the warmer months. The transmission of heartworms peaks during mosquito season.
- Stay on top of flea and tick prevention – Similar to heartworm prevention, the summer months are not the time to get lazy with flea and tick meds. Fleas are fairly dormant in the winter but come out in full force during warmer weather. Ticks come out in full force once the weather gets nice; their breeding season is April, May, and June.
- Practice proper grooming – Between the dog park, walks, hikes, or just playing in the backyard, your pet is outdoors more in the spring and summer, and the need for proper grooming increases. A bath at least every month is a great idea; any more than that can dry out their coat and irritate their skin. Additionally, keeping your pets properly groomed can help with overall skin health.
- Alleviate allergies – Just like humans, your pets can get allergies. Airborne allergens in the spring can cause problems for your pet, including sneezing, coughing, excessive scratching, and runny eyes. If you think your pet may be suffering from seasonal allergies, call Barfield Animal Hospital today and set up an appointment.
- Get your pet microchipped – If your pet isn’t microchipped, now’s the time to get it done. Your pet spends exponentially more time outside in the warmer months, which unfortunately increases the chance that he or she could get out.
- Practice Summer Safety – Never Leave your pets in a parked car, Limit exercise on hot days, Provide plenty of shade and fresh water, Try to avoid leaving pets outside for an extended length of time .
