6 tips to keep your pet cool this summer

KSAT's Sarah Spivey and Kaiti Blake play with pups at Lucy's Doggy Daycare

The summer heat is here, so it is important that you know the appropriate precautions to keep your pet safe during this time of year.

The owner of Lucy's Doggy Daycare and Spa, Max Golman, gave KSAT meteorologists Sarah Spivey and Kaiti Blake advice on how to care for your dog this summer. 

"When it is hot, it is extremely dangerous for dogs if you do not take the necessary steps and watch out for any signs of overheating. When you start seeing the signs, limit their activity, get them inside and let them cool down," Golman said. 

The following are some tips from the Humane Society of the United States to keep in mind:

1. Never leave your pet in the car. Even if you think it is cool enough outside, cracking a window won't keep your pet cool enough, and your pup can develop medical issues or die.

2. Watch out for hot pavement. Your pet's paws are extremely sensitive and can burn if the pavement outside is too hot. An accurate way to test if the pavement is too hot is to leave your hand on it for at least five seconds. If you can't do that, then it is too hot for your pup. 

3. Keep your pet hydrated. Make sure they have plenty of fresh, cold water in their bowl at all times so they can avoid dehydration and keep cool.

4. Watch the humidity. Dogs with short snouts have a more difficult time breathing, and humidity can be extremely dangerous to their health.

5. Play in the water. It is a great way for your pup to cool down in the extreme heat. Always provide adequate amounts of shade so they can cool off without overheating from the sun. 

6. Look for signs of heatstroke. Golman says some signs that your pet may be experiencing heatstroke are when they are excessively keeping their tongue out, panting heavily, have difficulty breathing and/or excessive thirst. 

For more information on ways you can prevent your pet from being harmed by the heat this summer, click here

For more information about Lucy's Doggy Daycare and Spa, click here


About the Authors:

Gretchen Nowroozi was born and raised in Houston. She started working at KSAT as an intern in 2019 after graduating from Michigan State University. She is a producer for Good Morning San Antonio.

Kaiti Blake is a child weather-geek-turned-meteorologist. A member of the KSAT Weather Authority, Kaiti is a co-host of the Whatever the Weather video podcast. After graduating from Texas Tech University, Kaiti worked at WJTV 12 in Jackson, Mississippi and KTAB in Abilene.