July 15, 2005

Ask the Animal Behavorist

By Maureen Strenfel
Special to the Times

Q: Now that the weather is finally warm, is there anything I need to do differently for my dog and cat?

A: Protection from the heat, parasites, car safety and sterilizing your pet are some of the issues that, while important year-round, need extra attention during the summer months.

Safe fun in the sun
It is important to make sure that your pet has protection from heat and sun and plenty of fresh water. Heat stroke can be fatal for pets as well as people.

Leaving your pet outside unattended even for a few minutes places your animal companion at risk of theft or harm.

Take care when exercising your pet. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On hot days, save longer walks and games of catch for the cooler mornings and evenings. Be especially careful with short-nosed dogs like pugs and bulldogs. Their facial conformation makes it difficult for them to cool their bodies by panting.

Don’t chain or tether your dog. It allows no opportunity for exercise and socialization, and when done for long periods of time can lead to behavior problems. Instead, set aside time every day to walk or play ball with your dog.

Keep your cat indoors. Though your feline friend may wish to explore the outdoors, cats that are permitted to go outside are at an increased risk of disease and injury from vehicles or other animals.

Companion animals and cars
Never leave your pet unattended in a parked car. On warm days, the temperature in your car can rise to 120 degrees in minutes, even with the windows slightly open. Also, an animal left alone in a car is an open invitation to pet thieves.

Though numerous car commercials depict it as the ultimate joy in a dog’s life, allowing your canine companion to stick his head out the window is asking for trouble. Doing so can subject your pet to injury by flying debris.

Dogs should never ride in the back of pick-up trucks, and some states have laws that restrict such transport. If you are forced to make a sudden or evasive driving maneuver, your dog could be thrown from the truck and seriously, or even fatally, injured.

Parasite patrol
Take care in choosing flea and tick control products, as some can be harmful to pets and children.

Dogs and cats are at an increased risk of contracting heartworm during the summer. Transmitted by a bite from an infected mosquito, heartworm disease can be fatal if not treated. Check with your veterinarian for the best schedule for heartworm testing and preventive medication for your pet.

Spaying/neutering
Important all year-round, the need for spaying/neutering is brought home during the spring and summer months when animal shelters are filled to capacity with litters of unwanted puppies and kittens. During the height of kitten season, HSSV can receive as many as 100 unwanted kittens a day.

Spaying/neutering helps to reduce the pet overpopulation problem. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that each year between four and five million dogs and cats are euthanized in U.S. shelters due to a lack of good homes. In the Bay Area, approximately 50,000 pets are euthanized each year.

There are also numerous benefits to spaying and neutering, including greatly reducing the risk of cancer and reducing the potential for aggressive behavior in your pet.

If you have any questions, problems or concerns, please call Humane Society Silicon Valley’s FREE Animal Behavior Helpline at (408) 727-3383, ext. 753, or e-mail at animalexpert@hssv.org.