Safety concerns increase with the temperatures as more pets spend time outdoors during the summer months. The extreme heat poses dangers for people and pets alike. Pet owners should minimize outside exposure for their pets during the day to prevent heat exhaustion and heatstroke. If you notice signs or symptoms of heat-related illness in your pet, take them to your veterinarian immediately. Heatstroke can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Utah Humane shares the following hot weather and summer safety concerns with pet owners:
Pets should have access to fresh, cool water at all times.
Pets should have access to adequate shelter that reduces their temperature (some dog houses can cause an increase in inside temperature).
Reduce outdoor activity during extreme temperatures. Walk or exercise your dog in the early morning and evening.
Place the back of your hand on the asphalt for 10 seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.
Provide pet-safe frozen treats to help cool your pet internally.
Ensure that your pet wears a collar with an ID tag at all times. Microchip your pet and keep owner contact information current.
Keep your pet current on vaccinations and regular vet health checks.
Prevent your pet from falling out of open windows and do not leave them on balconies or high patios unobserved.
Some dog breeds have a double fur coat that provides insulation and should not be shaved.
Use pet-safe sunscreen and bug repellent.
Check your pet for ticks, Foxtails, and grass seed awns after outdoor activity.
Rodenticides and lawn and garden insecticides can be harmful to pets if ingested. Keep citronella candles, tiki torch products, and insect coils of our pets’ reach.
Brachycephalic (short-nosed, flat-faced) pet breeds such as Boxers, Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, and Persian cats, as well as young, elderly, ill, or overweight pets, are at a higher risk of overheating and should be kept in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.
Do not leave pets unsupervised around water—not all pets are good swimmers. Make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your pet off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from the fur. Keep your pet from drinking the swimming pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals.
We can’t forget to emphasize the importance of never leaving your pet unattended in a vehicle during the warm temperatures! Pets are at risk in hot weather, especially when temperatures change quickly, and the animal can not regulate their body temperature fast enough. The temperature inside a car may increase 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit within 10 minutes in some situations, and a dog can’t cool down or sweat the way a person does.
Research shows that rolling windows down or parking in the shade does not substantially impact the inside temperature and resultant risk of overheating—a car becomes a greenhouse even on a cloudy day.
Leaving a vehicle running with the air conditioning turned on also poses risks, including but not limited to: the vehicle accidentally being knocked out of gear by a pet or child, increased pollution, and breaking of an anti-idle ordinance in some cities, and potential engine failure.
Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include:
So far this season, we’ve been hearing increasing reports of people having to take their dogs to the veterinarian because of foxtail grass being embedded in their paws, ears, or even their nostrils or groin.
The grass seed awn of foxtail grass won’t dissolve, and it causes pain and infection. It’s barbed, so it will keep traveling through tissue one direction, and it can actually be fatal depending on where it ends up. It needs to be removed surgically.
Remember to give your dogs a thorough once-over when venturing into outdoor areas with foxtail grass, and avoid it whenever possible by keeping pets on a leash.
We hope these images help you identify this menace before it becomes a problem for your pup!
These seed awns on foxtails can be dangerous for outdoor cats as well, but it’s more commonly a threat for dogs.
Tragically, 6-8 million homeless dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, enter animal shelters in the United States each year. Responsible pet owners can fix this problem by spaying or neutering their companion animals. Sterilizing your dog or cat helps curb the pet overpopulation crisis, protects against serious health problems, reduces unwanted behaviors associated with mating instinct, and can increase the lifespan of your beloved companion. Spaying/neutering your pet is also cost-effective. The price of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is far less than the cost of caring for a litter or medical problem later.
The following medical and behavioral benefits are associated with spaying your female pet or neutering your male pet.
Your spayed female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, malignant or cancerous in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
Spaying a female companion generally reduces the unwanted behaviors that may lead to owner frustration. While cycles can vary, female cats usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. To advertise for mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently. Although urine-marking is usually associated with male dogs, females may do it too.
Neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems.
Your neutered pet will be less likely to roam away from home. An intact male will find creative ways to escape from the house. Once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other male animals.
Your neutered companion may be better behaved. Your dog might be less likely to bark excessively or mount other dogs, people, and inanimate objects after he’s neutered. Some aggression problems may be avoided by early neutering.
Unneutered dogs and cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Neutering solves 90% of all marking issues.
As horrible and frightening as GDV can be, there are several things that dog owners can do to reduce the risk of this happening to their dog:
If you get a high-risk breed as a puppy, have your veterinarian perform a gastropexy at the time of spay/neuter.
Use a slow-feeder bowl to slow down your dogs’ eating so that they swallow less air (especially if your dog tends to inhale their food).
While some recommend using a raised food bowl to give the dog better access to food, it is best to feed on the floor in order to reduce swallowed air.
Do not allow exercise for 30 minutes before or after a meal.
If you suspect your dog has bloat take them into your veterinarian right away!
Debunking spay/neuter myths and misconceptions
Will my pet become overweight or change their behavior if I spay/neuter them? No. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to gain weight—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor his food intake. While having your pets spayed/neutered can help curb undesirable behaviors, it will not change their fundamental personalities. The procedure does not affect a pet’s intelligence or ability to learn, play, work, or hunt. The effects of neutering are largely dependent on your dog’s personality, physiology, and history.
Will my female pet be healthier if I allow her to have one litter or go through one heat cycle?No. The opposite is true. If spayed before their first heat cycle, the risk of mammary cancer in female dogs and cats is virtually eliminated. If allowed to go through even just one heat cycle, the risk of developing mammary cancer later in life greatly increases.
Don’t I have until at least 8 or 9 months of age before my female pet comes into heat? No. While 8 to 9 months is typical for large-breed dogs, the fact is that cats and small-breed dogs often come into heat as early as five months of age. Cats can get pregnant and go into heat as early as 4 months of age.
Won’t my male pet be healthier if I allow him to “mature” before neutering him? No. There are no health benefits in allowing a male dog to reach sexual maturity before neutering. And waiting can result in undesirable behaviors that may be irreversible. Sexually mature male dogs and cats typically urine mark their territory. Once this behavior becomes routine for the animal, it can be challenging to reverse. The same is true of aggressive behaviors in sexually mature males. It is better to prevent these behaviors from developing by neutering your dog or cat at a young age.
When should I spay or neuter my pet?
Generally, it is safe to spay or neuter most kittens and puppies at eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian and have your pet evaluated before scheduling spay or neuter surgery. Contact the Humane Society of Utah Spay/Neuter & Vaccine Clinic if you have any questions.
It is recommended to sterilize your pet by four months of age before problems arise. In both cats and dogs, the longer you wait, the greater the risk of the surgery not solving behavioral issues because the animal has practiced the behavior for a longer time, thereby reinforcing the habit.
For dogs: While the traditional age for neutering is six to nine months for larger dogs, puppies as young as eight weeks old can be neutered as long as they’re healthy. Dogs can be neutered as adults as well, although there’s a slightly higher risk of post-operative complications in older dogs, dogs that are overweight, or dogs that have health problems.
For cats: In animal shelters, surgery is often performed at eight weeks of age so that kittens can be sterilized before adoption. To avoid the start of urine spraying and eliminate the chance for pregnancy, it’s advisable to schedule the surgery before your cat reaches four months of age. It’s possible to spay a female cat while she’s in heat.
Spaying/Neutering your pet, when they’re young, is recommended for the following reasons.
The reproductive organs of juvenile cats and dogs are much less vascular than those of adult animals, which allows for an easier, faster surgical procedure and reduces the risk of excessive bleeding during and after surgery.
Faster surgery equates to less time under anesthesia, thus reducing the anesthetic risks.
Anesthetic risks are further reduced because juvenile animals metabolize anesthesia more rapidly and recover from its effects more quickly than adult animals.
The tissues of juvenile animals are more resilient, resulting in faster healing and less post-operative pain and stress.
What are the risks of spaying and neutering?
While spaying and neutering are major surgical procedures, they are also the most common surgeries on dogs and cats. Like any surgical procedure, sterilization is associated with some anesthetic and surgical risk, but the overall incidence of complications is very low.
Although reproductive hormones cause mating behaviors that may be undesirable for many pet owners, these hormones also affect your pet’s overall health and can be beneficial. Removing your pet’s ovaries or testes removes these hormones and can result in an increased risk of health problems such as urinary incontinence and some types of cancer.
The benefits of spaying or neutering your pet outweigh the risks. Talk to your veterinarian about the benefits and risks of the sterilization procedure so you can make an informed decision.
Helping your pet before and after surgery
The Humane Society of Utah Spay/Neuter & Vaccine Clinic will provide pre-surgical advice that you should follow. In general, avoid giving your cat any food after midnight the night before surgery. However, a puppy or kitten needs adequate nutrition, and our veterinarian may advise that food not be withheld.
We will also provide post-operative instructions for you to follow. Although your pet may experience some discomfort after surgery, our veterinarian can take various measures to control pain. Depending on the procedure performed, pain medication may be sent home with your pet.
Here are tips for a safe and comfortable recovery:
Provide your pet with a quiet place to recover indoors and away from other animals.
Prevent your pet from running and jumping for up to two weeks following surgery, or as long as our veterinarian recommends.
Prevent your pet from licking, chewing, or scratching the incision site by distracting your pet with treats or using an Elizabethan collar (E-collar).
Avoid bathing your pet for at least ten days after surgery.
Check the incision site daily to confirm proper healing.
Your pet’s metabolism may decrease after surgery, so pet owners may need to adjust the amount of food given.
If you notice any redness, swelling, or discharge at the surgery site, or if the incision is open, please contact our clinic during regular business hours. Call us if your pet is lethargic, has a decreased appetite, is vomiting, or has diarrhea or other concerns following surgery. If it is a medical emergency or after business hours, please contact a veterinary hospital or your private veterinarian.
Each year, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) compiles its data from the calls they receive about pets exposed to toxins and releases the Top 10 categories of potential poisons. APCC is available to support veterinarians treating pets for suspected poisonings and can be reached on their 24-hour hotline (888) 426-4435.
Be sure to keep these items out of your pets’ reach.
Medications—Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Human Prescriptions
Keep old medications, vitamins, pain relievers (ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen) and prescriptions like antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and cardiac medication away from your pets.
Plants and Garden Products
Many household plants can be toxic to pets, like lilies, tulips, and Amaryllis. Read the ASPCA list of dangerous plants to avoid.Keep garden products out of reach.
Household Toxicants
Home-improvement toxicants like paint and spackle.
Rodenticide and Insecticides
Rat/mouse poison and insecticide should be kept out of reach.
Veterinary Products
Chewable medications (pain medications, incontinence medications, calming treats) are dangerous when not given as directed.
One of our favorite sayings here at the Humane Society of Utah is, “In a perfect world, every pet would have a home, and every home would have a pet.” What does that mean when not every person has a home? People experiencing homelessness have the same attachment to their pets as anyone else, and that attachment is even more important when so many other connections are disrupted.
Pets suffer the same distress when parted from the caregivers they know and love. The idea that people and their pets should be separated when they lose their housing and each funneled into separate human and animal shelters is outdated, and new resources to keep people and their pets together are emerging.
Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness in Utah
Locally, many of our Homeless Resource Centers allow residents to keep pets with them during their stay at the center. Deciding to remain unsheltered to avoid being separated from your pets is unfortunately all too common, even in the Utah climate. Salt Lake City’s newer centers have pet resource rooms that stock pet food and supplies and even a grooming tub.
Street Dawg Crew is a Salt Lake County-based volunteer organization that takes its mission to the streets to provide much-needed supplies to pets and their people. They bring food, coats, and other supplies directly to pets in weekly events, and host annual free pet vaccination clinics in local parks. Secret Perkins, Vice President of SDC, said, “For most people experiencing homelessness, their pet(s) are all they have to keep them going. Pets give them a sense of responsibility.”
Project Homeless Connect, a national nonprofit organization providing services to the homeless population, includes services to their pets. Karen Akerlof, a volunteer organizer for PHC Salt Lake City, said, “The research shows that animals can help reduce loneliness, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and provide social support. Plus, animals love unconditionally. I can’t think of a group of people that would need this more than those experiencing homelessness.” Project Homeless Connect supports people keeping their animals, especially if they are experiencing homelessness. “We are pleased to be able to partner with The Humane Society of Utah and others to provide immunizations, check-ups, food, and other essentials to help these pets stay well and remain with their people,” said Akerlof. “These relationships are so important. As a dog owner, I know my life and well-being, and that of my family is benefited by having him in our lives.”
Salt Lake City-based nonprofit Ruff Haven was incorporated last year to provide temporary housing for pets. Ruff Haven Executive Director and Co-Founder Kristina Pulsipher said, “We serve many people experiencing housing insecurity. Some of our clients may be individuals who have lost their jobs and temporarily don’t have stable housing, or they may be people who are unsheltered and have experienced long-term homelessness. Income, house size, and credit scores don’t determine the love people have for their pets. Our clients’ pets provide them unconditional love, emotional support, safety and protection, and companionship, just like for anyone else. These animals are well-loved and cared for, and with a little support and some resources, they can live very happy, healthy lives with their people. COVID has taught us anyone can find themselves facing a hardship.”
As an animal welfare organization, The Humane Society of Utah views this challenging issue from the perspective of what is in the best interest of the animal. According to Timna Fischbein, DVM, Utah Humane Society shelter veterinarian, “Animals get the same benefits from the human-animal bond that humans do in terms of emotional and physical health, and they can suffer the same consequences if that bond is broken.” This is why we advocate maintaining the relationship for both animals and their humans. If we can temporarily provide help for pets’ physical needs so their owners can continue to provide for their pet’s emotional needs, everyone is better off.
The Utah Humane Society is part of a growing movement in national animal welfare to first ask, “What can we do to help you keep your pet?” before intaking the animal into the shelter. We encourage our members to get involved wherever they can, including education about homeless people and pets, offering your support to those you may know who need help, and getting involved with local and national organizations working to keep animals and people together.
The area around a dog’s throat is one of the most vulnerable parts of their body. Research finds that when a dog pulls, or the leash is jerked, the pressure exerted on a dog’s neck by a flat collar is enough to risk damage to the dog’s neck.
Collars should only be used to display ID tags, not for restraint or control. Harnesses are a better option to control your dog safely.
Slip and prong collars can cause injury to your dog’s neck and spine. Even when used correctly, these collars work by causing pain.
Prong collars, shock/E-collars, and choke chains also have long-term adverse behavioral effects, including problems with aggression, anxiety, and fear.
Safer Options
There are comfortable harnesses available that make walking your dog easier. Harnesses with a leash attachment at the dog’s chest and back help reduce pulling (like the Freedom No-Pull Harness shown here).
* Please note, some front-clip harnesses restrict movement to keep the dog from pulling, but those are meant for short-term management while you are working on training your dog to walk on a loose leash. A Y-shaped harness such as the Perfect Fit harness shown in the illustration below, is a better solution for long-term use as it allows the dog to move freely.
Training
Once you have the right equipment, your dog can practice walking on a loose leash. If you make it rewarding for your dog to remain near your side, you will notice that your walks go more smoothly.
Early every spring, our phones start ringing off the hook with calls from concerned citizens wondering what they should do with the kittens they found outdoors.
What is “Kitten Season”? After the dark, cold winter, we excitedly anticipate the warmer Spring weather and its delightful scent of blossoms and grass. However, ask any animal welfare volunteer or employee what Spring season means to them, and they may respond with a term describing the growth of something other than flowers.
“Kitten Season” refers to the period when litters of kittens are born, generally beginning with the warmer weather and potentially lasting until the end of the year. Each year, thousands of kittens are brought to shelters and rescue groups across the state! While newborn kittens are adorable and it can be tempting to pick up small kittens you might find outside, these fragile babies do best with their mother raising them, and it can be a deadly mistake to take kittens away prematurely.
What to do if you find kittens outdoors:
Are the kittens clean and quiet or sleeping?
If yes, a mom is likely caring for them, and you should leave them alone.
The mom may be out searching for food or in the process of moving them to a different location.
The mom may not return if she senses a human near her nest.
Once kittens are weaned, around 4-6 weeks of age, contact your local animal control services to ask about trapping mom and her kittens to all be spayed/neutered.
Kittens can have surgery once they are two months old and weigh at least two pounds.
A mom cat can become pregnant even while still nursing!
If you are unsure if the mom is around, here is a trick. Create a large circle around the area with flour and leave. Return after a couple of hours to check for paw prints in the flour and reassess the kittens’ condition. If you determine that the mom is caring for her kittens and the area is safe, you may provide shelter and regular food for the mom, but keep the food at a distance from the nest. The mother may not accept your shelter if food is nearby because she might fear it will attract other unwelcome cats to her location.
Are the kittens dirty, crying and cold?
Neonatal kittens are more at risk of hypothermia than they are of starvation. It is safer to wait and see if a mom returns in warmer weather than in colder temperatures.
If you determine that they appear neglected, hungry or in immediate danger, it is important to take action fast.
Are you prepared to bottle feed and care for them until they are old enough to be spayed/neutered and adopted? If so, contact ourFoster Care Department for information and resources.
HSU receives kittens with and without their mom nearly every day during Kitten Season. We are usually in need of dependable foster care volunteers willing to open up their homes to help with precious litters of bottle-feeding orphans and other kittens who still have their mom. Are you willing to bottle feed, wean, socialize and provide medical care to ensure each kitten can find a home of his or her own? If you said yes, then you can become a life-saver. Click to read more about becoming a Foster Volunteer.
We hope this article helps you know what to do when you find kittens. If you have any questions, contact your local municipal animal control shelter.
Pets provide companionship and fun, but for some people, a dog or cat can also trigger sneezing, sniffles, and worse. This may start a search for a “hypoallergenic” pet.
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