How to keep your pets cool this summer...
Umm, excuse me, but who turned up the sun? And was it really necessary? It's no secret that I am not a fan of summer. I don't like the heat and the humidity. I burn within ten minutes of being out in the sun. I don't glisten, I sweat. Somehow, I have animals that don't seem to care too much that it's hot. The dogs come inside once they think it's too hot, the chickens are enjoying life, and I don't think the cats even know it's hot. However, as an animal owner, it's my responsibility to pay close attention to their needs. It might be hard to know how to help them, so here are my top six tricks to keeping animals from overheating during the summer months.
1. Get a pool. Spend the $8-$15 at the store and buy one of those plastic kid pools. You love being in the pool when it's hot, and your dog, probably, will too. It's an easy way for a dog to get cooled down all over, and stay cool for a while. These are my dogs favorite. I buy the one that has decorations on the bottom because Greta and Jasmine try to "catch" the fish. Captain Jack is known for resting his head on the side and taking a nap in it. A lot of times, the dogs will use it to drink out of, too. They're dogs, what do you expect? They don't care if it's clean or not.
2. Just add ice. It's the easiest way to help keep your pets cool. My dogs love ice in their water. Not only does it cool them down, but it's also fun for them to play with. I've done regular ice cubs as well as freezing a bowl full of water and putting an ice block in their water bowl. They, also, enjoy ice when they're inside. If I drop a piece, one of them is bound to run in and grab it before I can pick it up. Want to up your frozen game. Freeze some watermelon and put it outside. The dogs and chickens love this one. Chickens also like frozen corn as a nice little treat.
3. Throw some shade. We know what a difference it makes to stand in the shade instead of the sun. It's so much better. Our dogs are great at finding places like the barn, the porch, or under the awning of the house. Our chickens have a completely covered and ventilated coop, as well as about fifteen feet of covered run. Make sure, if your pet is outside, it has a shady place it can rest.
4. Get a mister. No, not a man. Unless you really want one, then go ahead. Summer is all about having fun. Get something that puts out a continuous light amount of water. We have this one for the chickens. We turn it on when it starts getting hot and the chickens run under it. It's entertaining to watch them fluff their feathers and get wet. When the dogs want a nap, they go and lay next to the chicken run under the mister.
5. Let them in. Pandora, our barn cat, went outside for a whole ten minutes. She came back inside and hasn't left the house since. She decided air conditioning and a couch are better. I agree with her. I know not every animal can be inside. Our chickens wouldn't know what to do in the living room. If you can, bring them in, at least, for the hottest part of the day. All of our cats and dogs, have their favorite spost picked out to lay down. Most of them in front of a vent or a fan. They take a nice nap there until it's time to go back outside.
6. Talk to your vet. This one is the most important. Talk to your vet about the signs of an over heated animal. He might recommend you put rubbing alcohol on the bottom of your cats or dogs' feet to help could them down. He's the professional. He'll be able to teach you how to read your pet's body language, and what to do if something does happen.
Whether it's a pet or livestock, it's your responsibility to know what to look for in your animal to determine if it's stressed from being in the heat. Most importantly, it's your responsibility to do something about it. If you're not sure ask around. It doesn't have to be expensive to keep your animal healthy and alive.
3. Throw some shade. We know what a difference it makes to stand in the shade instead of the sun. It's so much better. Our dogs are great at finding places like the barn, the porch, or under the awning of the house. Our chickens have a completely covered and ventilated coop, as well as about fifteen feet of covered run. Make sure, if your pet is outside, it has a shady place it can rest.
4. Get a mister. No, not a man. Unless you really want one, then go ahead. Summer is all about having fun. Get something that puts out a continuous light amount of water. We have this one for the chickens. We turn it on when it starts getting hot and the chickens run under it. It's entertaining to watch them fluff their feathers and get wet. When the dogs want a nap, they go and lay next to the chicken run under the mister.
5. Let them in. Pandora, our barn cat, went outside for a whole ten minutes. She came back inside and hasn't left the house since. She decided air conditioning and a couch are better. I agree with her. I know not every animal can be inside. Our chickens wouldn't know what to do in the living room. If you can, bring them in, at least, for the hottest part of the day. All of our cats and dogs, have their favorite spost picked out to lay down. Most of them in front of a vent or a fan. They take a nice nap there until it's time to go back outside.
6. Talk to your vet. This one is the most important. Talk to your vet about the signs of an over heated animal. He might recommend you put rubbing alcohol on the bottom of your cats or dogs' feet to help could them down. He's the professional. He'll be able to teach you how to read your pet's body language, and what to do if something does happen.
Whether it's a pet or livestock, it's your responsibility to know what to look for in your animal to determine if it's stressed from being in the heat. Most importantly, it's your responsibility to do something about it. If you're not sure ask around. It doesn't have to be expensive to keep your animal healthy and alive.
Comments
Post a Comment