Don’t shave your pet. A pet’s coat is meant to keep it warm and cool. You can trim the fur but don’t shave it completely or else it won’t protect the skin.
Watch for signs of overheating: Heavy panting, dry or bright red gums, thick drool, vomiting, diarrhea, wobbly legs
Keep your dog’s paws cool. Walking on asphalt on a hot day is no fun for a dog. It can cause damage to the pads of a dog’s paws and put them at higher risk for overheating.
Don’t assume all dogs can swim.
Provide plenty of water and shade. A dog’s normal temperature is between 100 degrees to 103 degrees; cat’s temperature ranges from 100.4 degrees to 102.5 degrees. Anything higher than that puts them in the danger zone.
Never leave your dog in a hot car. Even on nice weather days, temperatures in a car can jump to 90 degrees in the shade to 160 degrees in the sun within minutes.
Sources: Pet Health Network, Pets WebMD
