Helping your pet beat the Seattle heat wave

As the Pacific Northwest experiences record high temperatures, our pets are particularly vulnerable to the heat — various reports of pets dying due to heat exhaustion have emerged since last week.

Here are some tips for keeping your furry friends safe in a region where air conditioning is a rare commodity.

Keep your pets hydrated by offering them a source of fresh, cool water they can access as needed.

Be sure to check that their water supply is abundant throughout the day. If you haven’t noticed your pet drinking water, you might consider administering some to them through a syringe. Pets that are seniors or still babies are especially at risk for dehydration and heat strokes.

Limit your pet’s outdoor activity to the early morning and late evening hours. If you must take them out during the hottest points of the day, keep them confined to grassy and shaded areas. Remember: If the ground is too hot for you to touch, it’s also too hot for your pet’s paws. Coating your pet’s feet with paw wax or putting booties on them can offer a layer of protection from the hot pavement.

You should supervise your pet at all times while outside in extreme heat. Additionally, you should never leave a pet unattended in a hot car — even with the windows down or air conditioning running.

While fans may help your pets get some relief, they won’t be as effective at cooling them down as they are for humans. That’s because animals don’t sweat the same way we do. Cats and dogs cool down, in part, by sweating through their paw pads. Dogs cool down primarily by panting. If you notice your pup panting, there’s a good chance they’re due for a sip of water.

Offering your pet a cold towel or mat to rest on can also help keep them comfortable. Frozen treats can also help alleviate the heat for your pet. For dogs in particular, frozen fruit — such as blueberries or mangoes, for example — is an option. But be sure to check that the fruit isn’t one that’s toxic — such as grapes or cherries — to your pup.

Another strategy for helping pets beat the heat is to keep them wet with cool water. For more adventurous animals, a dip in a kiddie pool or bathtub could be refreshing. But for pets who are less enthusiastic about getting wet, try spraying them with water periodically.