Desert Messenger

July 6, 2011

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J��� 6, 2011 Heat and your pets Submitted by Beth Praast Oh, those lazy, hazy days of sum- mer are upon us again. It’s that time of year when we need to be extra careful with our pets and the summer heat. “Even the healthi- est pets can suffer from dehydra- tion, heat stroke and sunburn if overexposed to the heat,” says Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, “and heat stroke can be fatal if not treated promptly.” Here are a few pointers to help you out this summer: 1. Pets can get dehydrated very quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot out- doors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, 2. Do not over exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s ex- tremely hot. 3. Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or diffi culty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drool- ing, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include sei- zures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body tem- perature of over 104 degrees.” Animals with fl at faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more suscep- tible to heat stroke since they can- not pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the over- weight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible. 4. On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time-even with the windows open-which could lead to fatal heat stroke. Also, leaving your pet unattended in cars in extreme weather is illegal in the state of Arizona. You could face a fi ne, jail sentence, and worse of all seizure of your pet and possi- bly loss of the pet forever. The Ari- zona state law states, “Unattended and confi ned in a motor vehicle and physical injury to or death of the animal is likely to result. Class 1 misdemeanor. A peace offi cer, animal control enforcement agent or animal control enforcement deputy may use reasonable force to open a vehicle to rescue an ani- mal.” If you’d like more informa- tion on this Arizona State law 13- 2910, visit www.azleg.state.az.us. 5. Introduce your dog to water gradually and make sure they wear a fl otation devise when you are at the river or on a boat. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlo- rine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset. 6. Pets, especially cats can fall out of open windows or doors and are seriously or fatally injured. This is completely preventable if you’ll take simple precautions. Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and make sure adjustable screens are tightly se- cured. 7. Give your dog a lightweight summer haircut to help prevent overheating. Shave down to a one- inch length, never to the skin, so your dog still has some protection from the sun. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent prob- lems caused by excessive heat. 8. Don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during hot times to a minimum. 9. Commonly used fl ea and tick products, rodenticides (mouse and rat baits), and lawn and garden in- secticides can be harmful to cats and dogs if ingested, keep them out of reach. When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that you suspect have been sprayed with in- secticides or other chemicals. Keep citronella candles, and oil products out of your pets’ reach. Have a safe and happy pet this summer. If you love them, care for them, they depend on you! ���.D�����M��������.��� P��� 9 FREEWAY IN QUARTZSITE! TIRE NOW OPEN 1077 W. Main St. Quartzsite 10% DISCOUNT ON ALL NEW TIRE PURCHASES! Available 24/7!! Mobile Vehicle & Tire Repair Service In-House Transmission Shop 90 Days Same as Cash! Gift Certificates • FREE AIR! FREE COFFEE! Stop in and Say Hello! • FREE Krispy Kreme donuts on Wednesday mornings (till gone) Air Check! Our Mechanics Work on • CAT • Cummins • Detroit Diesel Engines CALL 928-927-5219 “State or local taxes or surcharges for environmental protection will be an extra charge.” OPEN Mon.-Fri. 8am-6pm Sat. 8am-7pm Sun. 9am-4pm FREE of Mechanics! AUTO, RV, Compliment Full MOTORCOACH SEMI EXPERT RV REPAIR Eagle, GMC, Van Hool, MCI, Prevost

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