Summer is officially here, so how To Keep Your Dog Safe in the summer. I thought it would be a good idea to buy a dog Float Coat Life Jacket to keep him safe in the summer.

And let’s clear one thing up real quick; you can give your dog ice cubes. Despite that viral post warning against it, vets agree that it’s completely acceptable to give your dog some ice. My dog loves playing with ice cubes, and in the summer, it’s an easy way to help keep her calm.

Keep Your Dog Safe in Water 

Summer is a great time to go out and have fun with your dog, but there are a few hazards to watch out. Keep these safety tips in mind this summer to help keep your dog safe:

Give Your Dog Plenty of Water & Shade To keep your dog safe

If you’re going to be outside for long periods with your dog this summer, make sure he has a beautiful shady spot to rest in and plenty of water. The dog can’t regulate heat as well as us, so it’s not easy for them to stay calm. Prolonged heat exposure puts them at risk for developing heat stroke. (see below for the symptoms to watch out for)

Heat and humidity cause potential hazards to your dogs’ health. So remember if you’re not comfortable because it’s too hot, your dog feels the same. Keep them inside on days when it’s scalding.

Use a Kiddie Pool or Sprinkler to Keep Cool

Does your dog love the water? Fill up a kiddie pool with water for your pup to cool off. I suggest picking up a plastic one since their nails can tear the softer ones. Don’t have a kiddie pool? Plenty of dogs enjoy playing with the hose or sprinklers.

Avoid prolonged exposure to sand and hot asphalt – it can burn your dog’s paws. In the summer, try to walk your dog in the morning or evening when the pavement isn’t so hot if you walk during the day stick to grassy or wooded areas.

If you are going to go out for a long walk, try some Musher’s Secret to keep their paws protected. And for sweltering days, you can get a pair of boots for your dog.

Check the pavement for heat before taking your dog on a walk. Place your hand or a barefoot on the surface for 10 seconds. If it is too hot for you to keep your hand or foot on it, then it is too hot for your pet. – Banfield Pet Hospital

Short Faced Dogs Are More Susceptible to Heat Stroke

If you have a short-faced dog like a Bulldog or Pug, remember that they don’t pant efficiently; they’re much more susceptible to heatstroke. Bulldogs are especially intolerant to heat. They should have limited access to the outdoors when the weather gets above 80 degrees.

Don’t Leave Your Dog Alone in a Hot Car.

Never leave your dog in hot weather; a cracked window isn’t enough to keep a car fresh. It’s also illegal in many states.

Researchers learned that when it’s a sunny 78 degrees, the temperature in a parked car with windows cracked rises at least 32 degrees in 30 minutes. So: 78 degrees to 110 in half an hour. – Don’t Think For a Minute Dogs Can Survive in a Hot Car

 Avoid Strenuous Exercise

Avoid strenuous exercise during sweltering days & keep the sessions short. The same goes for days with high humidity. For those scorching days, check out some simple activities to keep your dog busy indoors.

Keep Your Dog Safe By Watching Out For Doggie Sunburn

Dogs can get sunburn – especially light-colored dogs with short fur. There are sun protection lotions specially formulated for dogs. Don’t use human sunscreen on your pet; many of the chemicals are toxic to them.

All canines, regardless of the thickness of their coats, have vulnerable areas of the body with less fur or none at all. The belly is often covered with blonde hair, making it a target; the ears have delicate skin, and even a dog’s nose can become dried out and baked.- Pet360

Keep Your Dog Safe By Making Sure It Protected from Pests

Ticks and mosquitoes are at their peak in the summer. Talk to your vet about the different preventatives available. Do a thorough skin check (the same one you’d do for fleas) on your dog after coming inside to look for ticks.

 Watch Your Dog Around Treated Lawns

Chemically treated Lawns with fertilizer are not safe for dogs until at least 24 hours. Many of the chemicals used in lawn treatments are toxic to pets.

While small ingestions of fertilizer may only result in mild stomach upset, larger intakes can result in severe poisoning from the iron, nitrogen, and other chemicals. – Pet Poison Hotline

Don’t Let Dogs Drink From Oceans, Lakes, or Pools keep your dog safe

Don’t let your dog drink seawater; it causes dehydration and vomiting. If a dog ingests enough it can be fatal. Bring fresh water for your dog when you’re going out to the beach.

The public beaches get a monitor for bacteria, and when those levels get too high, health departments close beaches. Most beach closures used due to E. coli, which is an indicator that there are likely harmful pathogens present in the water.

Check current advisory before taking your dog to the beach.

In Michigan, we have the Beach guard map that tracks advisories and closures throughout the state. To find out if any beaches near you are affected, you can google “your state + beach closures” or use the EPA’s beach advisory map.

Ask Your Vet About Preventatives to keep your dog safe

Preventatives are treatments used to prevent your dog from coming down with specific diseases and illnesses. If you spend a lot of time outdoors with your dog, talk to your vet about the options that make sense for your dog. Some of these will vary by region (ticks are more prevalent in northeast states; therefore, is recommend Lyme vaccine), and some will vary depending on your dog’s activities.

For active dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors is often recommend, the Leptospira vaccine. Leptospirosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira. The bacteria survive for long periods in the water and are in swamps, lakes, and ponds. It can lead to kidney failure and death if left untreated.

I don’t want to scare you off of having fun with your dog outdoors. I just want to stress the importance of understanding the potential risks. Talk to your vet to find out what your dog is at risk for, and come up with a preventative plan that makes sense for your dog.

If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, talk to your vet about preventatives. Find out what your dog is at risk for and come up with a plan that’s right for your dog.

Watch Your Dog for Signs of Illness

There are a few parasites that can transmit waterborne diseases to our dogs, and they’re impossible to spot with the naked eye.

My dog Mias got giardia after swimming, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. I’d never seen diarrhea come on so quickly, nor that severely. Luckily that’s one of the ‘easier’ illnesses to treat, and after a trip to the vet, he was back to normal within a day.

After taking your dog swimming, watch for symptoms of illness, including diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, decrease in appetite, and fever. If your dog shows any signs of disease, take your dog to the vet for the correct diagnosis and treatment. Some waterborne illnesses are fatal if left untreated.

Watch Out For Blue-Green Algae

Blue-Green Algae, also called cyanobacteria, is a bacteria most commonly found in calm waters such as freshwater ponds and lakes. The toxins it creates are dangerous to humans, livestock, and pets.

For dogs, exposure or ingestion of water contaminated by blue-green algae is often fatal. A lot of it ends up washing up onto the shore, creating even higher levels of concentration. So if you see any suspicious-looking algae keep your dog away from the water itself and the shoreline.

Unfortunately, the bacteria aren’t easy to spot unless it has clumped together. It can appear as green or brown flakes, and when fully bloomed it often appears as a blue-green film sitting on top of the water. For identification purposes, here’s a photo gallery of more blue-green algae examples.

Wash Your Dog After Swimming keep your dog safe

Wash your dog after a swim to get rid of any bacteria collected on their fur. After swimming, they’re going to be ingesting any nasty stuff they may have picked up when they groom themselves.

Bathing will also help get rid of any chemicals that may have build up on his fur, and it will help alleviate any itchiness caused by sand or debris.

Chronic ear infections can be an issue for dogs that swim regularly. Pay close attention to your dog’s ears, making sure they’re clean and thoroughly dried after a swim. If you notice any changes in your dog’s ears, or if they develop a foul odor, schedule a vet visit for diagnoses & treatment.

Make sure you put an excellent Float life jacket is the ultimate in canine flotation and water safety. For dogs that love to join their human’s rafting, kayaking, boating, surfing, and paddle boarding, this life jacket is for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

The dog life jacket is a premium, fully-featured that includes thoughtful details like a durable handle, optimally positioned to lift dogs out of the water, and reflective trim for enhanced visibility in or out of the water.