A message from love’em’s Dr Marie Rowe
Dogs and cats love nothing more than stretching out and relaxing in the warmth of the summer sun and I, for one, can understand why. As we hit the heights of our Australian summer, we need to take some precautionary measures with our furry family to avoid preventable trips to the vet with season related illness and injuries.
It goes without saying that all animals need to have access to plenty of fresh, cool drinking water at all times, and this is particularly important during summer. Consider leaving several bowls of water around, just in case one gets knocked over. A great idea if you’re heading out for a few hours is to add ice cubes to their bowl of water.
Just like us, our pets can suffer sunburn if they spend too long in the sun. Always be sure to have plenty of shady spots where they can lie during the day. Don’t forget that the sun moves during the day, so what might be a shady backyard spot in the morning when you head out to work, might not be shady in the afternoon. Check out the sun’s path when you’re at home for a day to be sure, and check again every few weeks as summer progresses. While fur does provide some protection from the sun, apply a pet sunblock to exposed areas such as bellies, pink noses and ears. There are a few pet sunblock products on the market — just don’t be tempted to use human sunscreen, as some ingredients can be toxic to pets.
Being Aussie, there’s nothing we like more than a summer BBQ and it’s really tempting to share the scraps with our pets. Don’t — it’s just not good for them. Corn on the cob for example, can lodge in a dog’s intestines, and cooked bones can splinter and stick in our pet’s throat. Instead, have some healthy and nutritious treats at hand that they can enjoy.
Made from 100 per cent Australian liver with no additives or preservatives, love’em liver treats are the healthy way to treat your pet in the long, hot and happy days of summer.
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