Relieve Pets of Summer Heat with a Few Creative Solutions

Q:
 We have pet rabbits, and I’m worried about how they might
tolerate summer heat here. We recently moved from San Diego, and
that area’s temperatures never went as high as they do here. Any
simple solutions?
Q: We have pet rabbits, and I’m worried about how they might tolerate summer heat here. We recently moved from San Diego, and that area’s temperatures never went as high as they do here. Any simple solutions?

A: Summer heat can be deadly for rabbits. They really have a tough time keeping cool. But here’s one trick that helps bunnies beat the heat. I learned it from several local 4-H students many years ago, and it’s an idea that’s been passed on for a long time. Try it and see how it works for you.

Fill some empty one-liter soda pop bottles with water, and put them in the freezer overnight. Place these frozen water bottles in the bunny cages in the morning, and they’ll give your rabbits some cool relief as the ice slowly melts over the course of the day. It helps even more to have a fan circulating air in the rabbit room. Use a low setting on the fan, and with the ice, life will be very cool.

 You can bring your bunnies out to play on the lawn in the early morning or in the evening but only after the sun is low in the sky. Don’t take them out during the heat of the day. Heat stroke is a serious problem for rabbits – they don’t handle warm weather very well. But if you’re careful and follow these routines, your bunnies can have a safe, healthy summer.

 This is also a good time to talk about the signs of heat-related problems in dogs and other pets. Heat stroke is more common in dogs than cats, and it can affect any pooch. But obese dogs and those with heavy coats are more susceptible to overheating.

 The earliest signs of heat stress are subtle. The victim tends to lose interest in his surroundings and pants heavily. Most dogs with this condition don’t even respond to their names when called; they just feel miserable. Unfortunately, these early signs are often overlooked by many pet owners.

 Heat stroke is a much more serious condition. Here, the victim becomes weak and has difficulty walking. He may vomit or have diarrhea. The color of his gums (the mucus membranes) may become pale, and eventually he will develop cardiovascular shock. Left untreated, heat stroke is often fatal.

 If your pet shows signs of heat stress, run cool water on him immediately and call his veterinarian. Fast action is important to avoid serious complications, and the staff at the vet hospital will be able to tell you whether or not he needs medical treatment.

 Prevention is very important and very easy. Here are a few tips:

n Always give your pet a shaded area to escape the heat.

n Make sure he has plenty of cold water all the time.

n If he has a long coat, consider taking him to a groomer for a “summer clip”. A shorter hair coat will make him look great and he’ll feel   much cooler.

 Remember: Never, never leave your pet in your parked car while you go somewhere. If you have to go inside a store or run an errand somewhere where you can’t take him with you, leave your pet at home. The interior of a car becomes an oven in only a matter of minutes, even when the car is parked in a shady area. In the sun, the temperature of a car can climb as fast as one degree every minute to higher than 115 degrees! Don’t do it. Don’t ever leave your pet in your car.

Q: Our cockatiel has a bad habit of biting. I know he is spoiled; we hand-raised him. But how can I stop him from this aggressive behavior? 

A: Hand-raised birds can sometimes develop bad social habits, and one of the worst is biting. These behavior problems can be very difficult to overcome.

 Usually patience and firm restraint will work. If possible, hold his beak when he tries to bite, then gently pet him and reinforce his good behavior when he relaxes and when he acts properly. With time, you may be able to train him to be less aggressive.

 Anyone who tries to hand-raise any cage bird should learn as much as possible before starting. Separating babies at the wrong time, feeding an improper diet, or using incorrect training techniques can lead to emotional problems that a bird may never be able to overcome. There is definitely a right and a wrong way to hand-raise baby birds. Talk to an expert before you try doing this!

Q: Our yard is full of foxtails already, and I am worried my dog will get them in his ears (we made many trips to the vet last year). My neighbor told me I should have a groomer clip his fur short. I thought the fur around the ears protected a dog from foxtails entering the canals. Who’s right?

A: The answer here might surprise you, but your neighbor is right on this one. And this is one more reason to give your pooch that good “summer clip.” It’ll make him feel cooler and more comfortable in warm weather, and help to avoid foxtail problems in his ears.

 A short hair coat is less likely to snag those pesky foxtails as your pooch walks through your yard or a field full of these weeds. Hair around the opening to the ear canal actually traps foxtails and allows them to work into the canal. Keeping the fur trimmed away from the base of the ears provides a huge benefit to dogs, especially during the summer. Call your groomer to make an appointment, and your pooch will thank you many times over. And I’ll bet you have a lot fewer trips to the vet this summer.

 And while we’re on the subject of foxtails, I’ll remind you that these weeds can get in between the toes of dogs and penetrate the skin on their feet. Once inside, they can migrate under the skin, sometimes ending up in the upper leg or even higher.

Worst of all, they carry infection wherever they go, so it’s extremely important to check in between the toes of your dog every day if he walks in areas where there are foxtails. A few moments checking for these barbed weeds might save you a lot of money in expensive vet bills.