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  • How do you keep your pets safe from the summer sun? We've got a handful of helpful tips - and

  • cute pictures to go along with them. It's win-win!

  • Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - and it is officially summer now, which means barbecues,

  • beaches, and yes - that dreaded summer heat. Most of us already know how to protect ourselves,

  • but what about our helpless little furry friends? They need protection just as much as we do

  • - so here are some tips to help your pet beat the heat.

  • First order of business - Never ever EVER leave your pets in a parked car. Ever. On

  • an 85 degree day, even with the windows cracked - the temperature inside of a car will reach

  • 102 degrees F within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, 120 degrees F. That kind of heat

  • can cause irreversible organ damage, or death. So don't risk it.

  • You may also be inclined to think humidity will keep your pet cool - when in fact, the

  • opposite is true! Animals pant in order to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which

  • cools them down. But if the humidity is too high, they can't do that - so their body temperature

  • will skyrocket - quickly.

  • Limit their exercise, and watch out for sunburns. Believe it or not, animals are just as vulnerable

  • to UV rays as humans are. And that is especially true for pets with white fur, since the lack

  • of skin pigmentation makes them extremely sensitive to the sun. The shorter their hair

  • is, the more susceptible they are to being burned. So places on their body with the least

  • amount of fur - like around the face, or the underbelly, are where they're most likely

  • to get sunburned.

  • Some pets also have pre-existing conditions that can increase their skin sensitivity.

  • So things like parasitic infections, autoimmune disorders, or congenital hairlessness - should

  • all be taken into account.

  • Hairless pets are of course the most sensitive - so if you have one, and you know they're

  • gonna be out all day - try using either a waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of at least

  • 30, or a sunblock that contains zinc oxide. You could also try pet clothing, like a t-shirt

  • or a hat, which in addition to being adorable - will also block some of the sun's rays.

  • Although dark-colored clothing will get very hot, so keep that in mind.

  • Also important to remember - that the ground gets extremely hot in the summer. So if YOU

  • wouldn't go walking around barefoot on the concrete, then your pet probably shouldn't

  • either. Keep em on the grass, and make sure they have a shady place to lie down. Doghouses

  • actually get hotter inside with the sun, so it's better to find a tree or some place with

  • airflow - and of course, make sure they have plenty of water.

  • The sun is at its hottest between 11a-2p, so the best thing you can do is minimize their

  • outdoor activity during those times. Fans don't work as well on pets as they do on humans

  • either - so really, it's better to just keep them inside.

  • If there's a chance your pet may ALREADY be sunburned, check its skin. If it's red, warm,

  • or flaking - take them out of the sun immediately, and apply a cool compress with ointments.

  • If it's a severe sunburn, then you may need to take your pet to the doctor. A vet can

  • prescribe a cortisone product to prevent inflammation, but in extreme cases - antibiotics may be

  • necessary to prevent infection.

  • Like anything else, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So it's best to

  • just prevent these situations before they happen. Frequent sunburns can give your pets

  • pre-cancerous conditions or even skin tumors, and once that happens - the affected skin

  • will have to be surgically removed. Don't let it come to that. You wanna protect your

  • pets, with the same dedication you'd give yourself.

  • As always, if you have questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to keep your pets

  • cool, leave em in the comments below. Otherwise, thanks for watching - and happy summer!

How do you keep your pets safe from the summer sun? We've got a handful of helpful tips - and

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