Furry friends need extra care when the mercury rises

With temperatures hovering in the triple digits for most of this summer, heat-related stress is taking its toll. It affects people, especially small children or the elderly, crops and lawns, infrastructures and utilities, and pets.

Most of us take care of our own animals. But what do you do about those left in backyards with no water or shade, or dogs left in parked cars with a window barely cracked?

Call the police, advised former McCook Humane Society director Lorie Prestes. The police are very good about checking on the welfare of animals, she said and respond promptly.

Tips you can use to help your pets with the high temperatures include:

A parked car or truck can quickly become a furnace, even with a window cracked. Overheating can kill an animal. Parking in the shade offers little protection as does the bed of a pickup. Do your pet a favor, leave him home if you're going into a store.

Don't force your animal to exercise after a meal in hot, humid weather. Always exercise him or her in the cool of the morning or in the evening.

In extremely hot weather, don't leave your dog standing in the street and keep walks to a minimum. He is much closer to the asphalt and his body can heat up quickly. His paws can actually burn on the hot sidewalk.

Always provide plenty of shade for an animal staying outside the house. A properly constructed dog house serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day and let her rest in a cool part of your house. Always provide plenty of cool, clean water for your animal.

Please be sensitive to old and overweight animals in hot weather. Snub-nose dogs (especially bulldogs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus) and those with heart or lung diseases should be kept indoors in air-conditioning as much as possible.

Keep a current license and identification tag on your dog or cat.

Avoid walking your dog in areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals, as poisonings increase during the summer when gardens, lawns and trees are sprayed.

Be alert for coolant leaking from your vehicle. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste of coolant and ingesting just a small amount can cause an animal's death.

A clean coat can help to prevent summer skin problems, so keep your dog or cat well groomed. If he has a heavy coat, shaving your dog's hair to a 1-inch length will help prevent overheating. Don't shave a dog's hair down to the skin; this robs him of protection from the sun. A cat should be brushed frequently to keep his coat tangle-free.

Never tie an animal outside on a correction collar. He can choke to death. If you must tether him, use a buckle collar with identification tags instead. (This applies in any season.)

Never let your animal run loose. This is how an animal can contract a fatal disease, including rabies, or be injured, killed or stolen. Be sure there are no open, unscreened windows or doors through which your animal can fall or jump.

High temperatures can be stressful for everyone but with a little forethought, pets do not have to suffer needlessly.