Summer is slowly coming to a close, but there are still hot days ahead! August can conjure up blazing temperatures that require special pet care measures for our four-legged friends. Mililani, HI, pet owners have a knowledgeable and reliable ally in the fight against summer’s dog days — Mililani Town Center Pet Clinic.

To help protect pets from extreme heat, the veterinary clinic recommends keeping these tips in mind:

• Hydration: With their playful personalities, pets can quickly burn through their body’s water supply and become dehydrated. Although a steady and ample supply of fresh and clean water is good pet care no matter the situation, it’s especially important for keeping them healthy in hot environments.
• Shade: Pets will soak up the sun during their outdoor activity, but there should always be respite available. Whether it’s shade from a tree or keeping an eye on the clock to know when to go back inside, making sure pets have an escape from the heat is crucial to prevent overheating.
• Signs of Overheating: Knowing the warning signs of overheating in pets is extremely important to preventing a medical emergency on a hot day. Excessive panting, drooling, and lethargy are all indicators of too much heat.
• Vehicle Safety: On hot days, the temperature inside a parked car can blast upward of 160 degrees in under an hour. Because of this heat, leaving a pet in a parked vehicle for any amount of time is extremely dangerous and should never be done.
• Asphalt & Sidewalk Heat: Because streets and sidewalks are bombarded by the sun’s rays all day, their surfaces can become blisteringly hot during the summer. On sunny days, keep your pets off the hot sidewalks and streets during walks. Instead, opt for shady strolls on grass to prevent paw burns.