Summer brings unwanted risks for pets

By Dr. Beth Leermakers

Are you and your pup(s) prepared for the dog days of summer — the hottest, muggiest and often most uncomfortable stretch of the season? You can bet the fleas and mosquitoes are!

Now’s the time to protect your dog from fleas, heartworms (transmitted by mosquitoes) and dangerous heat. I write about heatstroke every summer — because it’s a message that can’t be repeated enough. Dogs can’t sweat through their skin. They regulate their body temperature by panting and releasing heat through their paw pads and nose. If they can’t cool down, they quickly develop heatstroke, which can be fatal in severe cases. 

Last summer a Facebook friend left her dog (who didn’t want to come inside) out in the yard (with shade and water) while she ran a few errands. When she returned, her dog was in distress, so she rushed him to the vet. Sadly, the pup died of heatstroke. 

Keep your dog indoors and limit outdoor activity (except for a 5-minute potty break) when the temperature is 80 degrees or higher. Walk your dog in the early morning — not the afternoon or evening (when it’s still hot and humid). Temperature ranges for safely walking dogs outdoors:

• 60°- 64°F: Safe for all dogs

• 65°- 69°F: Safe for small and medium dogs, potentially moderate risk for some large breeds

• 70°- 75°F: Unlikely risk for small and medium dogs, moderate risk for large breeds or at-risk dogs

• 76°- 80°F: Potentially unsafe heat for all dogs, moderate to high risk for larger dogs

• 81°- 85°F: Dangerous heat for all dogs — use extreme caution or avoid walking outside

• 86°- 100°F: Too hot to walk your dog

For some dogs (seniors, puppies, overweight dogs and flat-faced dogs like Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese) even 70°-77° temperatures can be too hot for outdoor activity. 

Do NOT shave your double-coated dog. Some people shave Huskies, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors and other double-coated dogs, mistakenly thinking the dog will be cooler. Not true! The soft, inner layer of hair acts as an insulator, keeping double-coated dogs warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather. Shaving the coat eliminates the insulation, making your dog more susceptible to heat stroke, sunburn and skin cancer. 

Give your dog flea and heartworm preventatives. Fleas can cause flea allergy dermatitis (hair loss, redness, itching and scratching, even anemia and lethargy with huge infestations). Control fleas by using topical or oral medication or a flea collar, year-round. I prefer oral preventatives (I swear by NexGard, a monthly preventative) because more of the topical solution winds up on my hands and the floor than on the dog’s skin. Bravecto, a chewable preventative, protects your dog against fleas for three months. 

Spread by mosquitoes, heartworms cause heartworm disease, which can be fatal if left untreated. Treatment of heartworm disease (injections of an arsenic-based drug to kill adult heartworms) is expensive and very hard on dogs. The American Heartworm Society recommends that dogs throughout the United States take heartworm preventatives year-round. Your dog must be tested for heartworms and get a prescription for the preventatives (oral or topical). Some medications protect against fleas and heartworms. Your vet can recommend a suitable product. ProHeart 12 is a great choice for pet parents who prefer a once-a-year injection over monthly treatments. Flea and heartworm preventatives are available at local spay/neuter clinics as well as your vet clinic and online pharmacies such as Chewy.com.

Spay Neuter Network (spayneuternet.org; 975-472-3500; in Dallas and Crandall):

Flea prevention. Bravecto: $65 for 3-months of coverage. Topical preventative: $15 for one month. 

Heartworm prevention. 6-month supply: $35-$50 (depending on your dog’s weight). 12-month supply: $55-$85. Heartworm test: $20. Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (texasforthem.org; 940-566-5551; in Garland and other DFW-area locations): Flea prevention. Bravecto 90-day chewable flea/tick prevention: $55. $15 for a 1-month dose of topical flea/tick prevention; $40 for a 3-month dose of topical. 

Heartworm prevention. 6-month supply of Tri-Heart Plus (pills): $30-$40, depending on weight. Heartworm test: $20.

ProHeart 12 (one injection provides 12 months of coverage): Prices range from $70 (1-25 lbs.) up to $140 (101-125 lbs.). 

Texas summers are brutal — but they don’t have to be deadly. Follow these few simple steps to help your dog stay cool, safe, and protected from pests. Beat the heat, block the bugs, and give your pups the carefree summer they deserve.