I see sun!

Hooray, the sun is out! At least for those in Western Washington I hope you are able to get out and enjoy some of our beautiful weather. And hopefully, if you have dogs you are enjoying some of that sunshine with them. Most of our dogs do not get enough exercise (like many of their owners, I suspect). Now is a great time to start taking them for walks, throwing the ball or frisbee, or visiting your local dog park. Just be sure everyone is up-to-date with their vaccines.

There are few precautions that should be taken as the temperature heats up. Make sure you provide access to plenty of water. Dogs are only able to "sweat" through their foot pads and by panting. Most of their heat loss is accomplished via that

big happy open mouthed "grin" and heavy panting. But panting results in a large amount of moisture loss as well so your dog will need a chance to drink clean water regularly.

Don't assume that because your dog likes to lay in the sun they should be allowed to do that for as long as they like. Dogs can become overheated and

even suffer from heat stroke or heat shock when their temperature rises. And not all dogs are bright enough to move into the shade when they get hot! Short nosed (brachycephalic) breeds such as pugs and bulldogs, obese dogs, dogs with heart disease, and older animals are at increased risk for heat stroke and should havelimited time outside in hot conditions. Watch your dogcarefully for difficult breathing or very high breathing rate, vomiting, diarrhea or anything else that makes you concerned. Animals suspected of having heat stroke should see a veterinarian immediately.

Of course, never ever leave your pet (or child!) in a car unsupervised in sunny weather. And it doesn't have to be "hot" for the temperature of your car to rise dangerously high. Even if the outside temperature isn't particularly high and you crack the windows, the temperature will rise fast. On average about 3 degrees for every minute your car sits in the sun, even if the outside temperature is only 72 degrees. The majority of the temperature increase (about 80%) occurs in the first 15-30 minutes to don't think you can be fast enough either according to the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. (PEDIATRICS Vol. 116 No. 1 July 1, 2005

pp. e109 -e112)

One other thing to think about with lightly colored dogs or those with lightly colored noses. Just like in people, fair skin is prone to sunburn. It is a good idea to apply sunscreen to pink noses and ear tips. To keep your dog from licking it off, immediately follow the application with a few good treats. Peanut butter works great for this since it keeps them busy for several minutes while the sunscreen soaks in.

Want some more summer safety tips? Check out the American Kennel Club website's summer safety information at http://www.akc.org/public_education/summer_safety.cfm.

Enjoy the sunshine!