Reported by: Cynthia Demos
MIAMI (CBS4)

CBS4- Summertime can be a fun time to spend with your family and pets outdoors but pet owners need to take some precautions to keep their animal companions cool and safe during the dog days of summer.

Larraine Laege loves to spend time outdoors with her Australian Shepherd "Boomer" but she recently learned that Boomer had an allergic reaction to a flea bite.

"He had basically scratched himself raw," said Laege. "We're assuming it was a flea but we never saw one and never found one."

"It's actually very uncommon in flea allergic pets for the owners to see the flea," said veterinarian dermatologist Alison Flynn-Lurie with Miami Veterinary Specialists.

While fleas are a problem in South Florida all year long, there does seem to be an increase in the summertime.

"Normal dogs will itch in total maybe a minute of each day, a flea allergic dog will spend about 25 to 30 percent of the day itching or scratching or biting," according to Dr. Flynn-Lurie.

Dr. Flynn-Lurie admits there are not a lot of products on the market to prevent flea bites but there are topical oils and pills like Comfortis and Capstar that kill the flea after its bitten.

Beyond fleas, another summer hazard for your pet is sunburn.

"For dogs the trigger spots would be right on the top of the nose and in the ear tips if they have white ears around the eyes just on top and then on the belly if they are a sunbather," said Dr. Flynn-Lurie.

Lighter pigmented and white animals are most susceptible to sunburn and need to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more.

"Anything that is safe for a kid is going to be safe for an animal. The idea is if the children can eat it, so can the dog or the cat that will lick it off."

Time in the sun can also lead to dehydration and heat stroke which can be deadly.

"People don't realize I think how overheated their pets get especially when they take them exercising in the middle of the day," said Dr. Flynn-Lurie.

Signs of heat stroke include weakness, lethargy, panting, vomiting and white or blue gums.

"During the heat of the summer, the best time to walk your pet is before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. and the most important thing is fresh water, shade and air flow."

While it's not a summer safety issue, second hand smoke can be a real health hazard to your pet. Dogs and cats with allergies and cats with asthma are the most at risk. The doctor says smoke outside or better yet give it up altogether.

Read the Actual CBS 4 Article.

For more information contact:

Miami Veterinary Specialists
Dr. Alison Flynn-Lurie
8601 Sunset Drive
Miami, FL 33143
Tel: (305) 665-2820

or by visiting our miami animal hospital website.