Dog Days of Summer Surprising Facts - Two dog care facts you haven’t thought about for canine summer health.

June 12, 2018

Summertime temperatures that soar to over 100 degrees can be stressful for family pets, and negatively impact their health. Your dog needs extra attention for health during these hot days.

Our “fur babies” are blessed with a built in coat – perfect for cold weather but that extra layer can make for health stress in hot temps, leaving the door open for higher susceptibility to illness.

Surprising Summer Dog Care Fact #1

Bacteria grows a lot faster in heat and humidity. This might not come as an earth shattering revelation, but I believe we don’t really think about the potential health hazards. With the proliferation of bacteria comes a higher incidence of exposure to disease causing pathogens. You can fight the bad bacteria factor with two methods - 1) keep those kennels and yards clean and nutrition.

Interestingly nutrition becomes even more important than usual during high temperature days, due to the nature of a dog’s digestive system under stress. Dogs will need to maintain strong immune systems – to aid digestive function and fight pathogens that grow more prolifically this time of year.

Surprising Summer Dog Care Fact #2

You can help control that summer stink with better nutrition. We all experience that summer “odor booster’ effect. It’s no secret that odors, along with that bacteria, can really proliferate during sweltering, humid days. It’s critical to keep housing clean to hold down bacteria of course. However proper nutrition and digestion helps dogs absorb more protein – which means less poop and less odor causing protein in stools. Yes – protein in stools causes a lot of odor. When dogs absorb their protein, less of it comes out in the poop and the poop smells better. Who knew? We did! Because Pet SuperJuice has been “deodorizing” poop for years, as it improves digestion of protein. And your dog is healthier because it now gets more protein. – that’s surprising – no?

Proper housing, abundant water, protection from the elements are so important - and optimal nutrition is just as crucial for keeping dogs healthy during these times of high heat.

A little bit of preparation and preventative measures can help keep mother nature’s effect tamed and the days more enjoyable for all, no matter what the weather!