Did you know that #pets can get sunburns, too? Hairless, white- or thin-coated breeds and those with light-pigmented noses and eyelids are especially at risk. To keep your furry friends #safe, consider applying a #sunscreen formulated for your #pet. Also note that while it may seem like a good idea to give your pet a summer haircut, don’t do it for breeds with double coats such as golden retrievers and huskies; their coats provide protection from sunburn, extreme heat and extreme cold. Ask your veterinarian if your furry friend would benefit from a good grooming or sunscreen during the #dog days of #summer. #DogDays #PetSafety
Tag: safety tips
Don’t Leave Pets Unattended in a Vehicle
Never leave a pet unattended inside a vehicle. Interior temperatures can rise quickly to life-threatening levels even when the outdoor temperatures are relatively comfortable. The interior temperature of a vehicle parked in in 70° weather will exceed 100° in less than 30 minutes, according to studies cited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, and if the outdoor temperature is 90°, it takes less than 10 minutes to spike to 109°. What’s more, cracking the windows has little effect on interior temperatures. Love your pets — and leave them at home if there’s any chance they will be left unattended — even for a minute — in a hot car. #DogDays #Pets
Know the Signs of Heatstroke in Pets
Dogs cool their bodies through their paw pads and panting, and hot asphalt or cement can easily burn their paws. Avoid walking your pet during the hottest part of the day, especially in direct sunlight. Place the back of your hand on the pavement to judge if it is too hot for your pet. Dogs and cats are at particular risk for heatstroke if they are very old, very young, overweight, or have heart or respiratory disease. If you witness signs of heatstroke as heavy panting, glazed eyes, dizziness, or vomiting, quickly remove your pet to shade or an air-conditioned space and apply ice packs or a cold towel to their head, neck and chest; then consult a veterinarian. #DogDays #Pets
Keep Pets Safe During the Dog Days of Summer
It’s “dog days” of summer, so here’s a helpful reminder: Heat and humidity can be dangerous to your animal companions. Be sure that your house pets can stay hydrated by placing several bowls around the house and consider limiting their intake of grain-based foods that cause metabolic spikes in body temperature, says the National Weather Service. Schedule your pet’s #outdoor time to avoid the hottest parts of the day, avoid strenuous activities and instead provide plenty of shade. Be alert to heat illness in pets such as a rapid or irregular heart rate, excessive drooling, lethargy, refusal to eat, or excessive panting. #DogDays #Pets
Food Safety and the Summer Cookout
Only a week in, this #summer is shaping up to be a hot one for much of the United States. It’s also prime time for family #cookouts, so the home chef would do well to review #food #safety practices for hot weather to head off any health issues that could ruin an otherwise festive event.
An estimated one in six people gets sick from a #foodborne illness each year. Granted, not every foodborne illness results from a #picnic or #cookout, but that seasonal combination of food, outdoor living, shared dishes, heat and pests makes them especially vulnerable.
Mayonnaise-based salads are notorious for spoiling in the sun. Limit cold foods’ potential to harbor harmful bacteria by keeping them indoors until needed, says Martha Stewart, use a cooler to maintain refrigeration, and serve foods such as shrimp over an ice bath.
Other common-sense tips apply whether you grill outdoors or prepare something in the kitchen. First and most obvious? Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before preparing any foods — and wash them again after handling raw meat, fish and egg yolks.
Cross-contamination — the process in which bacteria spreads from food or poorly washed hands to other surfaces — is a problem, Consumer Reports says. Never use the same cutting board for meat and produce, and avoid reaching for the spices or condiments after handling raw meat.
#Clean your grill properly by scrubbing the grates with a grilling brush. Use a food thermometer to cook foods to the proper internal temperatures to ensure that any harmful bacteria burn off: Cook cuts of red meat and fish to a reading of at least 145°F, ground meats to 160°F, and pork and poultry to 165°F.
After the feast, food storage is just as important. Cooked foods should be refrigerated in less than two hours when the outdoor temperatures are under 90°F, and that limit drops to one hour when the temperatures soar. If you don’t know how long something has been sitting or it starts to look/smell a little suspect, throw it out.
Keep your summer cookouts fun for everyone! Protect yourself, your family and your guests from the potential of foodborne illnesses.