Ember is currently available for adoption at PAWS & More Animal Shelter in Washington.

As it’s beginning to feel like summer in southeast Iowa, pet owners should be wary of the dangers hot weather can spell for their companions.

PAWS & More Animal Shelter Director Amber Talbot says pets can get dehydrated quickly when it is hot or humid, so pet owners should provide plenty of fresh, clean water, and make sure their pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, “One of the big things that we all like to do to our dog is shave it in the summer and that is the biggest myth that that’s actually a benefit for them. They really need the layers of that coat to help them actually from overheating and sun burning. So their fur actually acts as an insulation and when they pant that is how their body naturally cools themselves. They don’t sweat like we do and so their cooling mechanism is quite opposite from ours.”

Talbot says the symptoms to look out for when pets are overheating include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart or respiratory rate, drooling, and mild weakness. She says to be careful not to over exercise pets when it’s warm out, and to keep them in air conditioning indoors when it is extremely hot.