The team here at Patterson visits many homes each year and we get the opportunity to meet the fluffiest member of everyone’s family. We love our girl Sophie and all the other friends we meet, so we wanted to share the tips we follow to keep her safe during Summer. Try to remember that our pets breathe the same air we do and it is important that you consider their health inside and outside of your home.

When outside of your home…

• Just like us, dogs can be allergic to pollen. Try to avoid letting your dog play in heavily pollinated areas.
• Dogs can also experience many other allergies, so keep an eye on them for signs such as sneezing, runny noses, and in more severe cases, swelling.
• Don’t leave your dog alone in a hot car, even with the windows cracked. If you wouldn’t want to be in the car, they probably don’t either.
• Hot pavement on dog’s feet can burn their pads and cause pain.
• Wildlife is very tempting to dogs, especially at younger ages. Try to avoid interactions between wild animals and your dog, as they can spread disease.
• Provide extra water for your dog during hot days at the park.
• Stay in areas with ample shade during the hottest parts of the day.
• Watch for excessive panting and return to the air-conditioned interior of your home if overheating is a concern.

An important consideration over the hot summer months is grooming your longer-haired pets. Dogs have two layers of hair, one that is similar to our hair and one that sheds seasonally. The shedding undercoat can get stuck and matted under the outer layer and not naturally shed, therefore brushing may be necessary. Your dog will be happier and lighter after a good brushing and will feel much more able to run around in the summer heat!

When inside of your home…

• Be cautious of harmful chemicals in cleaning products and other household chemicals. For example, dogs love the sweet smell of antifreeze but it is highly toxic.
• A lot of foods we can eat are poisonous to dogs. Some to avoid are onions, grapes, raisins, avocado, chocolate, and foods that have spices added to them.
• Make sure you leave plenty of food and water for your pet when you are gone over long periods of time.
• Turning off your HVAC system when you go to work could leave your pets feeling uncomfortable. Leaving your system on just a few degrees higher than normal can still save you money while keeping your pets cool.
• Dogs experience the same ill-effects from poor air quality that we experience as humans, so it is important to filter these toxins out for their and our sake.

The air quality in our homes can often be worse than it is outside, which can be caused by poor ventilation and dirty air filters. The fans that circulate air in and out of your house can be worked over their limit in these scenarios and fail to get the job done for our and our pet’s safety. The buildup of toxins such as carbon monoxide from indoor appliances and radon that seeps in from outside can become hazardous if they are not filtered and circulated out of your home. This is where Patterson Heating & Air Conditioning comes in- we specialize in HVAC ventilation to provide solutions to these problems.

(704) 288-4535