Ahhh, summer time! Summer is time for heading outdoors to explore, play, walk and have adventures. With the summer fun, however, comes the summer heat. Depending on where you live, summers can get very hot.

We tend to take precautions for ourselves in summer heat using sunscreen, wearing sunglasses, drinking more water to stay hydrated, finding shade to cool off. Just as we are weather wise for our own wellbeing, we need to take extra precautions to protect our four legged friends. One of the most common injuries that dogs get during the summer is a burned paw. Your dog’s paws have footpads, as do cats, that can usually handle whatever they walk upon. However, a lot of human-made surfaces can burn a dog or outdoor cat’s paws, including pavement, concrete, asphalt, metal and sidewalks.

Listen in and hear the signs of heat stress and heat stroke, and better understand how quickly man-made surfaces, including vehicles, heat up.