Protecting Mesa Pets from Heat and Parasites

When you and your furry friends live in a place as beautiful and hot as Mesa, Arizona, you deal with a few unique challenges. 

Snow? Nope. Ice? Not even a little bit. Year-round exposure to annoying and potentially life-threatening parasites? Yes, unfortunately. Warm spring days that turn into scalding late-spring and early-summer afternoons? You betcha. 

It can be tempting to lay off the parasite and heat protection in the cooler “winter” months, but this is never a good idea. And as spring comes bursting back into our lives, it’s more important than ever to get your heatstroke and parasite prevention plan in place. 

Here’s what our team at Curem Veterinary Care wants you to know about keeping your pets safe in Mesa, AZ.

Understanding the Risks Our Hot Weather Poses

Arizona can be a tricky place for a furry friend to live. Mostly because the extremely hot days—many of which push 100°F or hotter in the summer—don’t go well with those furry coats. This means cats and dogs are at risk of heat-related illness just by existing in the summer in Arizona. 

Worse, they don’t cool themselves the way we humans do. They don’t sweat buckets from their skin. Instead, they rely mostly on panting and some limited sweat gland activity, which can quickly stop functioning well in high temperatures.

Plus, pets’ paw pads are sensitive to the burning-hot outdoor stovetops, otherwise known as summertime sidewalks and roads in Arizona. 

So how can you protect your pet from the woes of summer, like dehydration, heatstroke, and paw pad burns? 

Summer prep for pets means making a plan to: 

• Provide a place pets can cool off and access fresh water, 24/7
• Avoid leaving your pet in a hot car, which can become deadly within minutes—yes, even with the windows cracked open
• Get outside in the early mornings or evenings when temperatures are lower
• Stay in a cool place (AKA in the A/C of your home) during peak midday heat

Dealing with the heat can feel like a full-time job, but with some prep, it’s manageable. But heat isn’t the only thing your pet must contend with: parasites are out and about in full force during the summer months, too. 

Parasite Risks in Warm Weather 

Warm weather makes parasites happy. Or, rather, it makes them active and healthy, leading to increased activity from the three parasites that bother pets the most: fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. 

These pests cause more than just discomfort to our pets. Ticks can transmit conditions like Lyme disease and erlichiosis, both of which can be debilitating for pets. Fleas can transmit tapeworms to pets and the humans in the household, too. 

And mosquitoes carry heartworm larvae. With just one bite, they can transmit the larvae to an unsuspecting pet, which can then lead to a serious, hard-to-treat, and potentially fatal disease.

The good news is that using products backed by veterinary science—such as heartworm, flea, and tick preventives—can dramatically reduce your pet’s risk of these complications. 

From topical to oral to collar-based, there are a variety of forms in which these preventives come. You and your pet’s vet can work together to choose the one that best fits your lifestyle.

Just remember: for pets in Mesa, AZ, parasite prevention should happen all year long.

Summer Prep for Pets

Prepare your pet for a happy and healthy summer with a wellness visit from our friendly team at Curem Veterinary Care. We can give your cat or dog a thorough wellness exam and make sure all preventive measures are in place for a heat-safe, parasite-free summer. 

Call us today at (480) 787-0544 to schedule an appointment today.