HELOISE Protect your pet from dangers of summer heat

Dear Readers: Summer heat can be a killer for both people and pets. The Humane Society recommends that you take the following precautions if you have a pet that lives outdoors, especially in very hot, humid states such as Florida or dry states like Arizona. It doesn't take much for an animal to get heatstroke.
If you notice that your pet is excessively thirsty, walking with a lack of coordination, has a rapid heartbeat, glazed eyes, purple or red tongue and is salivating heavily, it might be having a heatstroke -- take action immediately!
Give it some small sips of water, and get your pet to a cool place fast, either in the house or under a tree.
Apply ice packs to the body around the neck, head and chest, or better yet, submerge it in a tub of cool water (not ice-cold).
Call the veterinarian and tell him or her that you will be there shortly, as soon as you feel your pet is comfortable and cooled down.
This dangerous condition can be prevented if pets can be kept indoors (if possible) in the hottest part of the day. If they can't be inside, make it most comfortable for them outdoors with shade and water, and even a plastic kiddie pool filled with water can help dogs keep cool. And, naturally, never keep a pet in a parked car during the heat of the day -- many pets die every year from heatstroke in cars in a matter of minutes. Heloise
Dear Readers: Evelyn Clavette of Fowler owns a very big cat, 26-pound Fat Frisky. The photo Evelyn sent shows her friend Brenda with the cat sitting on her lap, almost covering it completely. He lost 1 pound recently and she's trying to help him drop more weight. Visit my Web site, www.Heloise.com, to see Fat Frisky. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I discovered a fantastic bed for my cocker spaniel. After checking prices for pet beds, I decided to make one that would be less expensive, using egg-crate-type foam that is sold to put on top of mattresses. The foam comes in all sizes.
The twin-size foam is perfect for Honey. After folding it in half (egg-crate sides together), I put a few stitches through it to keep it together. If you have a couple of dogs, one twin size is fine, cut in half. All you need is an old sheet to cover it all around for easy laundering. Your pet will love it! Helen S., via e-mail
Dear Readers: Don't empty your pet bird's food dish into the trash when you are ready to fill it again. Take it outside and put the leftovers in a bird feeder or in the yard. You would be surprised how much seed is left among the seed husks. Why waste it when our wild feathered friends can enjoy it?
If you don't have a bird feeder, you can make one from most anything -- a plastic pot or tray that can hang from a tree branch, a shallow pan that can rest on a tree stump, even a tight-woven wicker basket that hangs or is wedged between branches. Heloise
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
King Features Syndicate