HELOISE Pets are susceptible to the effects of the sun, too

Dear Readers: We humans have become pretty savvy about the damage the sun can do to our skin. It can burn and cause cancer, but did you know that pets, especially those with light-color fur, are susceptible, especially around the top of the ears and nose?
One of my assistants owned a beautiful white-and-blond cat. She noticed sores that wouldn't heal around the top of one of the ears, and also a sore on the side of the cat's nose. She treated it with antibiotics, never knowing that it was the start of skin cancer.
After a couple of weeks, she took Buffy to the veterinarian and was told that the cat had skin cancer, and it was traveling down her ear. It continued to grow on both the ear and nose, and Joyce had no alternative but to have her put to sleep.
Be careful in the summer. Protect your pets by keeping them out of the sun -- especially during the hottest parts of the day. Provide some shade and, if you can, take them indoors.
Put a sunscreen on your pet made specifically for animals, and keep checking for blisters, which could be a severe sunburn. If you notice blisters, take your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Don't just presume it's a plain old sore. This could save your pet's life. Heloise
Dear Readers: Rebecca Sharpe of Connelly Springs, N.C., owns seven cats. The photo she sent shows every one of them lined up having breakfast. They are all "rescues" and bring tremendous joy to Rebecca's life. Visit my Web site, www.Heloise.com, and click on This Week's Pet to see these seven kitties.
If you have an unusual, favorite photo of your pet, send it to: Heloise/PetPhoto, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279, and we will try to print it. Heloise
Dear Readers: Now that summer is upon us, I'd like to remind everyone about the danger of leaving children and pets in a parked car! Even though it could be a beautiful 85-degree day outside, it is a hotbox inside, with temperatures easily reaching 102 in about 10 minutes.
If the day happens to have high humidity, it can get even more deadly in the car. So, please, if you are planning on shopping, even for a short time, leave your pet home, where it will be cool and comfortable, and never leave a child in the car unattended for even one minute. We've all heard horror stories, so don't let it happen to you. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Our shallow birdbath did not hold enough water for the birds to bathe in. Solution: a deep, 15-inch, round feed pan from a farm store. The pan just fits inside the rim of the birdbath and holds enough water so the birds can bathe. Bea, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
King Features Syndicate