Protect your pets from the sun as well

Dear Readers: We humans have become pretty savvy about the damage the SUN can do to our skin, but have you ever stopped to wonder about what it could do to your pets? It's not just the heat you need to worry about.
In case you didn't know, pets can get sunburned, too -- most often on their noses, ears and stomachs ... even all over if they've just been shaved.
To protect your pets, whether cat or dog, follow these preventive hints to keep the sun from doing any damage that could possibly lead to skin cancer:
Try to keep them out of direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day.
Provide shade or a way for them to get indoors.
Protect hairless areas like the tip of the nose or ears with sunscreen made specifically for animals (especially important for animals with light-colored fur or pink noses). Note: The sunscreen made for humans could be poisonous if your pet ingests it while cleaning itself, so don't use it on animals!
To treat pet sunburns that appear minor, drape a cool, damp cloth over the area. But if the sunburn looks severe, or if your pet develops blisters, have your vet take a look ASAP. Heloise
Dear Readers: Jean Swanson of San Antonio sent in a photo of Eenie and Scaredy, two feral cats she has tamed and claimed as her own. In the photo, they are nuzzling head to head. With the help of the Animal Defense League, they have been spayed and given their shots, and they are truly funny and loving pets.
Go to www.Heloise.com and click on Pet of the Week to see this adorable picture! Heloise
Dear Readers: In a recent column regarding making hummingbird nectar with 4 parts water and 1 part plain white granulated sugar, the directions for storing in the refrigerator said for one to two days. Oops, what we meant was to change the nectar in the feeders every couple of days, especially in hot weather or if in direct sunlight. The unused nectar will keep in the fridge for quite some time, as it's simply "sugar water" or simple syrup. Thanks to all who wrote asking about the length of storage time. Hint: If you see dead ants floating in the feeder, clean it ASAP -- the "remains" produce a type of acid that is offensive to hummingbirds and keeps them away from the feeder! Heloise
Dear Readers: If you have a doggy door for your pet, be sure to check the magnets that keep the door flap closed. When they can't make good contact, the door flap can be left flapping in the wind, so unwanted critters can visit! We recently had a "small," almost 2-foot-long garter snake visit us! Yup, David put on a heavy glove and escorted our "houseguest" outside -- far, far away from our house. Heloise
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate