It's not just us humans who come alive in the summer. Even pets break out of their usual routines – and that increases the risk of injuries. But the dangers that threaten pets in the summer are not the same as during the rest of the year.
Summer is hectic for veterinarians. The acute veterinary visits increase, while the planned visits decrease, notes Patrik Olsson, business area manager for pets at the insurance company Agria.
That snake bites, heat strokes, and wound injuries increase among our pets in the summer is perhaps not so surprising, considering they move around more outdoors then.
In fact, it's more common for cats to get snake-bitten than dogs. But cats also get into fights more often in the summer since they're outdoors more and exposed to other cats, says Patrik Olsson.
Patrik Olsson tells us that there's an increase in cat owners seeking help for wound injuries caused by fights during the summer. There's also an increase in dog owners seeking help because their dogs have eaten grill and picnic leftovers, especially corn.
There are many problems with corn cobs thrown into nature. It takes just a moment for the dog to swallow it, and the corn cob gets stuck very easily in the stomach or intestines, he says.
To save the dog, a large and expensive operation is often required.
When it comes to dogs, it still happens that they're left in hot cars, says Patrik Olsson.
Unfortunately, dogs die in cars every summer, despite all the warnings.
Even rabbits are sensitive to high temperatures, which is evident from the number of veterinary visits during the summer.
Many take the rabbit out of its cage, but what you might not think about is that rabbits are very heat-sensitive, says Patrik Olsson.