Staying Hydrated in the Southern Heat - #PetHydrationMonth

July is one of the hottest months in South Carolina.  We've already had six days that were 100+ degrees and the forecast is for at least four days in the 100s before July ends.  When it gets this hot, it's very important to stay hydrated.  PetSafe® has designated July as National Pet Hydration Month to help educate pet parents about the importance of proper hydration year round.

Turn on the faucet - I'm thirsty!

Did you know that 80% of a cat's body is made up of water compared to 55-60% in a human?  Pets need to drink one ounce of water per pound of body weight each day?  It's important for us to get proper hydration each day to maintain our heath and avoid trips to the vet.  Getting proper hydration can help

• prevent urinary tract infections and urinary disease
• aid with energy levels and temperature regulation
• speed recovery time from sickness or surgery

PetSafe brand has developed a infographic to help pet parents determine how much water their fur children need each day based on their body weight.  The infographic also outlines four easy steps to keep pets hydrated in the heat of the summer.

Infographic courtesy PetSafe

Living in the South is even more difficult for us because of our long fur, which we keep all year (we are not shaved).  We turn on our AC in March (sometimes earlier) and it stays on until November (or later) and our ceiling fans run 24/7 all year.  During the hot summer months, you can find us resting directly below the AC vents or the ceiling fans. We have little direct sunlight, but Mom Paula usually keeps the blinds closed during the day to provide shade in the house.  Cats are notorious for not drinking enough water, so pet parents should consider adding water to dry food and provide provide plenty of wet food because of its moisture content.  The most important thing is to have plenty of water available for pets to drink.  We encourage pet parents to consider pet fountains.  We were lucky that our first mom had pet fountains in her home, so we were introduced to them as kittens.  There are many varieties of pet fountains on the market and you should choose the fountain that meets the needs and desires of your kitties.

Brulee likes to drink from her Drinkwell® Sedona Fountain from PetSafe®

PetSafe brand offers a variety of fountains to meet the needs of pets.  Mom Paula had a Drinkwell® Platinum® Pet Fountain ready for us when we arrived five years ago.  It was humorous watching Truffle learn to drink from the fountain because of it's water flow.  The Platinum was our favorite because Truffle could drink from the waterfall and the bowl was wide enough for Brulee to drink. We had to stop using it because we developed feline acne from the plastic.  We received the Drinkwell® Sedona from PetSafe earlier this year to review and it's Brulee's favorite water fountain.  The water flows over the dome and the motor is extremely quiet.  The bowl is wide enough for Brulee to drink with her flat face.

PetSafe Drinkwell 360™ Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain

Truffle prefers drinking from a stream of water.  We received the Drinkwell 360™ Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain from PetSafe free to review as part of Pet Hydration Month.  The 360 Multi-Pet fountain is made of stainless steel (to help avoid feline acne) and holds 1 gallon of water.  The fountain comes with interchangeable spout rings that provide 1-5 water streams.  Mom Paula began with the four streams so we could drink water from any side of the fountain.  This fountain has a submersible pump for almost silent operation and a replaceable activated carbon filter to help remove bad tastes and odors.  The fountain is dishwasher safe (excluding the pump) and it best for cats and small/medium dogs.  The 360 Multi-Pet fountain is a large fountain, so you will need to find a good location in your home.  We have the PetSafe Pagoda Fountain that we shared with you in a previous blog post last year.  Mom Paula makes sure we have fountains in almost every room of the house to help us stay hydrated, especially during the hot months.  If your pet doesn't get enough water, she is in danger of dehydration.

Dehydration can occur when fluids in our bodies drop to less than the normal 80% as a result of reduced water intake or an increase loss of fluids.  Pet parents must be aware of the symptoms of dehydration that can occur anytime during the year.  Common symptoms of dehydration include:

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Lack of energy
• Excessive and ongoing panting
• Loss of appetite
• Sunken, dry eyes
• Dry and stick gums
• Loss of skin elasticity

PetSafe brand has developed a how-to video (see above) to help pet parents administer a test to determine if their pet is dehydrated.  If dehydration is suspected, pet parents should take their cats and/or dogs to the veterinarian immediately where they can be closely monitored and receive IV fluids.  To get more information about proper pet hydration, please visit www.petsafe.net/water.

Truffle and Brulee, as kittens, with their Drinkwell Platinum® Fountain

We strongly encourage pet parents to consider a pet fountain for their cats and/or dogs.  We have a variety to satisfy our individual drinking preferences and the room location.  Even if you don't have a pet fountain, please have plenty of fresh drinking water available for your fur children.


Disclosure:  We received the Drinkwell 360™ Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain for free as part of National Pet Hydration Month and in exchange for our fair and honest review.  PetSafe is not responsible for the contents of this post.  Sweet Purrfections only shares products and information we feel will be of interest to our readers.