At last, summer is here!

But hot, sunny days can make life difficult for our pets and so owners need to take extra measures to keep their animals healthy at this time of year.

Here are some timely reminders of what we should be doing to keep our pets safe when it’s hot.

Dogs in cars - we received several calls last week from members of the public who were concerned about dogs being left in vehicles.

Even with a vehicle parked in shade, with its windows open and a blanket over the windscreen, the temperature inside is likely to cause a dog discomfort, or worse - it could cause heatstroke and death.

Please leave your dogs at home when the weather is as hot as it has been.

When exercising your dog try to avoid the hottest part of the day, and don’t play with them outside when the temperatures are high.

Many dogs just don’t know when to stop and will continue to play with a ball despite over-heating.

A paddling pool may help your dog to cool down, and they should have access to water at all times. Heatstroke can kill, and overweight dogs are particularly at risk.

Cats are generally less energetic in warm weather and they are adept at finding shady places to rest.

However, those with white noses and ears are at risk of getting these areas sunburnt, and so they should have a high-factor, pet-safe sunscreen applied.

White cats are particularly vulnerable to developing skin cancers, and problems tend to start as sores that don’t heal - so be extra vigilant.

If you are a rabbit owner please check your pet’s fur at least twice a day, particularly at its rear end (under the tail, which can be hidden from view).

Flystrike is a huge problem in the summer months - flies are attracted to moist and dirty areas to lay their eggs which rapidly hatch into maggots.

There are licensed products that can be applied to a rabbit’s fur to prevent fly attraction, but good husbandry and hygiene will minimise the problem.

Back to dogs, we have our very own sun-worshipper in Bella, the beautiful American bulldog, and we need to make sure she wears a sunscreen cream on her face and ears if she’s outdoors for any length of time.

Bella has spent several weeks in our kennels and is still looking for someone to adopt her, despite being a playful bundle of fun who simply loves people.

It is such a shame that large dogs, like Bella, are consistently overlooked by potential adopters because of their size.

Like most young dogs, Bella will benefit from further training, although she already has excellent manners and she is responsive to commands, and she will repay the time and effort invested in her many times over.

The ManxSPCA’s play barn is now a venue for dog training classes.

There are a range of classes aimed at different ages of dog, including adolescent ones - i.e. between 18 weeks and 18 months old.

The adolescent classes take place on Sunday mornings at 10.00am and they are repeated on Tuesday evenings at 8.30pm. For more information contact Toby Tomlinson on 07495 274648.