5 tips to keep your pet happy and healthy

(BPT) Summertime allows you to spend more time outside, enjoying breezy days and a vacation state of mind. But before you get caught up in the nice weather, it's important to keep your furry friends in mind.

Warm temperatures and increased outdoor time can be a recipe for trouble.

Maintaining a pet-friendly lifestyle and home in the summer doesn't have to be expensive. With a few simple tricks, you can ensure your pet will thrive during the sunny summer months.

Keep these tips from D&D Technologies, an award-winning lock and safety company, in mind for a happy and healthy pet:

• Keep head and paws inside the car. While most dogs love to feel the wind in their fur, it can aggravate mucous membranes and blow dust and dirt in their eyes. When your dog's tongue is flying in the breeze, insects or other debris can enter nasal passages or the windpipe, possibly causing an emergency trip to the vet and permanent damage.

• Check your pet's collar regularly. Not only does a too-tight collar cause excruciating pain, but it can literally grow right into your pet's neck. To be safe, you should be able to easily fit two or three fingers between the neck and collar.

• Keep your yard safe. If you like to let your pets roam in your yard, make sure you take precautions. For fenced-in yards, use gate latches. This ensures your pup won't be able to get out and lost on the street.

• Monitor time spent outside. Dogs are more likely to escape when they've been left alone for a long period of time. Don't leave your pet unattended for an extended period of time and make sure to check on him or her frequently.

• Limit exercise on hot days. While you might love taking your dog for a jog on a warm day, be extra careful on warmer days. Adjust the intensity and time of exercise for your pet according to the temperature. Asphalt soaks in the beating sun and can burn your pet's paws, so walk on the grass if possible. On especially hot days, try to exercise during the morning or evening, especially for pets with white-colored ears, who are more prone to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets who will have more difficulty breathing.