HELENA — As wildfire season intensifies across Montana and other parts of the country, veterinarians are reminding pet owners to pay close attention to how smoke and extreme heat can affect their animals.
Experts say wildfire smoke can irritate pets’ eyes, noses and upper airways, especially in older animals and small breed dogs. Common symptoms include watery or red eyes, sneezing, runny noses, pawing at the face and coughing caused by smoke inhalation.
Veterinarians at Alpine Animal Clinic say they’ve seen an increase in pets showing mild respiratory symptoms over the past several weeks, particularly small dogs developing coughs as smoky conditions continue to linger in the area.
The summer heat can make those conditions worse. Veterinarians recommend keeping pets indoors during the hottest parts of the day and encouraging indoor play when possible.
If pets need exercise outside, experts say later evening hours — around 7 or 8 p.m. — are often cooler and may offer slightly better air quality.
Dr. Jen Majerus with Alpine Animal Clinic says pet owners should remember that animals can’t communicate discomfort the same way people can.
“We’re not able to tell that from a dog or from a cat, and so being just mindful of that, and being like ‘oh they might not like being out here when it’s this hot’ and just remembering that because they can’t tell you that, so I think that’s the biggest reason we have to keep them in mind,” Majerus said.
Veterinarians say most cases they’ve seen so far have been mild, and some symptoms may resemble seasonal allergies. Still, they encourage pet owners to monitor their animals closely and contact a veterinarian if symptoms persist.
