Bees and wasps become more active in the summer months – increasing the risk of your dog receiving a nasty sting as they play outside.

You can tell that your dog might have been stung by a bee or wasp if you notice:

• swelling in a certain area
• your dog biting, holding up or pawing at the area where they’ve been stung
• your dog in distress, pacing or whining

Most stings are uncomfortable but will quickly go down. However, an allergic reaction can be severe and even fatal, so if your dog is stung by a bee or wasp, watch out for:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Breathing difficulties
• Weakness
• Collapsing
• Anaemia (pale gums)
• Excessive swelling spreading away from the sting

Call your vet immediately if your dog was stung by a bee or wasp and is displaying any of these symptoms – they will need emergency dog bee sting treatment.

As they buzz around, bees and wasps can be tempting for your cat to play with – but they could get a nasty sting as a result. If your cat has been stung by a bee or wasp, you may see:

• swelling in a certain area – this might be harder to spot in long-haired cats
• your cat nibbling or pawing at the area where they’ve been stung
• your cat meowing or yowling more than usual

Adders hibernate in the winter but come out during the warmer months. They mostly live in grassy, coastal, and wooded areas, so you could come across them on a summer walk. An adder will only bite your dog if startled – but their venom can cause serious harm and even death. For this reason, it’s safest to avoid walking your dog in areas where adders are known to live, especially between June and August when they’re most active.

You may not see an adder bite your dog, so it’s important to be aware of the symptoms:

• Swelling – this is especially dangerous around your dog’s head and neck, as it can affect their breathing
• Bite marks
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Anaemia (pale gums)
• Panting
• Drooling
• Bruising and bleeding
• Seizures (fits)
• Breathing difficulty
• Collapsing
• Death – an adder bite to a dog can be immediately fatal if the venom is injected straight into the bloodstream

If an adder bites your dog, here’s what to do:

Identify the snake if you can – Several species of snakes live in the UK, but adders have a distinctive V shape on their head. Don’t look for or get close to the snake, as it may bite you.

Keep your dog still. Don’t touch the bite. Don’t apply a bandage – this will slow the spread of venom around their body

Call your vet straight away – an adder bite in dogs is an emergency, and will require immediate treatment

Antifreeze is made with a chemical called ethene glycol, which has a very sweet taste. However, giving into the temptation of a taste is very dangerous: antifreeze poisoning in cats can be very serious, causing kidney failure and even death.

In the summer, antifreeze poisoning in cats can become more common as overheating car engines may leak water coolant. As well as regularly checking your car for leaks, you can help to prevent antifreeze poisoning in cats by:

• keeping antifreeze away from pets, in clearly labelled, sealed containers
• cleaning up any spills straight away
• disposing of antifreeze safely – your local authority can give you advice on how to do this

Some plants toxic to dogs and cats start to bloom in the summer. Take a look at our article for a list of common plants toxic to dogs and cats you might come across in the warmer months.

If you want to know how to keep your cat cool or how to spot the signs of heatstroke in dogs, we’ve got you covered. Our pet experts share their tips in this article on looking after dogs and cats in hot weather.

Summer thunderstorms can be frightening for pets. As well as the loud noises and flashes of lightning, dogs may also sense barometric pressure changes and hear low-frequency sounds before humans can.

If your dog is shaking, whining, barking and pacing in bad weather, you can easily tell that your dog is scared of thunder. But it may be less obvious: drooling, yawning, drinking more water than usual, and excessive panting in dogs can all be signs of stress.

If your dog is scared of thunder, you can help by:

• staying calm – dogs can easily pick up on our emotions, so acting relaxed can help reduce their stress
• keeping your dog indoors during storms – and making sure they’re microchipped, in case they run off while spooked
• distracting your dog – giving them a chew toy or playing a game can help create positive associations with thunder
• giving your dog a safe place – close the curtains and put your dog in their crate, with blankets draped over to dull the sound of thunder
• not telling your dog off – shouting or getting angry with your pet will only make them more stressed
• quietly playing music to calm dogs – putting on the radio, the TV, or playing dog anxiety music like FRONTLINE^®’s Pawfect Playlist for Dogs, can help distract your pet
• speaking to your vet – if your dog is scared of thunder and nothing seems to help, your vet may be able to offer alternatives such as compression vests, medication or desensitization therapy.

Bees and wasps aren’t the only insects that can pester your pets this summer: fleas and ticks are more active in the warmer months, too. Check out our advice pages for everything you need to know about preventing pet parasites.

We hope you feel more confident about looking after your pet this summer. And you can get more tips from our pet experts on our advice pages.