Despite near-freezing temperatures last week, spring is well under way. On our daily walks, Pablo and I see more dogs and more people out and about, including moms and dads with babes and toddlers in tow. This is good, because most dogs and most people need more exercise.

		Online only Read more news in Linda Wilson Fuoco's Pet Tales Journal

My e-mail is full of information from animal organizations and companies that make pet products. They all have tips about keeping pets safe in spring and summer.

This advice includes keeping your pet properly hydrated, warding off fleas and ticks and ... here's a new one: sunscreen for dogs.

Do a Google search for "sunscreen for dogs" and you'll see that many companies make this product, and many are priced under $10. Companies tend to say that their product is "non-greasy."

If your dog is out in the sun for more than 30 minutes, it needs a sunscreen, according to these manufacturers.

Breeds such as Chinese crested, which have very little body hair, come to mind here, but one news release cautions us to keep an eye on "unprotected areas like the tips of her ears, the skin around her lips and the tip of her nose." This tip comes from a company called LuLu Leash, which makes leashes, not sunscreen, so they're not just pushing their product.

"Though the fur helps protect your pet, they can still get sunburned, especially if they have light skin and hair," says the LuLu release.

I've wondered about that, because Pablo is a parti-colored cocker spaniel, mostly white with red and black patches and freckles. Like many dogs with white fur or hair, his skin is pink.

I've assumed he could get sunburned, but I've avoided sunscreen because I believe pets and people generally need less exposure to chemicals, not more. We avoid walks between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is hottest.

Dogs can overheat a lot faster than we do. You should carry a water bottle for you and your dog, unless you walk in a neighborhood such as Mt. Lebanon's Washington Road business district where several merchants put water bowls out for dogs. Now there's something that I'd like to see catch on.

Readers and dog walkers: Let me know if any other businesses are putting out water bowls. Also, I'd love to hear from anyone who has used pet sunscreen and what your veterinarians are saying about these products.

As the weather warms, I'm still seeing dogs in parked cars. In the summer, temperatures inside parked cars can reach 120 degrees within minutes. Every year, dogs die because their owners left them in the car "just for a few minutes."

Warm temperatures make flowers bloom and flea eggs hatch. Regular brushing and combing will quickly reveal the presence of flea eggs or fleas on your pets. Consult your veterinarian about what to do. Do not buy over-the-counter medications without talking to your vet. And never use old products that have been stored for years, especially if the directions are no longer readable.

Every year I get e-mails from distraught owners whose pets have gotten sick or even died after flea and tick medications were used. Usually the animals died because the product wasn't used properly. Medications formulated for dogs can be lethal when applied to cats.

Don't use flea collars. Evidence continues to mount that they aren't very effective, and they expose g pets and people to a constant supply of toxic chemicals.

A recent study from Environmental Working Group says chemicals used to soften plastic products, including flea collars and pet toys, are showing up in the blood and urine of test animals and could cause health problems.

Read more about that in an April 30 story in the Post-Gazette Health section, or you can go to www.ewg.org for the full report.