 As summer sets in and temperatures continue to rise, pets can overheat quickly. Knowing the risks and warning signs can keep your pets safe. If you have an outdoor dog, like an outside dog that you keep tied up or maybe in a kennel, make sure that you check on it all the time. Make sure it's got adequate water, adequate shade somewhere to get out of the sun. Some people say a doghouse, they can get in it, but a doghouse gets really hot and if it's in direct sunlight. But the main thing is to keep check up on it and make sure the water goes full, fresh water, cool water. Not water, it's been sitting there for a day or two, but make sure it has fresh water every day, cool water. Heat exhaustion is a common risk during the summer months and knowing the warning signs of heat exhaustion in pets is crucial. Excessive panting, heavy breathing, a dry nose, drooling, mild weakness, and a temperature of over 104 degrees are classic signs of heat exhaustion. If a dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms, bring them into a cool environment immediately. High temperatures can also make blacktop and pavement dangerous for pets. That blacktop gets really hot and it's just like if you go out barefoot and get on a blacktop, a dog's the same way, their pads. If you're walking your dog, make sure you put something over their pads or just walk them in the grass and stuff like that. Just try to kick them off the blacktop because blacktop gets really, really hot in the summertime and it will blister their piles and once you blister their piles, they'll start licking on them, then you gotta put them on antibiotics and stuff like that, but make sure you either got something on their piles or you keep them off the blacktop in the grass somewhere. We are Pikeville Medical Center and we are an amazing place to work. Healthcare heroes of all types work here, all who deserve great rewards. So while our heroes are working hard to take care of our patients and visitors, we are taking care of them with top-tier benefits, higher pay rates, and great sign-on bonuses. So join our team today. So what are you waiting for? Apply today! Incredible opportunities await at PMCjobs.org. The heat poses a greater risk for long-haired, elderly, short-nosed, and overweight dogs. Knowing about your breed's specific risk factors can help keep them safe this summer. Different breeds like your English Bulldogs they have a hard time breathing anyways, indoor or outdoors. If you got it outdoors make sure that you got it somewhere cool because the heat will get them down quicker on like your heavier set dogs is harder on them, but just keep an eye on them. Different breeds of dogs act different in the weather, you know. Now if you've got a house dog that's used to being in the house in our condition and you put it outside to play, you might want to keep an eye on it because it's not used to the heat. For more information on how to keep your pets safe this summer, visit ASPCA.org. For Mountain Top News, I'm Brianna Robinson.