How to keep your family, pets safe in the mid-Missouri heat

Temperatures are heating up and trying to stay cool becomes a top priority for mid-Missourians. To find a cooling center near you, click here.

Dehydration: how to prevent and how to spot

Garrett Buschjost, the head trainer at the MU Human Performance Institute in Columbia, said they are constantly encouraging their athletes to stay hydrated.

“If you feel thirsty, you’re starting dehydration,” he said.

He said dehydration affects people of all ages equally, but the intensity of a workout can make the difference, as well as how much water you’ve been drinking throughout the day.

While you can keep track of how many ounces or glasses of water you drink, Buschjost said a really simple way to check if you’re hydrated is to keep track of teh color of your urine.

The clearer your urine, the more hydrated you are.

“We go to the bathroom all the time, so that’s something simple you can see and be like, ‘I need to hydrate,’ versus ‘How much do I have for that day?'” he said.

Buschjost said if someone is dehydrated, they’ll be sweating more than usual, their eyes will be glazed over and they will be hunched as if in pain.

Keeping pets cool

Many people bring their dogs out in the summer to parks or on walks but pet owners should stay aware of the risk extreme summer heat has on their pets.

A local veterinarian said it’s important for people to watch out for their animals when temperatures get so extremely high.

“I think most people will notice if you have your animals out in this heat, they are more than happy to come back in,” said Veterinarian Greg Chapman.

He said he personally would not leave his pets out for a long duration of time.

Chapman also advises to watch out for your dogs paws when they are walking on the hot pavement. He said temperatures over 100 degrees can hurt their paws and even cause them to burn.

It’s best to keep you animals indoors as much as possible and if a pet is outside it’s vital for them to have access to shade and plenty of water, he said.

Car maintenance in extreme heat

The summer months can put extra stress on people’s vehicles. A mechanic recommends people bring in their car in to get checked to ensure it’s in good condition to drive in the heat.

“If you have an old radiator hose or you’ve got a really old tire and it’s hitting the hot pavement that can be a problem,” said Brandan Winfrey.

He said people should check several things such as engine coolant and their car battery. Tire pressure is also affected by the heat.

“You wanna make sure you are checking your trailer tires out,” he said. “Especially if you have a boat and are going to the lake.”