Summer adventures can leave behind more than happy memories and muddy paw prints. Weeks of sunny walks, humid afternoons, backyard play, swimming, and time spent on warm surfaces may affect your pet in ways that are easy to overlook. Your dog or cat may still be eating, playing, and greeting you normally while quietly dealing with irritated skin, sore paws, uncomfortable ears, or lingering fatigue.

August is Itchy Pet Awareness Month, a reminder for pet owners to look beneath the surface when scratching, licking, or chewing becomes more frequent. Still, itchy skin is only one part of an end-of-summer health check. Taking a closer look before fall can help identify small changes before they become more uncomfortable or difficult to treat.

A Pet Who Looks Fine May Still Feel Uncomfortable

Pets do not always make discomfort obvious. Dogs may continue playing even when their paws are tender, while cats often hide changes by sleeping more, avoiding touch, or grooming privately. Consequently, subtle signs may be mistaken for normal behavior or simply go unnoticed during a busy summer.

Instead of looking for one specific symptom, think about whether anything has changed from your pet’s usual routine. Perhaps your dog now pauses during walks, your cat is grooming one area more frequently, or your pet seems less interested in being touched around the ears or paws.

Changes worth watching include:

• Scratching, chewing, rubbing, or licking more than usual
• Thinning hair, redness, scabs, flakes, or unusual skin odor
• Head shaking or sensitivity around the ears
• Persistent paw licking or reluctance to walk
• Sleeping more or losing interest in normal activities
• Changes in appetite, thirst, or bathroom habits

None of these signs points to one diagnosis by itself. In fact, itching and inflammation may be associated with allergies, parasites, bacterial or yeast infections, and several other conditions. The American Animal Hospital Association’s guidelines for allergic skin disease emphasize the importance of a systematic veterinary evaluation rather than assuming every itchy pet has the same condition.

Start With the Skin and Coat

Late summer is a useful time to run your hands gently through your pet’s coat. Look beneath the fur, especially around the belly, armpits, base of the tail, neck, face, and between the toes. Check for redness, bumps, damp patches, hair loss, scabs, or areas that feel warmer than the surrounding skin.

In dogs, skin discomfort often appears as scratching, paw chewing, rubbing against furniture, or repeatedly licking the same spot. Cats may show fewer obvious signs. Instead, they might overgroom until their coat becomes thin, develop small scabs, or become less tolerant of handling.

Although seasonal allergens may contribute to itching, they are not the only possibility. Fleas, mites, food sensitivities, contact irritation, and secondary infections can produce similar symptoms. Furthermore, more than one issue may be present at the same time.

Avoid applying human creams, essential oils, or leftover medications to irritated skin without veterinary guidance. Some products can be harmful when licked, while others may temporarily hide symptoms without addressing their underlying cause.

Do Not Forget the Ears

Summer swimming, bathing, rain, and humid weather can leave moisture around the ears. However, allergies, foreign material, parasites, and other medical problems may also cause ear discomfort. That is why ear problems should not automatically be blamed on water or the season.

Take a quick look at the visible portion of each ear. A healthy ear generally should not have a strong odor, heavy discharge, marked redness, or obvious swelling. Contact your veterinarian if you notice:

• Frequent head shaking
• Scratching around the ears or face
• Redness or swelling
• Brown, yellow, or dark discharge
• An unusual or unpleasant odor
• Pain when the ear is touched
• A head tilt or loss of balance

Resist the urge to insert cotton swabs or household cleaning solutions into the ear canal. An ear that looks dirty may actually be inflamed, infected, injured, or affected by something lodged deeper inside.

When skin or ear symptoms require further investigation, Morganna Animal Clinic and Boarding Kennel offers in-house diagnostics, including cytology. By examining a sample under a microscope, the veterinary team can look for cells, bacteria, yeast, and other clues that may help guide treatment.

Check the Paws and Sun-Exposed Areas

Sidewalks, driveways, patios, pool decks, and other surfaces can become much warmer than the surrounding air. Even when a pet does not develop an obvious burn, repeated walks on hot or rough ground may leave paw pads dry, irritated, cracked, or sensitive.

Gently examine every paw, including the spaces between the toes. Watch for peeling, redness, blisters, cuts, swelling, or debris caught in the fur. Paw licking can also signal allergies, an insect sting, a broken nail, a foreign object, or another painful problem, so do not assume the pavement is always responsible.

The American Veterinary Medical Association’s warm-weather safety guidance reminds pet owners that hot sidewalks and roads can burn paw pads. Choosing grass, shaded routes, and cooler walking times can reduce exposure during the remaining warm days.

Sun-exposed skin deserves attention, too. Dogs with short, thin, or light-colored coats may be more vulnerable around the nose, ears, belly, and other areas with limited fur. Red, tender, flaky, or blistered skin should be evaluated rather than treated with human sunscreen or skin products. Cornell University’s veterinary guidance for dogs in the sun recommends using only dog-safe sun protection and avoiding human products that may contain unsafe ingredients.

Notice Changes in Energy and Recovery

A pet who seems tired after a hot afternoon may simply need water, shade, and rest. On the other hand, a lasting change in energy can be an early sign that something else is happening.

Think about how quickly your pet recovers after activity. Are they panting longer than usual? Do they hesitate before climbing stairs? Have walks become shorter? Are they seeking cool surfaces more often or showing less enthusiasm for play?

Also pay attention to appetite and water consumption. Increased thirst, reduced appetite, weakness, vomiting, or unusual behavior should not be dismissed as a normal response to summer. These changes can occur for many reasons, and some require prompt medical care.

Heavy panting, excessive drooling, difficulty breathing, confusion, repeated vomiting, weakness, seizures, or collapse may indicate a life-threatening heat-related emergency. Cornell University’s summer heat safety recommendations advise seeking immediate veterinary care when these serious signs are present.

Try a Five-Minute End-of-Summer Check

A simple head-to-tail check at home can help you notice changes while they are still small. Choose a calm moment when your pet is relaxed, and never force handling if an area appears painful.

Work through this quick checklist:

1. Look at the eyes and face. Check for redness, swelling, discharge, or repeated rubbing.
2. Smell and inspect the ears. Notice discharge, odor, redness, or sensitivity.
3. Part the coat in several places. Look for irritated skin, flakes, scabs, bumps, or hair loss.
4. Feel along the body. Watch for a reaction when you touch a specific area.
5. Examine every paw. Include the nails, pads, and spaces between the toes.
6. Review recent habits. Consider appetite, drinking, sleep, activity, grooming, and bathroom routines.
7. Take photos of anything unusual. A clear photo can help you monitor whether a spot is changing and provide useful context during an appointment.

This home check is not a substitute for a veterinary examination. Rather, it helps you describe what you have noticed, when it started, and whether it has changed.

Occasional scratching or a tired afternoon does not always indicate a serious problem. However, symptoms that continue, worsen, interrupt sleep, cause hair loss, or change your pet’s normal behavior deserve professional attention.

A wellness and preventative care appointment gives your veterinarian an opportunity to evaluate your pet’s skin, ears, paws, hydration, weight, and overall condition. If a concern develops suddenly or cannot wait for a routine visit, Morganna Animal Clinic and Boarding Kennel also provides same-day urgent care appointments for non-critical health concerns.

Our compassionate team proudly cares for dogs and cats from Manassas, Manassas Park, Centreville, Wellington, Westchester, Gainesville, Haymarket, Fairfax, Burke, South Riding, Ashton Glen, Buckhall, Nokesville, Bristow, Linton Hall, Bull Run, Sudley, Yorkshire, and Clifton. Contact Morganna Animal Clinic and Boarding Kennel to schedule an appointment and help your furry companion step into fall feeling comfortable, healthy, and ready for the season ahead.