Faithful readers, bear with me. I'm compelled to review some summer problems that are so important, they require reiteration.

Please, don't leave your pet in a car unattended this summer. I see this all the time. Just yesterday, outside a drugstore, three young women ran in to buy their beach supplies and left their howling dog in the car.

A semi-closed car can reach 140 degrees in 15 minutes in our South Florida sun. Every year, we hear of human tragedies where an infant has been left in a hot car — please don't let this happen to your pet (or your child, of course).

Now let's discuss bufo toads, that non-native toxic toad that got shipped to us from South America via Miami. If your pet licks, bites or gets the toads toxin sprayed in his face, it can cause him to collapse and/or die. If your dog or cat (although this is seen much more frequently in dogs) has been outside unattended, and you find him salivating and staggering, wipe his mouth out with a wet washcloth or sponge to remove the poison.

Do not use a water hose, as you might drown him or drive the poison into his lungs. Take him to a vet immediately.

Remember that summer is supposed to be a fun time for outdoor activity — so stay safe, and keep your pet that way, too!