Here's how to keep your pets safe during a heat wave

BALTIMORE -- If it's hot outside for you, it's even hotter for your furry friend. As Maryland braces for brutal heat this week, it's a good idea to know how to keep your pet safe. 

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says it's important to know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include:

• Excessive panting or difficulty breathing, 
• Increased heart and respiratory rate, 
• Drooling, 
• Mild weakness,
• Stupor or even collapse,
• Seizures,
• Bloody diarrhea,  
• Vomit, 
• Elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees

The ASPCA has these tips to keep your pets safe:

• Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water
• Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful not to over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot

• Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle

• Don't let your dog linger on hot asphalt. You pet's body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks to a minimum.

Certain animals should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible. Those include animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases.