For pets that are sensitive to heat, the steamy summer months are not only uncomfortable, they are also the time when the risk of fatal heatstroke is highest. Thousands of pets die needlessly every summer from over-exposure to heat.

Learn how to protect your pets from this easy-to-prevent killer. Here's how:

Heastroke is an emergency that needs medical attention as soon as possible. Even before you take your pet to the vet, however, you need to start cooling her body down by putting her in a tub of cool water, for example, or by applying wet towels or ice packs to her body, says Susan G. Synn, D.V. M., a veterinarian in Atlanta. When you are in the car, turn the air conditioner on high and get to the vet as quickly as you can.

The Signs

* Your pet pants a lot even when the temperature is cool.
* They appear tired during the warm months.
* Their gums are suddenly bright red.

The Cause - Dogs and cats don't take off their coats in warm weather, and they don't sweat like people do. (An exception is the nearly hairless Sphynx cat, which sweats so much that it needs to be toweled off every day.) Pets pant in order to dispel heat, but it isn't a very efficient system; they naturally run a little on the warm side. and some pets, such as those with dark, heavy coats, are much more susceptible to heat than others.

Veterinarians worry when pets seem unusually warm, because overheating may be a symptom of underlying problems. A dog who can't walk half a block without overheating may have a heart problem or be overweight.

Solution - Best Bet! Encourage them to drink. Pets that are sensitive to heat need to drink a lot of water, especially during the summer months. The problem is that the body's thirst mechanism ins't always as sensitive as it should be, so pets may not drink all the water they really need. To encourage them to drink more, Dr. Harrison recommends giving them ice chips or ice cubes throughout the day. Many pets like crunching ice, and it helps get extra fluids into their systems.

Another way to get the benefits of water - at least with dogs - is to get them wet. Spritzing them with a hose or encouraging them to lie in a kiddie pool will cool them off in a hurry. Even sprinkling the grass where they play will keep them a little cooler, Dr. Harrison says.

Even on mild days, your pet's coat traps a lot of heat and holds it next to the skin. Putting them in front of a fan or, better yet, near an air conditioner will circulate air through the fur and keep them cool.

Most importantly: Never, never leave your pet in a closed car.