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Show ' Is It Hot Yet? by Diane Allen You might have noticed that summer seems to have arrived. I can guarantee that your dog or cat has also noticed! Summer can be a great time for pets and their owners - time for long walks and play times - but can also be serious problems for pets if you dont pay careful attention to temperatures. How Hot is Hot? A dogs normal body temperature ranges from 101 to 103. Temps are measured with rectal thermometers, and every dog owner should have one. As most folks know, dogs dont sweat much (they actually do have sweat glands on their foot pads, but they arent sufficient to cool an overheated animal); they generally pant to cool themselves. Think about this mechanism: outside air is passed through the respiratory system (lungs, airways, mouth and nose); as it travels, it picks up moisture; the evaporating moisture in the mouth and nose is actually what cools the animal. It has always amazed me how many black dogs there are in the Moab area (I have three that are mostly d coats definitely heat up faster black...). than white, blond or lighter colors. Most dogs, left to their own devices, are smart enough to seek shade and cooler locations when needed. Your dog may dig holes under bushes or trees where the dirt is cool and damp, lie in the kitchen or bathroom on a tile or linoleum floor or hang out under the swamp cooler. Smart creature! However, most of us arent content to let them be couch potatoes. We drag them on hikes or runs or bike rides along with us. How often do you Dark-colore- stop and give them water? Hikes in places like Negro Bill Canyon or Mill Creek or in the La Sals often provide available water. Drier locations require that you carry water for your friend. Stop at least once an hour, let the dog drink as much as she wants, then rest for five to ten minutes. excess heat. Overweight dogs suffer more in the heat than lean ones. Older dogs may not deal with heat as well as they did when they were younger, or as well as their younger companions. bulldogs, pugs or breeds, like Short-nose- d Pekinese, dont have the same nasal space to cool or regulate the air they inhale that other breeds do. Many dogs will stop exercising and take a break when they serious brain damage!) while - dont they will not drink enough in advance of working to avoid dehydration. You can slightly increase this by adding a touch of milk to the dogs water (no more than lA cup milk to 2 cups of water - more can cause diarrhea!). How Can You Tell If a Dog is Overheated? Obviously, dogs pant a lot and theyre just fine. The hotter they are, the farther out the tongue hangs. Their tongues become darker (more pink) as they try to vent run in just for a is inexcusable minute make them continue when they need to cool down. Other dogs will run, cruelty. Dont do it! What Should I Do When.... If youve totally blown it, and yoiff dog is overheated, there are a few play or work until they have serious you somewhere need it. Let them do so heat problems. If panting is interfering with their you breathing, definitely need to let him cool off for a bit. Particularly if youre training (obedience, herding, agility, searching), the tip of a dogs tongue may curl up. Thats a sign of combined heat and mental stress. Pay attention! Dont overdo it. Serious heat problems are noticeable. Some or all of these be may symptoms present; the dog may begin to stagger or collapse, have seizures, may vomit or have diarrhea, may appear may be d, disinterested in anything you suggest including drinking water, or may simply seem a bit off. drink when theyre thirsty, but your car if its over 65F!! The glass magnifies the sun streaming down, and temperatures can rise very quickly. If its going to be that hot, simply leave your friend at home or board him in a kennel. Killing or harming your dog (consider glassy-eye- Dogs a few inches is generally not sufficient if outside temperatures are above 65F. Parking in the shade, using a windshield reflector and leaving windows open all help. But NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave a dog in How Hot is Too Hot? Every dog has a different tolerance to heat, just like people do. Some Moab natives, both the and the fourlegged varieties, do just fine walking around in temperatures in the low 90s. Visitors from Minnesota, Maine or Montana might begin to get uncomfortable in the high 70s! If your dog acclimates gradually, as year-roun- d residents do, they may be able to tolerate much higher temperatures than a newcomer. One place where too hot happens very quickly is in vehicles. Leaving a window cracked or even open two-legg- ed simple things you can do -if shes not too far gone. Immediately cool the animal down. Dont wrap her in towels, even wet ones: the idea is to dissipate the heat, not trap it next to her body. If the dogs temperature is over 106F, immerse the dog in cool water (not iced water). If the water is toccold, the surface blood vessels will slam shut, and the dogs core temp will actually increase. Monitor the dogs temp every two minutes. Stop the cooling process once the dogs temp drops to 104 degrees. Do not wait until the temp falls to normal because it may continue to drop. Never assume just cooling is enough. The dog will still need intensive veterinary care. If no tub is available, sponge down her belly, armpits, groin and head with cool water. If no water is available get some! The next best thing you can do is put the animal in the shade. Another option might be to put the dog in a vehicle and drive with the windows down; better is an car. But if shes truly overheated, this may not be sufficient. As long as the dog is conscious, try to get her to drink some cool water - slowly, f she doesnt seem interested, drip it into her mouth from a bike bottle, your fingers, or a piece of cloth. Generally, its best to stick to straight water. If the animal seems confused, or doesnt extremely lethargic, looks glassy-eye- - not-so-go- od d, respond to your voice, get her to a veterinarian immediately. Summer heat can take a serious toll on your best friend. Use common sense and ensure her well-bein- g and comfort. HUMANE SOCIETY OF MOAB VALLEY Dog Treat Recipe of the Month RUMPOLES ROCKS (A Doggone Good Snack) The Humane Society of Moab Valley invites you to our Adoption Davs: the second Saturday of the month at City Market and the fourth Saturday at the Post Office. One goal is to greatly reduce the number of animals euthanized each year for want of a good home. The other objective is to have every dog and cat spayed or neutered - to prevent additional homeless animals. Come to the next Adoption Day and see whos ready to become your lifelong companion! Talk with the crew there and see how you might be able to help - by volunteering to foster animals temporarily (we do need more foster homes!), helping with various projects, making donations, or even staffing the Adoption Day! Or call for more information. Stay tuned for more information ' about No More Homeless Pets in Utah! 259-HUMA- 3 Vi cups whole wheat flour cups oatmeal Vi cup powdered milk Vi cup bacon grease or leftover fat 2 eggs 2 tsp. cod-livoil 1 Vi cups canned beef or chicken gravy 3 er i Preheat the oven to 325. Combine all the above ingredients and drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for SO minutes and cool the rocks on wire racks in a safe place. Store them in a covered container and distribute as behavior dictates. Makes 30. Note; Use caution with the distribution here these are not low-csnacks!) - al J |
