Tips to keep your pets safe… Beat the Summer Heat

Imagine wearing a fur coat during the hot summer months. Uncomfortable? Just imagine how uncomfortable and dangerous it can be for your dogs and cats if they are not protected.

Here are some tips to keep our beloved pets safe:

1. Avoid injury to the feet. Stay off the hot pavement, especially black surfaces. This can seriously injure their sensitive pads.

2. Prevent heat exhaustion. NEVER leave your dog or cat in the car unless you keep the air-conditioning on.( not likely you will do this ) Even leaving the windows down in a cool shaded area is not safe as the car can heat up in a matter of minutes.

3. Keep them cool. Give your pet a good haircut, especially dogs with very long and think fur. A good brushing every day will help get rid of the undercoat and make your pet much more comfy.

4. Hydrate. Make sure you ALWAYS leave enough water down to drink. Dehydration is the number one killer of pets in the hot summer months. They sell vests and mats for dogs that are filled with a cooling gel for those who are outside in the heat.

5. Get some exercise. If you and your dog like to jog, for goodness sake make sure you run early in the morning or in the early evening before the sun heats up. Exercise is great for both of you; but not on very hot days. Remember, the sand and the pavement get very hot; so unless you put sneakers or booties on Rover, go early.

6. Tans are nice but did you know that your pooch can get sunburn? Well, he can. So… put sunscreen on his little nose and on his ears. These are very venerable places that burn easily and can be very dangerous.

7. Signs of heat exhaustion:

§ Heavy rapid panting

§ Unsteady walking

§ Purple or dark red tongue

§ Vomiting

§ Glazed eyes

8. Treatment for heat exhaustion:

§ Move your pet out of the heat into air-conditioning or shade.

§ Put cold towels, unless you have ice packs, on the neck, head and chest

§ Put them in water but make sure it is tepid or cool, not COLD. This would shock their system and be very dangerous.

§ Give very small amounts of cool water or ice cubes to lick.

Heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue are all signs of possible heat exhaustion. What to do: Move the animal into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, neck and chest or immerse them in cool (not cold) water. Let them drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes and consider taking them directly to a veterinarian.

Your Dog's Health: GDV

Look out for Bloat /"Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus" ("GDV")

It was not until my sister’s dog Simi, a beautiful, healthy German Shepherd, died suddenly, that we learned of Bloat, or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, (GDV)

Bloat is a very serious health risk that many dog owners know very little about. It is the second leading killer of dogs with cancer being the first. Deep-chested dogs, such as German Shepherds, Great Danes, and Dobermans are most often effected.

Bloating of the stomach is often related to swallowed air. It usually happens when there is an abnormal accumulation of air, fluid, or foam in the stomach ("gastric dilatation"). Stress is a significant contributing factor. Bloat can occur with or without twisting ("volvulus"). The twisting causes air, food, and water to be trapped in the stomach. The stomach obstructs veins in the abdomen, leading to low blood pressure, shock, and damage to internal organs which can kill a dog within one hour. What you can do in an emergency is to Be prepared! Know in advance what you would do if you suspect bloating.

	If your regular vet doesn't have 24-hour emergency service, know which nearby vet you would use. Keep the phone number handy. **Dogs in rescue situations are more prone to bloat!! The dog has been passed from one facility/rescuer/foster to another; had it's food changed a number of times within a couple weeks; and suffered tremendously emotional (and therefore physical) stress during that time. Rescues should be STRICTLY observed during those first 2-3 critical weeks in the foster/adoptive homes, and all guidelines must be observed!! SYMPTOMS. . .
	Attempts to vomit (usually unsuccessful); may occur every 5-30 minutes
	Doesn't act like usual self Perhaps the earliest warning sign and may be the only sign that almost always occurs
	Significant anxiety and restlessness One of the earliest warning signs and seems fairly typical
	"Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance This seems to occur fairly frequently
	Pale or off-color gums
	Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages

** The most significant finding related to preventive methods used by owners, namely raising the food bowl, (instead of keeping it on the ground ) actually increased the risk of bloat by approximately 200%!!

Your dog will let you know when he is sick. Pay attention to the signs. Know if he’s not acting himself and act quickly. You might just save his life.

Can you train a dog to become a “Seizure” dog?

I often wonder how my dog Truffles always seems to know when I’m not feeling well, or better yet, how he seems to know before I get that lousy headache. He has demonstrated this behavior often enough to prompt my investigation of. . . is this a gift, or can it be taught?

After studying several cases on dogs that have helped their masters during seizures or other physical crisis, maybe the term seizure assistance dog would be a more valid term.

Dogs have been trained for several years to be assistance dogs to people with disabilities. There have been many reports of dogs assisting someone during a seizure, such as alerting a family member or lying on a person to prevent injury. They can be trained to seek help, sound an alarm, or just sit by their master until help arrives; however, there doesn’t seem to be any conclusive research that a dog can be trained to forewarn of an impending seizure.

My best guess is that in most incidences, these incredible companion dogs, because of their strong bond with their masters, have the ability to pick up on certain energy (as before a thunderstorm) or notice a subtle change in behavior.

My personal explanation is that I like to think that these dogs have a rare gift from God; and that if they were given this gift, it should be shared with the world.