Lake Anna State Park, Virginia
Time: Overnight camping, short trails
Length: Lots of options
Gear: The usual camping gear
Difficulty: 1 paws
Scenery: 4 paws
Pack: Camping is more fun with a friend!
This past weekend, our OBH pack explored Lake Anna which is one of Virginia’s fabulous state parks. The name is probably a dead give-away, but the campsite is located at one end of Lake Anna which is a large and busy lake, especially in the summer.
We arrived Friday evening and set up in time for some delicious guacamole and chips – yum – and even had time to take the dogs for a short walk as the sun was disappearing. The park has 11 trails covering 15 miles so obviously they are short but can be combined for longer treks. From the park information we learned there are a few more difficult options but we found them to be easy and straightforward.
The campsites are on pea-sized river rock that does create a nice, clean area for setting up and sleeping. HOWEVER, you might want to bring dog boots for your pup! The stones seem to irritate their feet – not at the pad, but up in their feet. One minute they were fine but suddenly Saturday night both Karma and Cannon were walking as if on eggshells. OUCH!
Our weather was 100-degree-hot! And zero breeze! For this we were grateful for the many water opportunities! On Saturday we grabbed our camp chairs and took the Railroad Ford Trail to its tip where we found a little section of water where the dogs could be off-leash (technically a no-no and by the way the hosts at the campground are pretty serious about this!) and play in the water. The boys were in heaven! We hung out for a couple hours – long enough for Karma to learn to really swim and for Cannon to get in deep enough to take a few strokes.
The campground itself had some really nice amenities – bathrooms, showers, place for washing dishes – but sadly by Saturday night the toilets stopped working. Good thing we were in the woods – ha! We also were fortunate enough to have a site meant for campers with full electricity and running water – great for doing dishes. That night we had an amazing dinner of Arctic Char, grilled veggies and marshmallows (of course!) and slept under a full moon.
On Sunday morning, the dogs still were walking on eggshells, the bathrooms hadn’t been magically fixed overnight and it was 90 degrees by 9a. We decided it was too hot to do anything, especially since we had no way to get the dogs to the lake without using their feet! So we packed it up and went home early, having had a wonderful weekend.
This is the third and final blog in our “beating the heat” series. Be safe out there!!
There are ways you can prevent heat stroke from happening in the first place.
- NEVER leave your dog alone in the car on a warm day, regardless of whether the windows are open. Even if the weather outside is not extremely hot, the inside of the car acts like an oven – temperatures can rise to dangerously high levels in a matter of minutes.
- Avoid vigorous exercise on warm days. When outside, opt for shady areas.
- Keep fresh cool water available at all times.
- Certain types of dogs are more sensitive to heat – especially obese dogs and brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds, like Pugs and Bulldogs. Use extreme caution when these dogs are exposed to heat.
Some dogs can recover fully from heat stroke if it is caught early enough. Others suffer permanent organ damage and require lifelong treatment. Sadly, many dogs do not survive heat stroke. Prevention is the key to keeping your dog safe during warmer weather.
This is a continuation of our three-part series on protecting your dog in the heat. Here are some actions you can take if you suspect your dog is in crisis.
If you have even the slightest suspicion that your dog is suffering from heat stoke, you must take immediate action.
1. First, move your dog out of the heat and away from the sun right away.
2. Begin cooling your dog by placing cool, wet rags or washcloths on the body – especially the foot pads and around the head.
3. DO NOT use ice or very cold water! Extreme cold can cause the blood vessels to constrict, preventing the body’s core from cooling and actually causing the internal temperature to further rise. In addition, over-cooling can cause hypothermia, introducing a host of new problems. When the body temperature reaches 103°, stop cooling.
4. Offer your dog cool water, but do not force water into your dog’s mouth.
5. Call or visit your vet right away – even if your dog seems better. Internal damage might not be obvious to the naked eye, so an exam is necessary (and further testing may be recommended).
Tip: recruit others to help you – ask someone to call the vet while others help you cool your dog.
In preparing for our upcoming camping trip I again went to the wonders of the Web to remind me of signs of heat stroke since my mountain dog is particularly heat sensitive (understatement!!).
And I realized that sometimes you just can’t write something any better than someone else already has done. In this case, thanks to About.com and Jenna Stregowski, RVT for helping us understand avoid heat problems!
To make this blog-friendly, I have broken this article into sections. Please forward to your friends and remember that the safety of our dogs is more important than our desire for a long walk or day in the sun!!!
What is Hyperthermia?
Hyperthermia is a term describing an elevation in body temperature. This increase typically occurs as a response to a trigger, such as inflammation in the body or a hot environment. When a dog is exposed to high temperatures, heat stroke or heat exhaustion can result. Heat stroke is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Once the signs of heat stroke are detected, there is precious little time before serious damage – or even death – can occur.
Dogs do not sweat through their skin like humans – they release heat primarily by panting and they sweat through the foot pads and nose. If a dog cannot effectively expel heat, the internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s temperature reaches 106°, damage to the body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible. Unfortunately, too many dogs succumb to heat stroke when it could have been avoided. Learn how to recognize the signs of heat stroke and prevent it from happening to your dog.
Signs of Heat Stroke
The following signs may indicate heat stroke in a dog:
- Increased rectal temperature (over 104° requires action, over 106° is a dire emergency)
- Vigorous panting
- Dark red gums
- Tacky or dry mucus membranes (specifically the gums)
- Lying down and unwilling (or unable) to get up
- Collapse and/or loss of consciousness
- Thick saliva
- Dizziness or disorientation
Fountainhead Regional Park – Blue Trail/Canine Trail
Time: 2 hours
Length: Out and Back
Gear: Lots of water, leash and daypack
Difficulty: 2 paws
Scenery: 4 paws
Pack: You and your dog
If you’re looking for a great trail that’s an easy drive, look no further than Fountainhead Regional Park. Even the entrance to the park is lovely as you wind through the woods to get to the parking lot. Because the weather called for another hot day, we arrived early and found only a few cars in the parking lot – mostly cyclists taking advantage of the great trails.
Karma and I arrived a few minutes ahead of Katina and Cannon so I tied Karma to the SUV while I did a little vehicle reorganization. Know where this is going yet? So, yes, another car parks near us and Karma has to great them breaking yet another cotton-web longline! Seriously?! He immediately went back in the truck while I tied knots in the busted leash. Shheesh.
But I digress. Our partners in crime arrived and we head out on the trail in the corner of the lot marked with blue blazes. There is a mapboard in the parking lot and the trail we chose was not the one favored by those on 2 wheels. We did have several runners pass us and saw a few dogs. Happily while the runners were pretty hardcore, everyone we met was polite and friendly.
At the beginning of the hike we passed a graveyard on the left. Turns out it is the Davis family cemetery and was established in the 1860s. The Davis home was destroyed during the Civil War and the newer house that was built in its place is now also gone.
We hiked out and back spending about 2 hours on the trail. You could easily spend as much time as you want but Karma was letting us know he was getting hot. Even Cannon started feeling the impact of the heat in the second half of the hike.
There were several opportunities to cool the dogs in water as much of the trail follows a stream. Even Cannon, who normally isn’t thrilled by water, got in and splashed around with Karma.
When we were done, Katina and I took seats on the picnic tables and chatted while the dogs rested in the shade.
