We can’t emphasize the importance of looking out for your best friend during this summer heat! From our friend at About.com, here are some quick tips. For more information, read our 3-part series.
If your dog is showing the first signs of heat exhaustion, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, the first thing you must do is remove him from the confining area. Nine times out of ten, heat exhaustion occurs while the dog is confined, whether it is in a car, crate, or doghouse.
Take the dog to shade, and soak him with cool water. Do NOT use extremely cold or iced water. This will cause blood vessels to constrict and will stop the heat from escaping.
You can apply ice packs to the areas underneath his front legs, and to the groin area for rapid blood cooling. Give your dog enough water to wet his mouth and throat, but do NOT allow your dog to drink copious amounts!
Take your dog’s temperature, this is done anally to get the most accurate reading.
Prepare your dog for transport to the nearest emergency animal clinic.
Do NOT cover your dog, even with a cold towel. This will prevent the heat from escaping.
Do NOT place him back in his crate, but keep him with you, with windows down and air conditioning on high, to allow evaporation which will aid in the cooling process.
Yes, there is also a danger that dog can become too cold. Monitor the temperatures and stop the cooling process as soon as your dog’s temperature reads normally again.
Continue on the vet’s, your dog is not saved yet!
It seems there is never a shortage of things to fear – bleck!! But as the harbinger of safety (ha), I was happy to come across a poster at a national dog trial this year which contained the ever-growing list of toxic plants. It’s always surprising to me when I see “new” things on the list – plants in my very own backyard!
This fabulous poster was sponsored by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation and was reprinted from the Merck Veterinary Manual, 8th ed., 1998. The poster is available for purchase and the information is also available online.
The following is simply a list of the plants, but the poster also provides information on habit/distribution, affected animals, important characteristics, toxic principles and effects and treatment.
- Agave Americana: aka Century Plant, American aloe
- Aglaonema modestrum: aka Chinese evergreen, Painted drop tongue
- Agrostemma githago: aka Corn cockle
- Allium cepa, A canadense: aka Onion (cultivated & wild)
- Aloe barbadensis: aka Barbados aloe, Curacao aloe
- Apocynum: aka Dogbanes
- Asclepias: aka Milkweeds
- Brunfelsia pauciflora var floribunda: aka Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow, Lady of the night
- Caladium: aka Fancy leaf caladium, Angel wings
- Cannabis sativa: aka Mary Jane, Marijuana, Grass, Pot (you know the slang!)
- Capsicum annuum: aka Cherry pepper, Chili pepper, Ornamental pepper, Capsicum
- Cestrum diurnum, C nocturnum: aka Day-blooming Jessamine & Night-blooming Jessamine, respectively
- Chlorophytum: aka Spider plant, St. Bernards’s lily, Airplane plant
- Cicuta: aka Water hemlock
- Colchium autumnale lilaceae: aka Autumn crocus, Crocus, Fall crocus, Meadow saffron, Wonder bulb
- Conium maculatum: aka Poison hemlock
- Convallaria majalis: aka Lily-of-the-valley, Conval lily, Mayflower
- Crotalaria: aka Rattlebox
- Cyclamen: aka Snowbread, Shooting Star
- Datura stamonium: aka Jimson weed, Thorn apple
- Daubentonia punicea: aka Rattlebox, Purple sesbane
- Dieffenbachia: aka Dumbcane
- Digitalis purpurea: aka Foxglove
- Dracaena: aka Dragon tree
- Euphorbia pulcherrima: aka Poinsettia, Christmas flower, Christmas star
- Gelsemium sepervirens: aka Yellow jessamine, Evening trumpet flower, Carolina jessamine
- Hyacinthus: aka Hyacinths
- Ilex aquifolium: aka English holly, European holly
- Kalanchoe: aka Air plant, Cathedral bells
- Kalmia: aka Laurel, Ivybush, Lambkill
- Lilium longi florm: aka Easter lily, Trumpet lily
- Nerium oleander: aka Oleander
- Persea Americana: aka Avocado pear, Alligator pear
- Philodendron
- Phoradendron flavescens: aka Mistletoe
- Ricinus commusis: aka Castor bean
- Rhododendron: aka Azalea
- Sansevieria: aka Snake plant, Mother-in-law’s tongue
- Schefflera: aka Umbrella Tree
- Sesbania: vesicara: aka Bladderpod, Rattlebox, Sesbane, Coffeebean
- Solanum pseudocapsicum: aka Jerusalem cherry
- Solanum: aka Nightshades, Jerusalem cherry, Potato, Horse nettle, Buffalo Bur
- Sorghum vulgare: aka Sudan grass, Kafir, Durra, Milo, Broomcorn, Schrock
- Taxus: aka Yew
- Xanthium: aka Cocklebur
- Zamia pumila: aka Coontie, Florida arrowroot, Seminole bread, Cycad
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.
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
