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Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 21st 10, 01:59 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Char
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 771
Default Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

by Nate Baxter DVM

The first thing that needs to be understood is that dogs and people are
different enough that most of the info cannot cross lines. I do not profess
to know what the appropriate procedures for people other than what I
learned
in first aid.

Dogs do not lose enough electrolytes thru exercise to make a difference,
but
if the dog gets truly into heat stroke the physiology changes will make
them
necessary. BUT oral replacement at that point is futile, they need
intravenous fluids and electrolytes and lots of it.

Cooling: Evaporative cooling is the most efficient mean of cooling.

However, in a muggy environment, the moisture will not evaporate so cooling
does not happen well. I cool with the coldest water I can find and will use
ice depending on the situation. The best way is to run water over the dog,
so there is always fresh water in contact with the skin. When you immerse a
dog in a tub, the water trapped in the hair coat will get warm next to the
dog, and act as an insulator against the cool water and cooling stops. If
you can run water over the dog and place it in front of a fan that is the
best. Misting the dog with water will only help if you are in a dry
environment or in front of a fan. Just getting the dog wet is not the
point,
you want the water to be cool itself, or to evaporate.

For MOST situations all you will need to do is get the dog in a cooler
environment, ie shade, or in the cab of the truck with the air conditioning
on (driving around so the truck does not overheat and the AC is more
efficient). Up to a couple of years ago, I was very concerned about my dogs
getting too hot in the back of my black pickup with a black cap. New white
truck fixed a lot of that problem. When I had one dog I just pulled the
wire
crate out of the car and put it in some shade and hopefully a breeze. But
having 2 dogs and running from one stake to another, that was not feasible.
So I built a platform to put the wire crates on, this raises the dog up in
the truck box where the air flow is better. Then I placed a 3 speed box fan
in front blowing on the dogs with a foot of space to allow better airflow.
I
purchased a power inverter that connects to the battery and allows the

3 speed fan to run from the truck power. It has an automatic feature that
prevents it from draining the battery. When I turned that fan on medium I
would find that the dogs where asleep, breathing slowly and appeared very
relaxed and comfortable in a matter of 20 minutes or less, even on very hot
muggy days.

Alcohol: I do carry it for emergiencies. It is very effective at cooling
due
to the rapid evaporation. It should be used when other methods are not
working. You should be on your way to the veterinarian before you get to
this point. We recommend using rubbing alcohol, which is propylene alcohol,
not ethyl, for those of you not aware. So do not try to drink it. Alcohol
should be used on the pads and lower feet area where there is little more
than skin and blood vessels over the bones. Use a little bit and let it
evaporate, you can use too much as some is absorbed through the skin. There
are concerns about toxicity, but you have to get the temperature down.

I purchased those cooling pads that you soak in cold water, but found that
the dogs would not lay on them. I would hold them on the back of a dog that
just worked to get a quick cool, but have not used them for years. I also
bought a pair of battery operated fans but found them pretty useless. Spend
your money on the power inverter and get a real fan.

Watching temperatu If you feel your dog is in danger of heat injury,
check its temp and write it down. Keep checking the temp every 3 minutes. I
recommend to get a "rectal glass thermometer. The digital ones for the drug
store I have found to be very unreliable, Don't forget to shake it down
completely each time, sounds silly, but when are worried about your
companion, things tend to get mixed up. This is VERY IMPORTANT**once the
temp STARTS to drop, STOP ALL COOLING EFFORTS. The cooling process will
continue even though you have stopped. If the temp starts at 106.5, and
then
next time it drops to 105.5, stop cooling the dog, dry it off, and continue
monitoring. You will be amazed how it continues to go down. If you do not
stop until the temp is 102, the temp will drop way too low. I cannot
emphasis this point enough.

When the dog is so heated that it is panting severely, only let it have a
few laps of water. Water in the stomach does not cool the dog, you just
need
to keep the mouth wet so the panting is more effective.

Do not worry about hydration until the temp has started down. A dog panting
heavily taking in large amounts of water is a risk of bloat.

Due to the heavy panting they will swallow air, mixed with a large amount
of
water they can bloat. Once the temp is going down and panting has slowed to
more normal panting then allow water. The dog will rehydrate it self after
temp is normal. If the dog has a serious problem and even though you have
gotten the temp normal, get the dog to a vet, as it can still need IV
fluids
and some medication. Also, a case of heat stroke can induce a case of
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (not parvo), with a ton of very bloody diarrhea
and a lot of fluid and electrolyte loss. These cases need aggressive
treatment.

The best method of treatment is prevention. Learn to watch your dog, and
see
the changes in the size of the tongue, and how quickly it goes down. Learn
your dogs response to the different environments, and be careful when you
head south for an early season hunt test or trial. I have been to Nashville
at the end of May, only 5 hours away, but the difference in temp and
humidity did effect the dogs as they were used to more spring weather in
Ohio. Try different things in training to help the dog cool and learn what
works better. Another very important point= Do not swim your hot dog to
cool it then put in put in a box/ tight crate. Remember, evaporation can
not
take place in a tight space, and the box will turn into a sauna and you
will
cook your dog.

Carry a stake out chain, and let the dog cool and dry before putting it up.
I demonstrated this lesson this spring with my 10 month old pup.

After doing a 15 minute session in yard drill on a warm 70+ degree day, she
was panting pretty hard and was pretty hot. She was OK but it was time to
stop. Just for the heck of it I took her temp. She was 103.6, above normal
but too bad for a dog that had just finished working. In my back yard I
have
a 300 gallon Rubbermaid tub filled with water. I took her to it and she
jumped in and out 3-4 times. She appeared totally improved, tongue was much
smaller, and eyes brighter and her full spring was back into her step. So I
re-took her temp and it was 104.2, so even though she looked better she was
hotter. This is a perfect lesson to show the importance of not getting a
hot dog wet and then putting
them in a box. The water on her skin caused the blood vessels to constrict,
decreasing blood flow to the skin. Therefore the hot blood was shunted back
to the dog's core and retained the heat. You may have felt the same thing,
after exercising-- but still being very warm--take a shower and get
cooled off.
As soon as you turn the shower off you start sweating again.

I know this is s bit long, but hopefully this is easy to understand and
helps provide some useful information.

Remember: Prevention. Learn your dog. It is worth the time and effort.

____________ ______

Nate Baxter, DVM

Lebanon, OH
  #2  
Old June 21st 10, 11:24 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
cshenk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,078
Default Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

"Char" wrote
Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs
by Nate Baxter DVM


Excellent message Char and won't remove any of it as bears repeating.

My bit to add is:

- Do not 'assume' a short haired dog can 'handle the heat'. Several of the
hunting sorts in the hound group, in fact do not handle heat all that well.
- Check sidewalks and pavement with bare feet or a hand in hot country. If
you can't stand there without hopping about after 30 seconds, your dog can't
either.
- If your dog doesn't object to a small fan, take a small battery operated
one with you. I have a small one that has a water bottle with ice core
attached (got in Japan but you can find them elsewhere) and sends a cooling
mist when your squeeze it along with constant with air.


The first thing that needs to be understood is that dogs and people are
different enough that most of the info cannot cross lines. I do not
profess
to know what the appropriate procedures for people other than what I
learned
in first aid.

Dogs do not lose enough electrolytes thru exercise to make a difference,
but
if the dog gets truly into heat stroke the physiology changes will make
them
necessary. BUT oral replacement at that point is futile, they need
intravenous fluids and electrolytes and lots of it.

Cooling: Evaporative cooling is the most efficient mean of cooling.

However, in a muggy environment, the moisture will not evaporate so
cooling
does not happen well. I cool with the coldest water I can find and will
use
ice depending on the situation. The best way is to run water over the dog,
so there is always fresh water in contact with the skin. When you immerse
a
dog in a tub, the water trapped in the hair coat will get warm next to the
dog, and act as an insulator against the cool water and cooling stops. If
you can run water over the dog and place it in front of a fan that is the
best. Misting the dog with water will only help if you are in a dry
environment or in front of a fan. Just getting the dog wet is not the
point,
you want the water to be cool itself, or to evaporate.

For MOST situations all you will need to do is get the dog in a cooler
environment, ie shade, or in the cab of the truck with the air
conditioning
on (driving around so the truck does not overheat and the AC is more
efficient). Up to a couple of years ago, I was very concerned about my
dogs
getting too hot in the back of my black pickup with a black cap. New white
truck fixed a lot of that problem. When I had one dog I just pulled the
wire
crate out of the car and put it in some shade and hopefully a breeze. But
having 2 dogs and running from one stake to another, that was not
feasible.
So I built a platform to put the wire crates on, this raises the dog up in
the truck box where the air flow is better. Then I placed a 3 speed box
fan
in front blowing on the dogs with a foot of space to allow better airflow.
I
purchased a power inverter that connects to the battery and allows the

3 speed fan to run from the truck power. It has an automatic feature that
prevents it from draining the battery. When I turned that fan on medium I
would find that the dogs where asleep, breathing slowly and appeared very
relaxed and comfortable in a matter of 20 minutes or less, even on very
hot
muggy days.

Alcohol: I do carry it for emergiencies. It is very effective at cooling
due
to the rapid evaporation. It should be used when other methods are not
working. You should be on your way to the veterinarian before you get to
this point. We recommend using rubbing alcohol, which is propylene
alcohol,
not ethyl, for those of you not aware. So do not try to drink it. Alcohol
should be used on the pads and lower feet area where there is little more
than skin and blood vessels over the bones. Use a little bit and let it
evaporate, you can use too much as some is absorbed through the skin.
There
are concerns about toxicity, but you have to get the temperature down.

I purchased those cooling pads that you soak in cold water, but found that
the dogs would not lay on them. I would hold them on the back of a dog
that
just worked to get a quick cool, but have not used them for years. I also
bought a pair of battery operated fans but found them pretty useless.
Spend
your money on the power inverter and get a real fan.

Watching temperatu If you feel your dog is in danger of heat injury,
check its temp and write it down. Keep checking the temp every 3 minutes.
I
recommend to get a "rectal glass thermometer. The digital ones for the
drug
store I have found to be very unreliable, Don't forget to shake it down
completely each time, sounds silly, but when are worried about your
companion, things tend to get mixed up. This is VERY IMPORTANT**once the
temp STARTS to drop, STOP ALL COOLING EFFORTS. The cooling process will
continue even though you have stopped. If the temp starts at 106.5, and
then
next time it drops to 105.5, stop cooling the dog, dry it off, and
continue
monitoring. You will be amazed how it continues to go down. If you do not
stop until the temp is 102, the temp will drop way too low. I cannot
emphasis this point enough.

When the dog is so heated that it is panting severely, only let it have a
few laps of water. Water in the stomach does not cool the dog, you just
need
to keep the mouth wet so the panting is more effective.

Do not worry about hydration until the temp has started down. A dog
panting
heavily taking in large amounts of water is a risk of bloat.

Due to the heavy panting they will swallow air, mixed with a large amount
of
water they can bloat. Once the temp is going down and panting has slowed
to
more normal panting then allow water. The dog will rehydrate it self after
temp is normal. If the dog has a serious problem and even though you have
gotten the temp normal, get the dog to a vet, as it can still need IV
fluids
and some medication. Also, a case of heat stroke can induce a case of
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (not parvo), with a ton of very bloody
diarrhea
and a lot of fluid and electrolyte loss. These cases need aggressive
treatment.

The best method of treatment is prevention. Learn to watch your dog, and
see
the changes in the size of the tongue, and how quickly it goes down. Learn
your dogs response to the different environments, and be careful when you
head south for an early season hunt test or trial. I have been to
Nashville
at the end of May, only 5 hours away, but the difference in temp and
humidity did effect the dogs as they were used to more spring weather in
Ohio. Try different things in training to help the dog cool and learn what
works better. Another very important point= Do not swim your hot dog to
cool it then put in put in a box/ tight crate. Remember, evaporation can
not
take place in a tight space, and the box will turn into a sauna and you
will
cook your dog.

Carry a stake out chain, and let the dog cool and dry before putting it
up.
I demonstrated this lesson this spring with my 10 month old pup.

After doing a 15 minute session in yard drill on a warm 70+ degree day,
she
was panting pretty hard and was pretty hot. She was OK but it was time to
stop. Just for the heck of it I took her temp. She was 103.6, above normal
but too bad for a dog that had just finished working. In my back yard I
have
a 300 gallon Rubbermaid tub filled with water. I took her to it and she
jumped in and out 3-4 times. She appeared totally improved, tongue was
much
smaller, and eyes brighter and her full spring was back into her step. So
I
re-took her temp and it was 104.2, so even though she looked better she
was
hotter. This is a perfect lesson to show the importance of not getting a
hot dog wet and then putting
them in a box. The water on her skin caused the blood vessels to
constrict,
decreasing blood flow to the skin. Therefore the hot blood was shunted
back
to the dog's core and retained the heat. You may have felt the same thing,
after exercising-- but still being very warm--take a shower and get
cooled off.
As soon as you turn the shower off you start sweating again.

I know this is s bit long, but hopefully this is easy to understand and
helps provide some useful information.

Remember: Prevention. Learn your dog. It is worth the time and effort.

____________ ______

Nate Baxter, DVM

Lebanon, OH


  #3  
Old June 22nd 10, 12:54 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Char
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 771
Default Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

On 6/21/2010 6:24 PM, cshenk wrote:

- Check sidewalks and pavement with bare feet or a hand in hot country.
If you can't stand there without hopping about after 30 seconds, your
dog can't either.


This one happens way too often here in Florida. People have shoes on and
don't realize how hot the road is. I used to do craft shows and I'd see
those idiots walking their dogs on the hot roads all the time. Of
course, if you say anything, and I often did, many would get angry at me
for speaking up for the dog. It doesn't matter how nicely you say it,
nobody wants to look like a moron in public.

Dogs shut up in cars is another problem here in Florida. Once, because
the car had a sunroof and it was open, a cop refused to get the dog out
of the car even though it was panting excessively. No breeze blows
straight down into cars when they are parked. Instead of compassion the
cop was only interested in his interpretation of the law.

In summers I rarely take my dogs for a ride anywhere. It's just too hot.
  #4  
Old June 22nd 10, 10:19 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
cshenk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,078
Default Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

"Char" wrote
cshenk wrote:


- Check sidewalks and pavement with bare feet or a hand in hot country.
If you can't stand there without hopping about after 30 seconds, your
dog can't either.


This one happens way too often here in Florida. People have shoes on and
don't realize how hot the road is. I used to do craft shows and I'd see
those idiots walking their dogs on the hot roads all the time. Of course,
if you say anything, and I often did, many would get angry at me for
speaking up for the dog. It doesn't matter how nicely you say it, nobody
wants to look like a moron in public.


Here too. Not as hot as where you are but definately in the danger zone for
dogs and barefoot people. Today, the heat index was posted as 110F (we got
a computer alert of base black flag with the heat index which I have to
assume was correct).

It really bothers me when I see a clueless person do that. LOL though, one
of my neighbors has little doggie sneakers. One of those itty bitty dogs
who has to run when you are walking to keep up.

Dogs shut up in cars is another problem here in Florida. Once, because the
car had a sunroof and it was open, a cop refused to get the dog out of the
car even though it was panting excessively. No breeze blows straight down
into cars when they are parked. Instead of compassion the cop was only
interested in his interpretation of the law.


GRRRR!!!! I see that too. There is no excuse for leaving a dog alone in a
car. If you aren't some place where you can take the dog in with you, you
shouldn't bring them and that's that.

In summers I rarely take my dogs for a ride anywhere. It's just too hot.


I take Cash places at times, but it's doggie events and I don't have a
truck. Nissan 4dr sedan with good AC. When it's really hot, I cool the car
off before he gets in the back.

He had a follow-up vet check this past weekend (all well thank god). It was
hotter than hell here. I drove the car up to the front of the store as the
pavement was too hot, had Don whisk him right in, then parked the car. I
watched idiots not do this and their dogs mincing, even pulling when the dog
normally didn't. One idiot decided this was the time to practice 'sit' and
'stand still' like the books say when the dog isn't heeling right. I went
over and explained that the tarmac was so hot, there were puddles of melting
asphalt almost (definite soft bits) and how'd HE like to put his bare feet
then bare bottom on that? Fortunately he got the picture and rushed the
dog in.

Folks in cooler climates probably think we are nuts but then, they've never
been a kid in a hot area and blistered the bare calloused skin off their
feet.

Oh and thanks, I did NOT know that a dog can basically steam-bake when wet
with no breeze. I just know from basic observation that Cash isn't as heat
tolerant as the 2foots in the house or the other 4foot. This has had us
change his exercise routine to match. I ride with him now on weekends in
the morning (still cool, streets not hot). Charlotte (in summer break) jogs
him the other days in the morning. *If* it's cool enough and the pavement
as well, he may get a second short spin with me and the bike.

PS: He's now 55lbs of solid muscle and his small 'neck roll' is just excess
skin. Probably more fat between his ears than anyplace else (grin). Had to
let his collar out (muscles I assure you) and his breast-band and tuck in
the waist-lower rib section a bit.


 




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