Baby it's hot out here!
Today's heat advisoryapplies to humans, of course, but what about our furry friends?
Dr. Jen Brown of the Lake Orion Veterinary Hospital said some pets, especially those with light coats and light skin, "are going to be more prone to sunburn," and all pets are susceptible to heat injuries, which she said they see every summer at the clinic.
"It’s just better to provide shade and water and some kind of shelter," she said.
Outdoor hazards are also more prevelant this time of year.
"In the summer time, we see more problems with antifreeze toxicity," she said, adding that it is best to keep pets away from lawn fertilizer, rodent bait and other chemicals.
"We see d-CON toxicity," she said. "With all this rain, snail bait – if people put out things for snails or slugs – that causes liver failure if dogs get that, and it can be pretty severe.”
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) also provides several tips on how to keep your dogs, cats and other pets safe in the hot weather:
- Talk to your veterinarian.The ASPCA recommends taking your pet in for a check-up in the spring. It's also a good time to talk about hot-weather tips with your veterinarian.
- Provide shade and water. Like humans, your pet can get dehydrated quickly in the heat, so be sure you leave out plenty of clean, fresh water and provide shade for your pet during the day.
- Watch for dehydration and overheating. Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, drooling, weakness, stupor and even collapse, according to the ASPCA website. In more severe cases, pets can have seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
- Don't leave your pet in the car.Pets should never be left in the car – especially during extreme hot (or cold) weather.
- Be safe near water.Not all pets can swim well, so be sure to supervise if your pet goes swimming. The ASPCA advises pet owners rinse off their pets after swimming in a chlorine pool, as the chemicals in the water can be harsh.
- Watch your pets near windows.According to the ASPCA, more pets are injured during the warmer months when they fall out of windows that either don't have screens or have screens that are not properly secured.
- Give your pet a summer 'do.Shaving your dog's (or cat's) coat down to about an inch can keep them cooler while still providing protection from the sun. Brushing your pet's coat regularly and also help keep them cool.
- Stay off of hot asphalt."Being so close the ground, your pooch's body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn," the ASPCA website reads. "Keep walks during these times to a minimum."
- Avoid using harsh chemicals near pets.Some flea and tick products, chemicals used to kill rodents and many fertilizers – all commonly used during warmer months – can be dangerous for your pet. The ASPCA also advises you keep citronella candles out of your pet's reach. If you think your pet has ingested a poison, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Centerat 888-426-4435.
- Keep table food away from Fido and Fluffy.Many human foods and drinks are hazardous to pets, including alcohol, raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with the sweetener xylitol, according to the ASPCA.
- Keep your pets away from fireworks.On top of being dangerous because they can burn or injure your pet, fireworks also contain "potentially toxic substances such as potassium nitrate, copper, chlorates, arsenic and other heavy metals," the ASPCA cautions.
Time of Year!
It's that time of year, the weather getting warmer and the bugs start coming out.
Make an appointment with your vet to get your dog checked for heart worm and get them on the medications that prevent it.
It was a very wet spring and many pools of water to breed mosquitos, and here is an article that I pulled from www.doghealth411.com
Heartworms (Latin name Dirofilaria immitis) are parasitic worms that are common in both dogs and cats. Like their name suggests, they live in the dog's heart, normally free-floating in the right ventricle and nearby blood vessels. The worms are transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes which pass the worm larvae through their saliva. The presence of heartworms can be very dangerous to the dog's health. Although the dog will not display signs of infection until it has progressed considerably, heartworms can be life threatening and are sometimes difficult to detect and diagnose.
Signs of Heartworm Infection
When a dog is first infected with heartworms, there are literally no signs and the presence of heartworms can not be detected even with a blood test. Once the worm larva reaches the heart and matures, however, signs that are detectible by X-ray start to develop almost immediately. These include damage to the blood vessels around the heart and lungs. It is rare that a dog will be infected by only one worm and as the mature worms in the heart grow in size and number, the conditions worsen, eventually causing a blockage of blood flow. It is at this point that the dog will start to display physical signs which can include pain, hypertension, difficulty breathing, lethargy or even fainting. In extremely progressed cases the dog can suffer from heart failure and death although by the time the heartworm disease has reached this stage the owner has probably realized that something is going on and sought veterinary care.
Treating Heartworm Infection
Once a dog has been diagnosed as having heartworms, treatment must be started. What this treatment is and how it is administered is dependant on the stage of heartworm infection.
Generally, there are four stages of heartworm disease.
Stage One— Dogs at the lowest risk — heartworms are detected in X-rays but all other tests appear normal.
Stage Two— Dogs are moderately infected, may have some difficulty breathing and be demonstrating coughing.
Stage Three— Dogs are severely affected and may display weight loss, have difficulty breathing, blood tests likely show kidney and/or liver damage.
Stage Four— Dogs have Vena Cava Syndrome and are in shock, essentially dying — surgery may be undertaken to remove worms, but there is no guarantee that it will save the dog.
When it comes to heartworms in dogs, prevention truly is the best medicine. The best time to begin a preventative treatment is early in puppy-hood, before the dog is seven months old since dogs older than seven months are at a great risk for adverse reactions to the preventative treatments.
About The Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a dog lover and animal expert from Nashville, TN. Visit www.doghealth411.comfor more information on dog health, the care of dogs, and dog travel.
