My dog almost died

[jmann4]

NOT REALLY. JUST GETTING YOUR ATTENTION.

Hey Gang,

Just wanted to remind everyone about the heat. Spring and Fall are the times of year when heat exhaustion is very dangerous.

I have almost lost both my dogs to heat stroke so I'm extra paranoid about it. Today Angel and Honey got so hot I freaked out. Scarred the hell out of Honey trying to get her to quit playing.

Anyway, I just wanted to remind everyone about how dangerous this time of year is and take extra precautions for those active dogs!

[Ariel Payopay]

You crackhead. You had me. Thanks for the tip though.

[HugABull1]

Just wanted to add - a reminder to not leave your dogs in your car, even for a minute. It gets really hot, really fast, and cracking the windows is NOT ENOUGH. My cousins dog died after being accidentally left in the back of a truck on the day of the Sept 11th attack - it was HORRIBLE.

Keep those puppers cool

[Boo439]

We hafta watch the heat down here, for sure. Darn central Florida... Sun beats down on us like a red-headed step-child

[heather]

today on a walk jade pounced on something and then next thing i know her mouth is foaming like crazy. i was real worried and when i looked down she had evidently tried to put a toad in her mouth and it secreted a bad taste..

[jmann4]

today on a walk jade pounced on something and then next thing i know her mouth is foaming like crazy. i was real worried and when i looked down she had evidently tried to put a toad in her mouth and it secreted a bad taste.. :crybaby: lol

If it was a cane toad that was poision it secreted. I doubt a little would hurt an animal as big as a dog but I'd still make sure she got plenty of water just to make sure it washed the stuff out.

[mnp13]

today on a walk jade pounced on something and then next thing i know her mouth is foaming like crazy. i was real worried and when i looked down she had evidently tried to put a toad in her mouth and it secreted a bad taste..

The lab I grew up with did that once from then on when she saw a toda she'd follow it and bark but wouldn't DARE touch it!!!!

mmmmm... mouth full of pee....

[mnp13]

Two dogs were killed by their owner that way last summer three streets from mine. He 'accidently' left them in the van from about 2 in the afternoon until ten the next morning. He 'didn't realize' that it would hurt them. It was July and about 94 degrees with 90% humidity.

There was also a case last summer of two police dogs dieing. The officer left them in the car with the engine running and the AC on. While he was gone the car stalled and two dogs died, I think the third one made it. That was somewhere on the west coast I believe.

Then again, at least once a summer there is a report of a baby dieing from being left in a car as well. People are just plain stupid.

[Ickey]

Thanks for the heads up! It gets pretty hot here in Southern Cali.

[kendall]

It's especially dangerous with high drive dogs. If you have a dog like that-- (you know, super hyper, run and play all the time) don't trust it to simply stop playing when it gets too hot. Depending on their level of drive, they sometimes will run themselves to death.
At my aunt's place, we have to watch the Border Collies really carefully because they are all business. They won't stop when they start to overheat.

[katsola]

I read somewhere it can take as little as 10 minutes for a dog or child to be overcome by the heat in a car. I think it was specifically Houston they mentioned this. My car has a thermometer in it and it supposedly is about 10-15 degrees higher/hotter in the car than outside. One summer it was above the 100's several days and the humidity here is high.

One woman at a local park where Maya and I go to sometimes lost a dog at that park due to heat stroke. She would always remind people to take it easy and to bring water for their dogs. She didn't even know what was happening before it was too late.

I don't know if this s true but I heard because of their short hair pit bulls or their one coat (?) that they are very susceptible to the heat and cold and have a harder time of adjusting than other dogs.

Also someone told me to wet their paws down when they take a break to cool down.

At a local track walking jogging path here they allow dogs on leash to walk jog with their owners. They even have dog water fountains placed with the people one. It has a little bowl with a drain for those that don't drink from the faucet part. Makes is sanitary and not attract mosquitos. Very nice!

[jmann4]

I don't know if this s true but I heard because of their short hair pit bulls or their one coat (?) that they are very susceptible to the heat and cold and have a harder time of adjusting than other dogs.

Also someone told me to wet their paws down when they take a break to cool down.

Their short hair allows more sun to hit them. I'd say sun burn is more likely to happen. In cold weather I'm sure they have a disadvantage but it would help not to have all that fur in the summer.

Wetting down the belly and groin is the first place people should start when combating heat exhaustion. Then placing them in the car in front of the air conditioner and getting them to the vet in the shortest time possible is recommended.

When my girls are hot I always poor water on their belly and groin area to cool them down. Even if they aren't over heating. Like I said, I've come close to losing both my dogs to the heat so I'm a bit paranoid about it.

[katsola]

Thanks for clarifying where to poor water on them and about their fur. I am paranoid after that woman told me about her dog who died. Her dog was ball crazy like Maya too. I have a story followed by a question...

I was dog sitting my friends dogs during the summer and they had two very oversized water bowls which I filled with bags of ice and water. I was worried about them getting too hot or the water heating up. I added the water so it would cool the water but not be too cold-- I wasn't sure if just the ice by itself would be too much of a shock. Any thoughts on that? What temp of water do you use when cooling them down? I know that's a little obsessive/picky-- but does that matter?

It's funny. They were very tickled as they thought the ice was treats of some sort. They would line up and sit and I would hand them a piece of ice and they would take it in their mouths and runoff and eat them. Not too many like this, but very silly indeed. I think it really helped them out as they can be destructive in the house when he's out of town so they spend large blocks of time outside. He had several friends stop by to let them in and out for Ac breaks inside too.

[halecjaclyn]

katsola - I heard that too, I think it was actually on channel 13 here in Houston.
As for the ice, our dogs treat ice like they would a treat. They love it! It comes in handy when we're having a "cookie" shortage, .

[mnp13]

I added the water so it would cool the water but not be too cold-- I wasn't sure if just the ice by itself would be too much of a shock. Any thoughts on that? What temp of water do you use when cooling them down? I know that's a little obsessive/picky-- but does that matter?

Drinking water can be ice cold, but you don't want to go 'ice cold' in a bath if your dog is overheating. Yes, the water should be cold, but not too cold or it can be just as shocking to their system.

I was told (I can't remember by who) that using running cold water is the best way to cool them off. Standing water will qickly heat up on the skin's surface. Wetting them down in the shade and then letting a hose run on their belly and back legs does the job.