Hot Weather and Pets

It is starting to get hot here in Arizona, so what does that mean for your family dog?

Even tough the weather right now is comfortable for us, our dog may not be able to tolerate that hike you want to take him on. Dog’s cannot sweat and have to pant to cool themselves. If they are unable to cool themselves, they can become hyperthermic or develop heat stroke. This can lead to sever organ damage and even death. 

Dogs with short noses (like Pugs) and overweight pets are more susceptible to over heating.

Do not walk dogs on hot days. Even in the coolest part of the day it can be too hot for your dog and if you are taking him/her out, consider wetting down their hair coat first.

Watch out for the water coming out of the water hose when you go to spray down your dog. You can cause serious burns from the scalding hot water.

Do NOT leave pets in parked cars, even with the windows cracked. Two minutes is too long, and leaving them in the car is often fatal. Be careful in our heat!

Things to consider for your dog during these next several “hot” months:

• Have a shady spot for them.
• Have cool water for them at all times.
• Supplement those extra hot days with some ice in their water bowl.
• You may even want to spray their area down with water from time to time to help keep them a few degrees cooler.

Zoe

Zoe is getting older and has arthritis. Her mom takes great care of her and  keeps her active with walks. She is able to go on walks because she is kept pain free on her carefully prescribed medication.

Older dogs need to see their vet at least once a year, preferably every six months. One year for a dog is thought to be similar to a seven-year period in human life. Imagine only going to your doctor only once every seven years! Catching problem early on helps keep them pain free and healthy.

There are things that you can watch for that warrant visiting a vet sooner:

•  If their weight has a noticeable change. If they become heavier or slimmer without any change to their diet.
•  If they eating or drinking habits change.
• If they start coughing and it becomes regular.
• If they have lumps and bumps that change fairly quickly in size.

As they age it is even more important that they have good oral hygiene.  Dogs need to have their teeth brushed regularly. Watch for bad breath, if they don’t like being touched around the mouth, or if they have red or bleeding gums.

We all love our pets and keeping them comfortable as they age is a great way to show them we love them.

Sassy Sue

Sassy Sue is a 12-year-old spayed female Pug. She is a regular patient at First Regional Animal Hospital.

On a recent day, the owner brought her in because she was reluctant to walk and would stand in a “hunched backed” manner. Through her careful work up, it was determined that Sassy Sue suffered from a pinched nerve in her back. She also had years worth of arthritis in her knees and hips which compounded her mobility issues. 

After several weeks of kennel confinement (conventional treatment), Laser Therapy was implemented for her back and arthritic joints. After the first couple of treatments, her owner noticed improvement. After six weeks of treatment her owner reports, “she is running around like a puppy again”.

13 animal emergencies that should receive immediate veterinary consultation or care

1. Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop within 5 minutes
2. Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing and gagging
3. Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, coughing up blood, or blood in urine
4. Inability to urinate or pass feces (stool), or obvious pain associated with urinating or passing stool
5. Injuries to your pet's eye(s)
6. You suspect or know your pet has eaten something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
7. Seizures and/or staggering
8. Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move leg(s)
9. Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
10. Heat stress or heatstroke
11. Severe vomiting or diarrhea – more than 2 episodes in a 24-hour period, or either of these combined with obvious illness or any of the other problems listed here
12. Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
13. Unconsciousness

The bottom line is that ANY concern about your pet's health warrants, at minimum, a call to your veterinarian.

Adapted from an article posted by the AVMA.