|
Photo by David Ingram
Pacify the panting
Published September 1, 2006
They call it the “Dog Days of
Summer,” but the August heat isn’t a walk in the park
for dogs or any other animals.
Century-mark heat takes as much out of animals as it
does humans, said Cheryl Krueger, director of the Humane
Society Animal Shelter of New Braunfels. Making sure
outside animals have constant access to cool, fresh
water, plenty of shade and well-ventilated areas are a
few of the ways to help them beat the heat, she said.
“Make sure your pet has plenty of fresh, clean, cool
water and that you change it every day,” Krueger said.
“Water gets hot, so make sure you change their water
often with these high temperatures.”
Placing a plastic swimming pool in the yard, in an area
out of the sun, also will help cool down pets, she said.
“Shade, from trees or tarps or patios, is important to
make sure your pet is out of the hot sun,” said Krueger.
“Doghouses are great, but if it holds a lot of heat,
dogs don’t want to be in there.”
A pet needs to be accustomed to being outdoors, said Dr.
Mike Doherty of Creek View Veterinary Clinic, who said
summer is not the time to make an indoor dog an outdoor
dog.
Long-haired dogs have a higher tendency to have heat
strokes than short-haired dogs, he said. Doherty
suggested trimming dogs’ hair shorter during the hotter
months of the year if owners plan to leave their
long-haired pets outside.
It’s also important to avoid exercising with pets in the
heat of the day, he said.
And leaving a pet in the Texas heat is always a major
no-no, said Krueger .
“We do not want any dog in the car right now, the car
gets hot so fast, even with the windows down,” she said.
“They go down fast, once an animal goes into heat stoke,
and they need to get to a vet right away or they will
die.”
This summer alone, Doherty has seen three dogs die from
heat stroke, something he said is usually a result of
the animal not having proper access to water or shade.
“Signs of heat stroke are if you see a dog that is
excessively panting, the mucus membranes of the mouth
get very red or they feel very hot in temperature,” said
Doherty, who suggested calling a vet if a pet’s
temperature reaches 104 and taking them to the doctor
immediately if their temperature rises to 105.
Dogs and cats aren’t the only animals falling victim to
the heat. Livestock also need their owners to take
precautions to keep them safe.
As with household pets, making sure that livestock have
access to shade and an ample water supply is a priority,
said R. Glenn Avriett, Texas Cooperative Extension agent
for agriculture and natural resources for Comal County.
“There is a drastic drop in temperature, about 10
degrees, when an animal is in the shade versus being in
the direct sunlight,” he said.
If pastures do not have natural shade from trees,
Avriett suggests building sheds or shading areas to get
animals out of the direct sun.
“Make sure animals in large pastures have an ample water
supply and don’t have to travel more than one-half mile
to get water,” he said.
 Save
 Mail
 Print
Add this page to your favorites
|
1920 Kuehler
