Category Archives: Vet Advice
Heat Stroke in Dogs
Summer is definitely here and many areas are suffering under record high temperatures. You want to enjoy this summer and many more with your dog so it is important that you understand how essential it is to keep your pet cool.
In temperatures of 80 degrees F. or higher a dogs temperature can increase. Without proper fluid intake, a lack of ventilation or direct exposure to hot sun can bring on heat stroke which developes quickly once a dog’s internal temperature reaches 106 degrees F. This is what happens:
A noticeable sign of heat stroke in a dog is the skin is very warm, almost hot to the touch. This is due to the raised body temperature and the inability to cool down.
A dog suffering from heat stroke will have rapid panting and breathing, especially just before the final stages of hyperthermia.
Dogs who have developed heat stroke will likely have a listless appearance or a blank stare with minimal eye movement. They may also appear unresponsive and have an extremely dry tongue.
Dogs who are in the final stages of a heat stroke will unlikely be able to move. They may also have a complete loss of urine and bowel function.
Before death, convulsions or seizures may occur due to the dog’s body going into shock. Once coma occurs, brain damage also sets in and internal organs begin to shut down. The key to survival is to get your dog immediately to a vet at the first signs of heat stroke.
Heat stroke typically occurs in very young, old, sick or overweight dogs. But it can occur in any dog. Use common sense during the hot weather and be sure your dog has somewhere to keep cool. A wading pool in the shade with daily fresh water or ice in his bowl would be good. A constant and adequate supply of fresh, cool water is mandatory. Perhaps bringing your dog into the house during the hottest parts of the day would work for you.
If you take your dog in the car, do NOT leave him there while you go off somewhere. In high temperatures, even with the windows open the interior of a car gets way too hot and can become a death trap.
Also, please know that heat stroke can occur in a dog while in water if they are swimming hard and are surrounded by water that is above 75 degrees F.
Watch for these signs:
Heavy panting
Excessive drooling
increased heart rate
weakness
vomiting
pale gums
bright red tongue
confusion
Please don’t deny your pet fun this summer because you are worried about heat stroke in dogs. Just keep them cool and well hydrated. As I said before use common sense. You know your dog best so you will know when he is too hot and uncomfortable. If he is you can wet him down or bring him into shade or indoors. However, if the above symptoms occur get him to the vet. It is far better to be safe than sorry. Heat stroke in dogs is very serious and is nothing to be cavalier about.
If you go to a park or lake where other dogs are present, be a friend to the pets guardian and the animal by watching for the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs for those dogs too. Your awareness could very well save a dog’s life. Because, if I haven’t made it clear enough already, heat stroke in dogs is a canine killer.
Heartworms in Pets
Since it is getting really close to heartworm season all over the country, I am repostng this informative article for all the pet lovers out there. Keep your animals safe and watch out for heartworms. They are killers.
I received this in an email from The Only Natural Pet Store. It is the best and most succinct explanation of heartworms that I have ever read so I am passing it along to the readers of this blog. Heartworms are a real problem of which all cat and dog owners should be aware. You should also know that there are natural preventatives and treatments that are available.
From The Only Natural Pet Store email:
Heartworms
by Dr. Jean Hofve
Heartworms are a potentially deadly parasite carried by mosquitoes. It has a fairly complicated lifestyle that involves incubation in and transmission by mosquitoes.
Heartworm Life Cycle
Tiny heartworm larvae, called microfilaria, circulate in the blood, and are sucked up by the mosquito when it feeds on an infected host animal. Once inside the mosquito, the larvae must develop through more stages before they can cause infection. For that to occur, outside temperatures must remain above 57 degrees F, day and night, for a minimum of 8 days. The warmer the temperature, the faster the larvae will mature. If the temperature drops below that critical level, larval development will stop; but the larvae don’t die—development will re-start at the same point when the weather warms back up.Larvae reach their infective stage in 8 to 30 days (the latter being the entire lifespan of the average mosquito). In dogs, heartworm’s natural host, the larvae migrate to the heart and eventually develop into adult worms, reproduce, fill the blood with microfilaria, and pass them on to the next mosquito. The maturation process takes 6-7 months.
Once in the bloodstream, the microfilaria migrate to the right side of the heart and attach there, where they can grow into adulthood. It takes microfilaria about 6-7 months to mature into adults and start reproducing. Clinical signs (coughing, tiring easily) are not typically seen before that. Adult worms can live up to 7 years in the dog.
In cats, adult worms can develop, but they cannot reproduce; they take about 9 months to mature, and they tend to live only a year or two. However, adult heartworms are about a foot long, so it only takes 1 or 2 to fill up a cat’s tiny heart and cause serious problems. Most larvae will not mature in a cat; its immune system will kill them. However, the larvae can cause inflammation in the lungs as they migrate; this condition can mimic asthma or bronchitis.
Seasonality
Except for a the warmest parts of the U.S. (mainly in the southeast), heartworms are a completely seasonal problem. There is no reason to give heartworm medicine to most pets year-round (except to make money for those who make and sell it!).In many areas of the country (northern and mountain states, for instance), such warm temperatures simply don’t exist for most of the year, and sustained warm temperatures don’t occur until at least June. In fact, only in Florida and south Texas is year-round heartworm transmission possible. Within 150 miles of the Gulf Coast, heartworm risk exists 9 months out of the year. In the rest of the country, heartworm transmission is possible between 3 and 7 months out of the year. Hawaii and Alaska have each had a few cases of canine heartworm, but the incidence in those states is very low.
Prevention
Heartworm preventative drugs do not kill adult heartworms, but they do kill microfilaria up to a certain stage of development. Currently it is believed that larvae under 6 weeks old are affected. This means that in order to prevent heartworms from reaching adulthood, the preventative can be given up to 6 weeks after the mosquito bite and still work. The recommendation is to give the drugs every 30 days, purportedly because once-a-month dosing is easier for most people to remember (coincidentally, it also sells more drugs). Preventatives should be given starting 4-6 weeks after the earliest possible infection date and continue 4-6 weeks past the last possible infection date. In most states, protection should be continued through November or December. In southern Texas and Florida, year-round preventatives may be needed. Local conditions may vary from year to year.
You can visit t The Only Natural Pet Store on this blog at our Pet Supplies Mall or at this link http://www.fluffyfeet.net/wp/pet-supplies-shop/only-natural-pet-store/ .
I hope your pets stay safe from heartworm. But do check out the natural solutions at The Only Natural Pet Store. Also be sure to take a look at their natural pet foods and other natural remedies.
About Heat Stroke from ASPCA
I received this in my e-mail this morning from the ASPCA. Please protect your pets this summer.
Health Warning: Prevent Heat Stroke in Pets
Pets and parents alike look forward to spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger, warn ASPCA experts.
“Even the healthiest pets can suffer from dehydration, heat stroke and sunburn if overexposed to the heat,” says Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, “and heat stroke can be fatal if not treated promptly.”
Watch out for the following symptoms of overheating in pets: excessive panting or difficulty breathing, drooling, mild weakness, stupor and even collapse. Pets can also suffer from seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.
Take these simple precautions, provided by ASPCA experts, to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.
- Avoid dehydration by always having fresh, clean water available and lots of shady places where pets can cool off. When the weather’s extremely hot, keep your pets indoors.
- Give your dog a light summer haircut to help prevent overheating. Shave the hair to a one-inch length, but never down to the skin, as fur offers protection from the sun. Brushing your cat more often than usual can also help prevent problems caused by excessive heat.
- When using sunscreen or insect repellent, be sure the product is labeled specifically for use on animals.
- Never leave an animal alone in a parked vehicle. “On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time—even with the windows open—which could lead to fatal heat stroke,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital.
Please visit ASPCA.org for our complete list of hot weather safety tips!