Helpful Hints to Keep Your Dog Safe this Summer
- NEVER leave your dog in your car, even for a few minutes, during the hot summer months. The heat in the car can rise quickly and the oxygen can superheat just as quickly. Death comes in minutes and brain damage even faster.
- Never transport your fox terrier in the back of a pickup truck. Only if they are in a crate and the crate is solidly tied down just behind the cab of the truck. The heat of summer can make the metal in the back end of a truck so hot that it will burn your dogs feet. That goes with the obvious fact that it's simply not safe for him to be back there.
- Always be sure that you fox terrier has fresh, clean, cool water. Fox Terriers, both Smooth & Wire, love to play in their water dish, so if you are going to be away, have several sources for clean fresh water for them.
- When walking your dog, check the ground to see if it's too hot for your dog's feet. Asphalt can become very hot and burn their pads. Other grounds can also get get too hot for their comfort.
- Whenever possible keep your fox terrier in an air conditioned area, cool and safe, especially in the southern states where it can get so very hot.
What To Do If Your Fox Terrier Has
HEATSTROKE (HYPERTHERMIA)
(excerpts from comments by Allen A. Cloutier, DVM on the Internet list VETMED. Also comments from Mark E. Epstein, DVM, ABVP)
- The first sign that you will see is brick red gums.
- The gums will be dry and sticky.
- The dog will be panting like crazy and even at rest will have a high heart rate (140-180 is what I have seen depending on the breed).
If you see these signs obviously stop exercising the animal. Cold running water in the tub is a good way to get the temperature back down to close to normal. Each individual animal has a different heat stress capacity.
PREVENTION:
If there are heat warnings (like when you keep hearing about older people dying on the news) don't exercise the dog. If the dog has to be kept outside make sure that there is plenty of shade and water. For some dogs a child's wading pool will keep them cool. The dog can progress from mild (above) to very severe quickly. The dog will collapse. Look at the gums - if you see little blood spots (petechia) on the gums and what looks like bruising on the inside of the thighs GET TO THE VETS NOW! Don't try to treat the dog. Grab a wet towel if available and hit the road.
At the clinic the vet will throw the dog into the tub and pour alcohol over him. He will pack his groin with ice packs. Most importantly he will put in an IV catheter and start the fluids. If it is a big dog he will actually put a liter (of fluids) in the freezer while the first one is running (in the dog). He will be crossing his fingers hoping that the dog does not go into DIC.
With daytime highs over 100 degrees being the norm here in Texas (and many other parts of the country) this is something that I see quite a bit. I can't emphasize enough - don't try to treat it yourself; if he is in DIC by the time that I see him you can forget it. I have never had one pull through when they are at this late stage before treatment starts.
The best guideline that I might be able to give you on how severe the dog might be is with a rectal thermometer. Normal temperature is 100.5 to 101.5. A black dog that has a temperature of 102 would still be normal. When the temperature hits 103.5 the dog is starting to get into trouble. It is not too critical at this time but watch out and cool your dog down now! 104 and above is my opinion - hit the road to the vets.
While fluids will help to cool down the dog - NOTHING can cool like IV fluid. Don't bother trying to give the dog something to drink. The dog has too much heat not too little fluid in the body (hypothermic vs. dehydration). It is not unusual for the dog to be nauseated and absorption during this time is nil.
By Allen A. Cloutier. DVM
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