Heat means dogs need help

With the local temperature running in its usual 90s and even higher this summer, not only do people suffer, but pets will also have problems with the extreme heat.

Dr. Terry Parker, veterinarian at the Brewton Animal Hospital, said pets need extra care during the hot weather.

“Dogs and cats need special care to make sure they have plenty of shade and lots of water,” Parker said. “They are the main things to watch. Usually a garage or porch will do just fine. A cement floor is cool and most animals will find a cool spot.”

It is even more important during the heat to take care about leaving a pet in a closed up vehicle, Parker said.

“If you are taking trips, don’t leave the animal in your vehicle,” he said. “It wouldn’t take even five minutes for the heat to get to them. Some dogs have to watched even when the temperature reaches 89 or 90 degrees, especially if the humidity is high. They are wearing a fur coat and get heated even sooner.”

Parker said he has treated some dogs who have had problems with the heat.

“We have had a couple of dogs with heat exhaustion already this year,” he said. “When their temperature goes over 105 degrees, cooling them down is very hard to do. In fact it hardly ever works. Most of the animals will die. When they have high temperatures, try to cool them down by using cool (not cold) water.”

Pets who are outside need two main things to stay safe, Parker said.

“The main thing to do is to make sure they have plenty of shade and water,” he said. “Keep them out of direct sunlight. They know how to find the coolest spot for themselves.”

Renee Jones, director of the Humane Society of Escambia County and animal cruelty investigator for the county, said pets have a hard time in extremely high temperatures.

“Dogs and cats don’t have sweat glands,” Jones said. “That is the reason the pant and it is really easy for them to get heat exhaustion in the hot summer weather. Certain breeds of animals are more at risk than others. Snub nose pets are more at risk than animals with longer snouts. They have breathing difficulties anyway and should be kept indoors. Other animals that are susceptible are high strung animals and those that are activity driven.”

Like Parker, Jones said she has already seen some animals this summer suffering from problems with the heat.

“We get about two calls a week about pets that are in crisis,” she said. “It is an awful death for a pet who dies of heat exhaustion or stroke. Chained dogs or those in pens that are subjected to extreme heat or cold are always at risk.”

Jones said that pet owners have to pay attention to where they put their animals.

“Dog houses are not adequate and putting them on chains has another risk,” she said. “People put out a container of water, not thinking that the dog will knock it over, spilling the water. You have to be smarter than the dog; dig a hole and sink the container about half-way into the ground, then fill it with water. Don’t forget that the sun is going to be moving all during the day and what could be shady in the morning, won’t be in the afternoon. Give them plenty of cool water and keep them out of the sun and they should be OK.”