No, we’re not talking about puppies. (Though that may be on the horizon, too.)

It’s high summer up here in beautiful central New York. The trees are green, the sky is blue, the days are warm. Oh man, are they warm.

And we at Cailleach are always on the go. Dog shows, training, agility, you name it, everything is going on in the summer. And even when it’s not all about the dogs, we love to bring one or two along for a picnic or a party, or just a ride downtown for some ice cream. We spend a lot of time in the car.

We know how great it is to take your dog with you.

But if you’ve got to do errands, run in and out of the bank or the grocery store, even if it’s “just for a minute,” please think twice before you bring your dog along for the ride. You never know when there’s going to be a line or a delay and suddenly a couple minutes turns into 20 or more.

Dogs are even more sensitive to the heat than us people–they can only cool themselves through their tongues and the pads of their feet–and on hot days, the temperature inside a car, even with the windows cracked, can reach 120 degrees in as little as 20 minutes. At those temperatures, a dog can suffer heatstroke in as few as ten minutes. (Even on cool days, the temperature inside a parked car can quickly reach the point where it’s dangerous for your dog.)

If you see a dog alone in parked car, even if the dog looks okay, make sure you notify store security, your local police department, or animal rescue (you’ve got those last two numbers programmed in your cell phone, right?) You should also wait by the car to monitor the dog’s condition and help police or emergency services find it more quickly.

It’s not just inside parked cars, either. Hot days can be dangerous for a dog outside, too. If you’re going to be out and about with your dog, take into account the weather and choose someplace with plenty of shade and areas your dog can cool off. Instead of a sandy beach with no trees,  go to a lake with a grassy shore and plenty of shade. If you’re going to a ball game or open air concert in a park, make sure there are places your dog can be out of the sun before you bring him along.

Some other summer tips:

• Always make sure you have a supply of cold water and a travel dish. You can freeze water in plastic bottles the night before (leave the top off). As it melts, you’ll have cold water available.
• Take frequent rests in the shade to let your dog cool off.
• Try to stay off pavement and on dirt or grass. On hot days asphalt can melt and stick to a dog’s paws.
• Always know the signs of heat stroke in dogs.

Wishing you and your dog a safe and happy summer!

Becky :: Jul.19.2010 :: Dog Blog, Health, News, Safety :: No Comments »

1/2/09

Well it’s been an interesting new year already. Just got back from the emergency vet clinic where we were told that Murphy is not bloating. That was the good news. But it doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods so first thing in the morning – which now is no longer tomorrow morning but is actually later this morning – I have to call our regular vet so we can develop a plan to determine what the foreign object in his stomach is and decide whether or not it needs to be removed.

But that is not why I’m writing. I am writing to yet again thank Kayce for SATS.

Some of you may remember that Murphy was one of the dogs we used at Cornell this past summer for Kayce’s demonstration. The reason we used Murphy is because he is deathly afraid of needles. Someone dumped him in my yard when he was about 6 months old and I understandably assumed that someone who would dump a dog probably would not immunize him either, so I took him to the vet. I learned quite quickly that he must have had at least one shot in his life. As soon as he saw the syringe – long before anyone tried to touch him with it – he leaped from the table into my arms just like Scooby-Doo.

His fear of needles has persisted for 9 years. But this summer at Cornell, Kayce went through her relaxation and name and explain procedures with him (she has it on video but I don’t think she’s posted it) and ultimately we gave him a quick injection with no problem. For those who were there and for those who have seen the video, correct me if I’m wrong, but I think it took about 7-10 minutes from start to finish. He started off being very worried and very rigid. There are even a couple of spots on the video (and I remember them from real life) where it looks like he would really like to leave – through someone if he couldn’t get around them, and perhaps with teeth if need be. If I did not trust him so implicitly (and Kayce trusted my trust in him) I would have been very worried. But Kayce explained everything to him, showed him the needle, demonstrated a poke on his paw where he could see it, named a scruff pull for him, demonstrated a poke in his scruff and then turned it over to the tech who did the actual injection. And he was good as gold for the whole thing.

Well tonight, at the emergency clinic where none of us have ever been, he needed x-rays and then subQ fluids. They wouldn’t let us back there for the x-rays (I bet they would have been better quality if they had) which they did without sedation, but I insisted that we be with him for the subQ fluids. I told the tech he was terrified of needles but we had a procedure that would keep him calm. I don’t think she believed us, but she brought him back to the exam room for the subQ fluids.

They were of course rushed, and didn’t give us a lot of time, but Sarah got him calm and relatively relaxed while still standing. I took the needle from the tech and reminded him about poke. I did a poke on his shoulder, did a scruff pull and did a poke in his scruff. Then I gave the needle back to the tech, told him what she was going to do, and we had the fluids started in less than a minute total. They gave him 500ccs, which took about 10 minutes, and he stood quietly the whole time. I was so proud of him.

So thanks again Kayce!

Susan :: Jan.02.2009 :: Dog Blog, Health :: Comments Off

But apparently it isn’t.

Dear ABBY: Leaving dogs in hot cars is considered cruelty

DEAR ABBY: For the second time this week, I saw a dog left in a car while its owner went shopping.

Please remind your readers that any time it’s over 70 degrees – or even 65 on a sunny day – can mean that the inside of a car will quickly climb to more than 100 degrees!

The dog today, an adorable pug, was panting desperately against the window, which had not even been cracked a couple of inches in an attempt to do the right thing. Abby, the car had a couple of doggie decals on it, as if the owners believed themselves to be animal lovers!

Please also let your readers know it’s OK to leave a polite note on a car, telling the owner that it’s too hot to leave a dog in a car, and to alert the manager of the store (if they know which one) so an announcement can be made that a dog is in distress.

It is worth the extra minute to try to courteously educate and alert the careless animal owner.

- No Dogs in the Car After Memorial Day

DEAR NO DOGS: Thanks for your important message.

I spoke with Capt. David Havard, of the Los Angeles SPCA, who kindly provided the following information:

“Leaving a dog in a car can be considered neglect or abuse. There are laws governing cruelty to animals, and enforcement of those laws would fall under local jurisdiction.”

So, readers, if you see a pet left in a parked car, the first thing to do would be to alert security personnel for the parking lot.

And if the lot has no security personnel on duty, notify the police. Leaving a note on the offender’s car is not enough, because the poor animal could be dead by the time the owner returns.

Today’s Dear Abby column seems particularly timely in light of these stories:

Dog left in hot car dies
Police receive 6 calls in 1 day; investigating 2
By Susan Nolan
August 06, 2007

PORTSMOUTH — A Chihuahua died Friday after being left in a closed vehicle outside of Home Depot in 95-degree weather.

“We’re investigating this as a prolonged exposure to heat inside the vehicle,” said Capt. David “Lou” Ferland.

Police received a call from Home Depot at 2:23 p.m. Friday that the dog was in trouble. The owner had come running into Home Depot with the dog and had thrown cold water on it and put it in front of a fan in an attempt to revive it, Ferland said. By the time police arrived, the dog and owner were gone.

The owner had taken the dog to a local animal hospital where it was pronounced dead.

The dog death was the most serious of six calls police received Friday for dogs locked in vehicles during the scorching heat.

(-read the rest-)

Man arrested after his dog dies in hot car
He faces animal cruelty charges after apparently leaving his 2-year-old Labrador retriever unattended for at least four hours.
By Ari B. Bloomekatz
August 3, 2007

A 56-year-old man was arrested this week on suspicion of animal cruelty after his 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever apparently died of heat exhaustion inside the man’s BMW, Los Angeles police said Thursday.

Bennett Ira Goldberg of Simi Valley apparently left the dog unattended in the car in the 6800 block of Owensmouth Avenue in Canoga Park for at least four hours Tuesday afternoon while temperatures continued to rise inside the vehicle, police said.

A neighbor heard the dog barking inside the car and called police about 1 p.m. By the time officers arrived, the dog had died, officials said.

(-read the rest-)

Becky :: Aug.06.2007 :: Dog Blog, Health, Travel :: No Comments »