Vet Tips
Vet Tips From Dr Jon
July 2011
In many parts of the country it has been very hot. I was talking to Dr. Debra who is in Ohio and it was 93 degrees with a heat index well over 100. Many of the emergency clinics are seeing dogs with heat stroke and other heat related problems.
The heat can be very dangerous to dogs.
Not too long ago, three dogs came into my clinic with heat stroke within 24 hours.
The first dog was a little 10-pound old Yorkie that was left in a hot car for about 18 minutes. He came in with a temperature of 107 degrees. With a lot of treatment he did live – but he was lucky.
The second dog was a 105-pound Rottweiler cross that was outside all day. Then the owner’s son took the dog for a two-hour walk in the heat of the day. The dog collapsed while he was walking. He was encouraged to continue walking, came home, and collapsed in the driveway. They thought he was “hot” so they dumped water on him. Four hours later they brought the dog into the clinic. He was dead.
The third dog was a border collie cross that was outside playing. The owner got a new puppy and this dog ran and ran and ran, causing him to overheat.
Heat stroke is a condition arising from extremely high body temperature (rectal temperature of 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit), which leads to nervous system abnormalities that may include lethargy, weakness, collapse or coma.
Please take a couple of minutes to read these articles. They will help you to keep your dog safe during this dangerous time of year.
How the Heat and Humidity Affect Your Dog
And here are some tips for keeping your dog cool: Keeping Your Dog Cool in the Summer
Here is a good article that tells you what signs to look for – short and sweet, and well worth the read. Go to: Don’t Let Your Dog Overheat
REMEMBER – NEVER ever leave your dog in a car! Not even for a minute.
Until next time,
Dr. Jon
There are many different things that effect how often you should bathe your dog. Your dog’s environment, the amount of physical activity he does and even his breed are factors. Here’s an easy way to determine that it is time to bathe your dog. As soon as your dog begins to SMELL like a dog – which can vary from 1 week to 1 month – it is definitely time for a bath. Generally most dogs should not be bathed more than once a month. There is such a thing as bathing them too much, which could leave the dog’s fur dry and the skin itchy & irritated.
When deciding how often to bathe your dog, it is also good to keep his breed in mind. Some breeds like Shih Tzu’s and Cocker Spaniels are more prone to oily skin, so they usually require bathing every 2 to 4 weeks. However breeds with thick coats, like Huskies and Chows may only require bathing a few times a year.
It is important to get your dog into a regular bathing routine to keep their skin, coat and overall health in good shape. It’s also more pleasant for you because no one likes to deal with doggy odor. So it’s best to get your dog into the habit from an early age if possible so he will become used to it and it will be less of a battle.
Bathing our dogs can be a difficult task – even when they are used to it. It’s very common for dogs to run, shake, cry and move about when they are being bathed. But I want to let you know that bathing your dog doesn’t have to be difficult! My team and I have found a revolutionary way to cut your dog’s bathing time in half AND make it easier for both you and your dog. This solution is the Rapid Bath System.
The Rapid Bath is a simple dog washing system that contains a sprayer with a universal attachment that thoroughly wets, washes and rinses your dog in as little as 3 minutes! Now this is no flimsy little faucet sprayer. The heavy duty Rapid Bath is a power wash tool with deep massaging action to get deep down dirt and oils on your dog with just a push of a button. Simply attach it to your shower head or hose and watch the Rapid Bath do all of the work for you in just minutes!
Check out the Rapid Bath System: https://www.petproductadvisor.com/rapid-bath
Happy Bathing!
Until next time,
Dr. Jon
