Take steps to protect dog from summer heat

Answer: Dogs die each year from heat-related issues such as dehydration and heat stroke, but you can easily prevent this tragedy with some awareness and common sense. First of all, even if your dog is healthy and athletic, he's susceptible to heat trauma. Families of athletic dogs get their hearts broken each summer, too. Dogs with compromised health conditions are at a higher risk from the heat, and so are puppies and older dogs. Additionally, dogs with flat faces and short noses, (referred to as "brachycephalic") are at a greater risk of heat stroke because they cannot pant as efficiently as dogs with longer snouts. The No. 1 killer of dogs in the summertime? Pets left in cars. On an 85-degree day, it only takes 10 minutes for the interior of your car to climb to 102 degrees. In a half hour, it can reach 120. And cracking your windows doesn't really help to cool things down either. Having said that, I'll add that I have left my dog in the car in the summertime — with the AC blasting. This method works best if you can trust your dog not to start eating the inside of your car or drive off. If your dog's body temperature gets to 109 or higher, heatstroke will be the result, period. His cells will start to die, his brain will swell and he will probably start to seize. If he becomes dehydrated, it can cause irreversible kidney damage. An overheated dog can suffer critical damage to his brain, heart, liver and nervous system. And all of these catastrophic events take place within a matter of minutes. The early stages of heat distress can be hard to identify since it's normal for him to pant when he's hot, or after exercise. To make matters worse, dogs have a higher body temp to begin with than people. It's a good idea to get a digital thermometer and designate it for doggie use only. Ask your vet to show you how to take his temperature. This will come in handy if you're ever concerned that your dog is overheated, and need to find out his temperature (which incidentally should be between 100.5 and 102.5.) Oh, and since he can't hold a thermometer under his tongue, naturally it'll have to go in the other end.

Here are some of the symptoms your dog may exhibit if he's overheated: Heavy panting, excessive thirst, glazed eyes, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, bright or dark red tongue and gums, staggering, body temp over 104, collapse, rapid pulse, seizures, excessive drooling and (obviously) loss of consciousness.

Recognize True Dog Seizure Symptoms

Recognize True Dog Seizure Symptoms – Most dog owners today only have a basic knowledge of what a seizure really looks like. It’s no wonder that veterinarians are regularly faced with false alarms!

We discuss the differences between a false seizure and true dog seizure symptoms , as well as what you should do in the event that your  dog experiences a seizure.

Many people believe that the key signs of seizures in dogs are simply muscle twitches and convulsions. In reality though, there are a number of things that can cause a dog to look as though he’s having a mild seizure. One of the most common “false seizures” is related to typical deep sleep behavior in dogs.

Most dogs (particularly puppies) have quirky deep sleep behavior. Some dogs yelp, “cry”, whimper and even bark in their sleep. Because the dog is asleep at the time, these vocalizations can sound unnatural, and some dog owners fear their beloved pooch is having some kind of fit.

Other dogs take their quirky antics to a new level, displaying muscle twitches, paddling of the legs or even thrashing about in their sleep. To add to the dog owner’s distress, these deep-sleeping dogs are often difficult to wake. Rest assured that while this kind of behavior is strange, it’s very common.

Some of the other things that may cause seizure-like symptoms are:

A disease or infection of the dog’s middle ear Cardiac or respiratory diseases Kennel cough “Reverse Sneezing” in bracycephlactic (i.e. short-muzzled) breeds

Of course, it’s always important not to diagnose your dog’s condition without the input of a veterinarian. If your dog is exhibiting seizure symptoms, take him to see a vet as soon as possible.

There are three landmarks of a true seizure; the pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal periods. Though it is important to note that no two seizures are exactly alike, a real seizure generally appears as follows:

The dog will usually recognize that something isn’t quite right, and depending on his personality, he may seek your comfort and attention or become irritable and reclusive. This behavior will turn into a dazed appearance- your dog will appear to “zone out” and become unresponsive. He may even start to tremble lightly or make some weak vocalizations at this stage.

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