A visit to the swimming pool, the local creek, or the ocean helps us stay cool during the “dog days” of summer. But what about our canine companions – how do we keep them cool?

The owner was frantic. Just an hour before, her Cairn Terrier, Snickers was playing in the yard. Now he was listless and having trouble breathing. Rushing him to the nearest veterinary clinic, a concerned veterinary technician informed her Snicker’s temperature was over 106 degrees – he was suffering from heat stroke. Luckily for Snickers – and with the help of a quick thinking owner and veterinary technician – he recovered.

Every summer, hundreds of dogs find their way to the family veterinarian after spending just a few hours in the hot sun.

It’s important to remember dogs don’t sweat like we do. Cooling themselves by panting, dogs use the moisture evaporating off their tongue as a means to lower their body’s temperature. Anything overwhelming this natural cooling system leads to heat stroke. With more families away from home during the day, our dogs are often left outdoors where it may be difficult to find shady, cool places and water to drink.

Normally, a dog’s temperature ranges from 99 to 102.5 degrees. In cases of heat stroke, temperatures over 106 degrees are considered to be an emergency situation – temperatures over 110 degrees can be fatal in a matter of minutes.

This level of hyperthermia (higher than normal body temperature) can affect every major body system and it’s imperative you get your pet to a veterinarian as soon as you safely can.
Dogs who succumb to heat stroke often show the following symptoms:
• Vigorous panting
• Inability to stand, or weakness while standing
• Thick, ropy saliva, literally foaming at the mouth
• Bright red mucous membranes, although some dogs may show pale or even muddy gums.

Heat stroke can affect any dog, although dogs with short faces, such as Boston, Pugs, and Bulldogs may be at higher risk due their inability to effectively pant and cool themselves. Many people believe that their pet will be fine outdoors. However, inadequate shade and/or water can affect even the most seasoned outdoor dog.

Interestingly, heat stroke in cats is very rare. Most animal experts believe that cats are extremely good at finding the coolest spots to lay and also avoid the excessive, excitatory exertions that many dogs seem to thrive on.

If you find your dog vigorously panting on a warm summer day, immediately move him out of the environment and into a cooler place. Getting your pet into a shady area with a fan running on him can be very helpful. Using cool, not cold, tap water on the extremities and trunk can also help to effectively lower the body temperature, as well as rubbing alcohol placed on the skin of the stomach. Do not use ice or extremely cold water. Although it seems logical, extreme cold will cause surface blood vessels to contract, forming an insulating area that traps heat in the body, delaying the cooling of the vital organs.

Attempting to force your pet to drink is also not advisable. If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke, immediately load your pet carefully into a car and go to the veterinarian. Under no circumstances should you leave your pet alone in the vehicle. Without these life saving steps, many dogs might lose their lives to the “dog-days” of summer. But, as Snickers will testify, quick thinking owners and veterinary professionals can help get them back on their feet in no time.

To learn more about heat stroke in dogs, visit www.carolonpets.com. Veterinarian and author, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM is available for consultations toll free at 1-866-372-2765.

Adopting a pet from a local shelter is a great way to help save an animal from an uncertain future. But what if you want a purebred? Can you pick the breed you want and still save a life? With a little help from a breed rescue, the answer is yes!

August 9, 2008-Chagrin Falls, Ohio- Many dog owners admire the unique looks and personalities of purebreds, but also worry about the fate of millions of pets euthanized each year. What many people don’t realize is that there are specific breed rescue organizations for almost every breed of dog, placing dogs in need to new homes.
Rescue groups are an invaluable resource in the on-going battle to keep millions of pets from being euthanized. With armies of volunteers, these organizations not only rescue their specific breed from shelters and other situations, but provide them with medical care. In many cases, these dogs are rescued just days – even hours – before euthanasia is scheduled.

The success of rescue groups is due in part to their method of pairing dogs with owners. In most shelters people pick a dog with little or no guidance. On the other hand, with a breed rescue, both dogs and applicants are carefully screened to help find the right match between an individual dog and his or her new family.

This point can’t be stressed enough. Many of the millions of pets found in shelters each year are “repeat surrenders.” Behavior issues, medical problems, or lack of knowledge keeps these pets returning. In breed rescues, the overall goal is to find each and every dog its “forever” home.

Potential pet adopters are often hesitant with rescues because they think most of the dogs have “special needs, which in many cases is not true. For example, many breed rescues receive young, healthy pets from families whose situation prevents them from properly caring for the dog.
Compared to shelters, breed rescues have high success rates placing dogs in lasting homes. By evaluating the dog’s personality and thoroughly screening the potential owners, rescue groups have become proficient at matching the right dog to the right person. In addition, education about the breed before the adoption and strong follow-up support after adoption helps new owners through this transition period.

Care should be taken when looking for a breed rescue. Look for an organized rescue with a good website that is updated regularly. The rescue should have 501c3 non-profit status and a set adoption process.

Patience is a virtue when adopting from a breed rescue. Filling out applications, providing references and having home checks performed go along with the process and in most cases, a good rescue organization will probably up to three weeks for the entire adoption process to be completed. New owners should expect to pay an adoption fee or donation, ranging from $100 up to $500.

Ultimately, these groups are all non-profit. Adoption donations and fees allow the rescues to provide continued care for their foster animals and reach out to more dogs in need. In general it’s a good policy to avoid individuals without an organized structure who adopt pets without doing home checks or allowing animals to go home the same day.
Dogs aren’t the only lucky recipients of this type of attention! Purebred cat rescues exist, as well as rabbit rescues, horse groups and even organizations devoted to rescuing exotic pets such as turtles and other reptiles.
If you want to get a new purebred pet, consider saving a life as well! Look for a breed rescue in your area. An easy way to find rescues is to search for your breed on the Internet. Go to Google.com and type your breed into the search box along with “rescue” and your state. Check out www.petfinder.com and www.akc.org as well.
Talk with your veterinary staff about local resources and rescue groups. To learn more about the phenomenal work being done by these lifesavers, visit www.carolonpets.com or call veterinarian and author, Dr. Carol Osborne toll free at 1-866-372-2765.