Tag Archives: summer

Keeping your pets safe this Summer – Heat Stroke Warning

What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke or heat exhaustion occurs when the pet experiences a marked increase in body temperature. Normal temperature range for cats and dogs is ~38–39ºC. Other than as part of an underlying illness, pets can become overheated after being enclosed in a hot area, or due to over exertion with excessive exercise.
Heat stroke affects the entire body and can cause anything from very mild signs to very severe and life threatening illness. Those breeds with short noses like Boxers, Bulldogs and Mastiffs are at greater risk.
Symptoms
– body temperatures exceeding 39.5ºc
– excessive panting
– dark or bright red tongue and gums
– sticky or dry tongue and gums
– staggering, weakness, body tremors
– state of near-unconsciousness
– seizures
– bloody diarrhoea or vomiting
– coma
– death

What to do
Effectively cooling the pet is essential using cool water and a fan (NOT ice blocks in direct contact with the skin). Take your pet to the Vet immediately as your pet’s life is at risk and heatstroke can also cause long term organ damage.

Prevention
The best way to prevent heat stroke is by keeping your pet cool. Never leave your pet in a hot car, keep your pet’s coat short in Summer, exercise during the cooler parts of the day, ensure your dog always has access to clean cool drinking water and shelter from the sun.

Ideas to cool pets
DOGS. Spray bottles with cool water jetted on the pet’s underside, wading pools, keeping indoors during hot times of the day, ice treats like frozen kongs.
BIRDS. Frozen watermelon treats.
RABBITS. Frozen peas for rabbits to lie next to and nibble on.
RATS. Fill a small tub or container with water and then throw in some peas. They will get into the water and (depending on how deep it is) will dive for them.

Keeping your pets safe this Summer – Snake Alert

snake

We are in the grips of what has been a rampant snake season, starting early this year with our first patient presenting in late August! Snake venom kills animals quickly so if you suspect your pet has been bitten by a snake, call ahead and we can get ready for you whilst you bring your pet straight to the surgery. That way we can start treatment as soon as possible. While it is helpful to know what type of snake has potentially bitten your pet, polyvalent antivenin is available that treats all the snake venoms common to the area.

Keeping yourself safe should be the number one priority.

Also be aware that a brown snake is not always brown in colour – it can vary with age, location and sub-species.

There have been many, many snake bites already this season from juvenile snakes and their bite is just a deadly as the adult snakes.

Heat stroke

(We published this back in 2011, but with the coming very hot days at the end of the week, we thought it best to mention again…)

Death from heat stroke is common in dogs in hot weather, especially if it is humid as well. Every summer we see dogs that overdo it in the heat.  When heat generation exceeds heat dissipation, body temperature goes up to dangerous levels.

Some animals are more likely to develop heatstroke than others. Working dogs who don’t know when to stop or who are not allowed to cool off in a trough or under a tree overheat rapidly on a hot day.

Flat-faced dogs with breathing difficulties, like pugs, boxers and Staffordshire bull terriers, cannot lose heat as quickly as they generate it in hot weather. No matter how much they pant, their temperature continues to go up.

Sometimes obese or overweight dogs over-reach their fitness levels and collapse in hot and humid weather.

Dogs or cats confined in poorly ventilated areas without water and shade on a hot day risk developing heatstroke, also.

Early signs of heat stroke are high body temperatures, often over 40 degrees centigrade, excessive panting and rapid heart rate. Many dogs vomit and develop diarrhoea, often with blood in it. They soon collapse, bleed and fit. The gums are dark and red but towards the end become pale and ashen.

Heat stroke is an emergency. Wet your dog to the skin to start getting the temperature down and phone your vet. Most dogs require treatment with a drip and drugs to prevent shock.

Prevent heat stroke by making sure your dog has plenty of water and shade at all times.

Avoid mustering or running on hot days. Early morning or late evening is safer for stock and dogs.

Flat-face and overweight dogs should never exercise in the heat of the day. Know your pets’ limits of fitness and retreat into the cool before they reach them and overheat.