PROPER CARE FOR PETS CRITICAL AS HIGHER TEMPERATURES ARRIVE

When the temperature climbs into the upper 80s and the humidity is about the same, pet owners must make certain their animals don't overheat. In fact, proper care of pets during hot weather can mean the difference between life and death, says one Cape Girardeau veterinarian.

The veterinarian, Dr. John Koch, said: "Dogs have a much lower tolerance than humans when it comes to heat and humidity. Because they have a fur coat and do not sweat through their skin, the only way a dog can get rid of excess body heat is through its tongue.

"A dog's comfort range is about 10 to 15 degrees below that of humans," said Koch. "If we feel comfortable at around 80 degrees, a dog will start to feel uncomfortable when its around 65 to 70 degrees.

"A dog is most comfortable when the air temperature is between 60 and 65 degrees. When a dog is hot, its tongue hangs out and he pants. The hotter the dog, the more its tongue hangs out and the faster he pants and breathes."

Koch and other veterinarians often treat three types of heat exhaustion or heatstroke in dogs. They include dogs that have been locked in hot cars, dogs that have been exposed to direct sunlight in pens without cool water, and dogs that run behind their owners while they're riding bikes or jogging.

"There are two groups of dogs that require special attention when it's hot and humid," Koch said. "These are puppies and the high-strung or hyperactive dogs that do a lot of barking or pacing in their pens," Koch said. "Puppies do not tolerate heat very well, and the hyperactive dogs do not know how to slow down, even in hot weather. They will overheat very quickly if they are not protected from the sun."

Koch said cats are also susceptible to heat and humidity, but because they are generally allowed to roam cats can seek shelter from the sun.

"Dogs are the same way," he said. "If allowed to, a dog will find a cool spot, dig a hole in the ground and find cool water to drink to stay cool. Dogs, by nature, can take care of themselves in hot weather, but it is human intervention that creates the problem.

"If a dog is chained out in the sun with no shade and water, or kept in a pen without cover from the intense summer sun, they could be seriously injured or die from heatstroke."

Koch said the best place for a dog when it's hot is in the home or a shaded, cool place with lots of fresh water.

He discouraged dog owners from taking their pets in the car during hot weather. "When it's hot, leave your dog at home when you go to the grocery store. Even on a short trip to town, leaving a pet in a parked car for only a few minutes can be deadly," said Koch.

"Each year countless dogs and other family pets suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke because their owners didn't realize that a few minutes in a hot car, even with the windows open, can kill a cat or dog. On a warm day with the sun shining directly on a parked car, the inside temperature can reach 160 degrees in a matter of minutes."

Koch said it's also a bad practice to put dogs in the back of pickup trucks in the summer. On a sunny day dogs can burn the pads off their feet on a hot, truck bed, he said. In addition, if a truck stops suddenly, even with a restraint, a dog may be thrown out of the back of the truck and strangled or dragged, he said. If you're going to take your dog with you in a pickup truck, the best place for him is in the cab, he said.

"During hot weather don't allow your dog to run along with you when you're jogging or riding a bike,"

Koch gave these tips:

Make sure the pet is in the shade most of the day.

"Remember, a 5-o'clock sun at this time of the year is actually a 4-p.m. sun," Koch said. "If the dog is kept in a pen, put some kind of a cover over all or part of the top of the fence so the dog will have shade from the sun. Keep the side of the fence open to allow a breeze to blow through. If possible, hose down the ground inside the pen during the day to keep the ground cool."

Make sure the dog has plenty of fresh water.

"It wouldn't hurt to give a dog fresh water twice a day during the summer months because the water in his bowl will quickly assume air temperature. Try to keep the water bowl in the shade at all times," Koch suggested. "If you have a small child's plastic swimming pool, fill it with water and put it where the dog can get in and cool himself. If it's a really hot day, you can cool the dog off by turning on the garden hose and spraying a fine mist on his coat until he's soaking wet."

Koch also suggested reducing a dog's rations during the summer to avoid an increase in weight, especially dogs kept on a chain or in a pen.

Suppose you find your dog panting heavily and very weak, not able to sit up. "The important thing is not to panic, but to act quickly to cool off the animal," said Koch. "Treating heat exhaustion and heat stroke for dogs and other animals is the same as for humans: the idea is to cool down the body as quickly as possible.

"If a dog has the symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, get a garden hose on the animal at once. Run the water in a spray over his body, try to see if he will take water by the mouth. If you have a child's swimming pool handy, put the dog in the pool and keep the cool water from the garden hose running over the animal while his body is in the water.

"In most cases, this should cool the dog down without any serious damage. If it starts to breathe in a more normal pattern and seems more alert, he may be alright. But keep an eye on him for a while just to make sure.

"If the dog does not appear to be improving, call your veterinarian to see if the animal should be brought in for additional care."

Koch said anyone who knows of a dog or animal suffering from the heat should contact the police department, which will notify the humane officer to investigate.