Careful of the heat!!!!!!!

[jas'smom]

I know most of you are aware of how deadly the heat can be for our dogs.....but an incident last night brought me a painful reminder....I was coming back from swimming the dogs at about 6pm when I noticed an elderly man and his small Schnouzer (spelling? ) standing on the sidewalk, the dog was obviously in trouble, staggering and panting heavily...I pulled over and walked up and asked if I could help....the poor man had tears running down his face...he told me "I think my dog is dying" I told the man to pick up his dog and come with me....I had some cool matts in the back crates the dogs were sitting on and pulled one out from under my cattle dog....I wrapped it around the little guy and put him and his owner in the air conditioned car and headed to the nearest vet....as luck would have it just a 1/4 mile away the vet saw the dog immediately....I ran my dogs back home and went back to find out how the dog was....thank heavens the little guy was recovering well.....the vet said that the dog was terribly over heated and explained to the owner the dangers of too much exercise in this heat and humidity.....the poor guy had taken the dog in to be clipped and thought that this would alleviate any possibility of heat issues....I am very thankful that this turned out as well as it did, but it just as easily might not have.....

Please be extra extra careful out there in this heat

[Patty1231]

Pam, I am so glad you were there to be this poor man's angel! God bless you for caring. A reminder never hurts!.

[Miabella]

You are an angel! Thank you for posting this important note!

[HerculesMomma]

Wow Pam, great fast thinking on your feet! And you are so sweet to stop and help this poor man. He obviously just didn't understand.

I wouldn't even walk Hercules in the heat wave we had there for a week or two. I've got a big, black, overweight dog and when the high temp gets up into the 90's with 80 to 90% humidity with only slight cool down when the sun went down. Forget it. We can take a week off until things get a bit better and now, we have finally cooled down a bit!

It was just so hot there for a while, I didn't even want to take a chance.

[pazzo]

God bless you, what an angel you are

[jas'smom]

I know that each and everyone of you would have done the very same thing...

what was really scary was that this man did not have a clue as to what might be wrong with his dog when he was in the office he just kept saying I had him clipped so the heat wouldn't bother him....

[groupieindenial]

Originally Posted by jas'smom

...the poor guy had taken the dog in to be clipped and thought that this would alleviate any possibility of heat issues....

I don't understand?

Well thank goodness for you! I often carry around a lot more water in my car then I need, I've encountered people on trails that forget to bring water for their poor dogs.

[jas'smom]

[quote=groupieindenial]

Originally Posted by jas'smom

...the poor guy had taken the dog in to be clipped and thought that this would alleviate any possibility of heat issues....
QUOTE]

I don't understand?

Well thank goodness for you! I often carry around a lot more water in my car then I need, I've encountered people on trails that forget to bring water for their poor dogs.

He thought that by clipping the hair from the dog that the dog would not suffer from the heat as much...short hair, cooler dog thing........the vet mentioned that clipping does not help as in most dogs the fur acts as a protection from the heat......

[Denise L.]

Oh Pam good for you!

Your post brought me to tears thinking of that poor old man. You are truly his angel.

[miccmill]

Pam, thank God you were there! That kind of thing can happen so fast. They were so lucky to have you there.

[SonnyRott]

Ohhh good for you for doing this kind act! I'm sure that man will always be grateful! I'd hate to think of the outcome if you had come along a half hour later.

GOOD GOING!

[j George]

One of the most important things we learn from these boards is that we are parents, Mother and Father to these precious four-legged furbabies (whether they are Rotties or any other special friend/child/pet/companion).

My precious girl need special careful watching. We have taken to NOT playing during the hot of the day. I don't even get the hose and water out till the sun is down. B U T -- she plays very well all by herself; and I have to be sure when I let her out, I don't leave her out very long (5 minutes tops), as she chases and romps and plays so hard and doesn't know when to stop. It's up to us (mom and dad) to make sure she doesn't over do it.

Everything I've read here is very valuable for all of us to keep in mind as we are care takers of the most precious of God's creatures. Thanks everyone for your loving, constant vigilence. Keep up the GREAT work !