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Author: Terri Odell   Date Posted: 31 March 2014 

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Heat Stroke in Dogs

Posted on 31st Mar 2014 @ 3:30 PM

It is essential that we can recognise the first signs of heat exhaustion, which are rapid breathing & rapid heart rate, your dog, will appear distressed & pant excessively & become restless. As they become worse their body temperature increases & they may start to drool large amounts of saliva & start to stagger. Your dog’s gums may become blue, white or bright red.

 If the dog has been left in a car on an extremely hot day, you must get the dog out of the car & cool it down immediately. Hose it down if possible & then get the dog into air conditioning with a fan on them as well. Don’t leave a wet towel over them as the heat needs to escape. Do not use ice water as it will constrict the blood vessels & stop the heat escaping.

Give your dog enough water to wet his mouth & throat but don’t let them drink huge amounts of water. Ice packs can be applied underneath their front legs, and to the groin area to help cool quickly. You can also take your dog's temperature anally.

Then take your dog to the nearest emergency vet. Monitor your dog whilst on your way to the vet & once your dog’s temperature is normal again, cease cooling procedures.

Brachycephalic” breeds (flat faces like British Bulldogs, Pugs, Griffon Bruxellois etc). are more prone to heatstroke. Also obesity & diseases in the dog’s airways can be a factor of heat stroke happening to your dog.

 If your dog’s temperature continues to increase, they will collapse & then become comatose. If veterinary help is not found immediately the dog may soon die.

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Dogs & snake bites

Posted on 30th Apr 2014 @ 10:12 PM

 Dogs & snake bites

 Living in a semi-rural area we have a higher chance of coming in contact with a snake, especially in the summer months as they are more active then.

We must always be diligent in checking our pets each day, know what normal is for them & any deviation from this may mean a trip to the vets. Dogs are natural hunters, so when walking along that local bush track, keep your dog on the lead as the snakes hide under the trees & foliage. Look out for the warning signs that your dog may have been bitten.

Protect your pets from snakes

Snakes are attracted to food and water sources and safe, quiet places to hide. To make your backyard less appealing to snakes keep the grass cut low and your property clear of piles of rubbish and other objects where snakes may be able to hide (e.g., wood piles).

If snakes are common in your area you could consider building a snake-proof fence around all or part of your property.  

What to do?

Dogs come in all sizes & varieties so they are going to have different reactions. A Chihuahua will be affected by the venom a lot quicker than a Great Dane. Don’t wash the area. Don’t worry too much about identifying the snake as the anti-venom at the vets will be universal. It is also worthwhile asking your Vet where is the closest emergency Vet holding the anti-venom, so you know where to go without hesitation. At the beginning of summer, snakes’ venom glands are fuller and their bites more severe.

The tiger and brown snake are responsible for most of the snake bites in domestic pets and can be fatal. Signs of a snake bite include:

•    Sudden weakness followed by collapse.
•    Shaking or twitching of the muscles and difficulty blinking.
•    Vomiting.
•    Loss of bladder and bowel control.
•    Dilated pupils.
•    Paralysis.
•    Blood in urine.

When walking in the bush always have two stretch bandages in your back pack. If your dog is bitten by a snake, wrap one bandage firmly around the bite & a second from the top of the leg to the bottom, if bitten on the leg, only leaving two toes showing, the pressure will help slow the venom spreading to the heart. Also keep them as calm and quiet as possible and take them to the vet immediately. Do NOT wash the wound or apply a tourniquet.


Don’t try to catch or kill the snake but if you can identify it that is helpful but not essential. The anti-venom is not cheap so it is best to keep your dog in a safe area & safe from the nasties. Always walk away from snakes slowly as not to provoke them.

 

 

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Author: Terri Odell   Date Posted: 31 March 2014

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