Have you ever wondered where the phrase Dog Days of Summer comes from?  Me too.  Here is a brief origin:

 

The phrase Dog Days or "the dog days of summer", refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the northern hemisphere they usually fall between early July and early September whilst in the Southern hemisphere they are usually between January and early March. The actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate.

 

The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose just before or at the same time as sunrise (heliacal rising), which is no longer true owing to precession of the equinoxes. The ancients mad a sacrifice at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather.

It is almost Summer and the weather is heating up.  I have noticed many pet owners do not realize the fact that their pets DO OVERHEAT just like humans. 

 

I am very passionate about this topic because it never fails that I see many dogs in cars on a warm/hot day with windows cracked trying to survive. 

 

Because dogs pant to cool themselves down, they need COOL air for this process to maintain a proper body temperature.  If they are panting HOT air, it is NOT cooling them down and organ damage has begun. 

 

When it's 85F (29C) outside, the inside of your car can reach 102F within 10 minutes; 20 minutes later and the temperature is likely to be 120F.  Even when it's only 72F (22C) outside, the car can heat up to 105F within 30 minutes.

 

Leaving the car windows open has a negligible effect on both the inside temperature and the rate at which the car heats up.  Even if you get your dog out of the car and cool him down, he may have suffered long term damage to his brain and internal organs. 

 

Some of the symptoms of heat stroke include: excessive panting, salivation, body temp of 104 or more, collapse, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, coma.

 

If you suspect a dog is having a heat stroke or near to it these steps need to be taken immediately:

 

1. Move your dog to a cool place such as an air conditioned room.
2. Take rectal temperature every 10 minutes to see if it is coming down.
3. If rectal temperature if 104F -110F (40C - 43C) cool your dog with cool water from something like a garden hose or bucket, a cool water bath, ice packs applied to the abdomen or groin area or place in front of a fan.
Seek veterinary care immediately for canine heat stroke. Heat stroke can be particularly dangerous if you cannot cool your dog's temperature within 20 minutes
4. Wipe paws with cool water (paws are the only area on a dog that can sweat).
5. Once temperature reaches 103F or less than stop cooling to avoid hypothermia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best way to prevent Heat Stroke is to keep your pet in a Cool place with water to drink and cool their bodies.  Do not overexert your dog on a hot day.  Make sure he has ready access to cool water to wet his skin and pads of his feet like a kiddy pool or body of water.   Please remember that the pavement can heat up and burn the pads of their feet as well.

 

Please be cautious during the hot weather.  We love our pets and want to see them happy and healthy for a long time!

 

BARF = Biologically Appropriate Raw Food 
Veterinarian Approved