Jax Pet Nanny At Your Service

In the summer months ESPECIALLY here in Florida please be careful to keep your furry family members cool and assure they do not overheat.

Dogs breathe out through the mouth, pushing air over the mucous membranes of the tongue, throat and trachea to expedite cooling through evaporation of fluid. Your dog also can expel heat by dilation of the blood vessels in thesurface of the skin in the face, feet and ears. When their system is overwhelmed,hyperthermia and heat stroke usually develop.

 A dog's normal body temperature is around 100.5 to 102.5degrees.  If your furry family member?s temperature rises to 105 or 106degrees, they could be at risk of heat exhaustion.  When a dog's body temperature rises to the dangerous 107degrees heat stroke could set in. Heat stroke is irreversible damage and in many cases death can occur. See, ourfurry family members aren't as proficient at cooling themselves as you or Ibecause they cannot sweat as easily and depend on panting to cool themselvesdown.

What to look for: The tongue, gums and eyes will be red and they will probably be panting hard.  In some cases they may even start vomiting.

I have seen dogs left in parked cars this year. Please be careful tonot do this! The temperature in a parked car can reach 160 degrees within just a few minutes, even with the windows partially opened!  If you suspect your dog is overheating

place cool water over the inner thigh areas, paws and ears.  Try to get them to drink some coolwater. 

EMERGENCY TIP:

If this is an emergency situation and you have no water availablepouring Alcohol [Rubbing Alcohol] is very effective because of its rapid evaporation. This will not be absorbed by your dog because of their thicker skin and thespeed of which is dissipates.

The type of Alcohol that is recommended is (propylene alcohol), notethyl, for those of you not aware. So do not try to have them take it internally!  

Hopefully you will never need to use these tips.  Stay safe, have fun and stay cool!

~Ashley

Jaxpetnanny@gmail.com