Heat Exhaustion

[Soushiruiuma]

It's been quite hot here lately, and Guinness is having fairly severe problems with overheating. If we're active (walking) for more than about 10 minutes he'll start sitting down, and if I have him get up he'll stumble. I carry water, and he will drink, but that doesn't seem to help his heat sensitivity. I try to keep exercising till evening, but it will soon be so hot that even that won't help.

We were at the park one evening around (6 pm, and staying in shady areas) and I ended up putting him in the fountain because he was so bad. I don't want to have to keep him inside till it cools off around November, but there are only so many air conditioned places you can take a dog for a walk.

Does any use the "cool coats" on their dog's? Are they effective? There are few styles (mesh, chamois)- is one "better"?

[Erin2854]

I just got something called a "Kool Collar" for my girl from Petco. The air conditioning went out in our car and we don't really plan on replacing it, so we got her this to help her keep cool when we are driving. It will also be nice for when she's outside playing. We got her a small and it was $16. Here's a link..
www.fillmewithice.com

[waldor]

I have personally tried those collars with the beads that you wet, and found that in our heat, within five minutes they became hot, wet collars on my neck. No relief at all. Just my experience.

How old is Guinness? Older dogs feel the heat more. I remember our Shih Tzu became more sensitive to heat around the age of eight y/o. Before that, he would walk four miles in the mornings even in summer. Cavs have a shorter nose, not like ShihTzus, but I still pay attention to Sophie now that our mornings are warmer and (ugh) more humid.

Sort of a random suggestion, but the flexible re-usable ice packs, like we use on sore muscles & backs, might could be rigged up on top of a harness. I really like the CVS brand ones sold in their stores and can recommend them for humans. Would probably help a dog, too. They're about 4" x 10" (approx.).

[Holly]

Be really careful with heat exhaustion--- dogs can go downhill fast. I had a scare the other night and learned a whole lot more than I wanted to about it. I waited til it was almost 8:30 at night to walk the dogs and it had cooled considerably. Two of my dogs were fine on a short walk but by the end, one of my dogs was breathing heavily and salivating. It scared the heck out of me and did some research.

I got him to stand on a cool, wet towel. I also put a cool, wet towel around his neck and head. He finally cooled down but it was very scary and I learned that you have to be very careful because it can sause permanent organ damage and death if their temperature rises too much. (You also don't want to cool them too quickly because that can cause problems, too).

If he is having problems, I would keep the walks very short until it cools down.

[jld]

Yes, I think our walks will have to be curtailed too. We live in Dallas, and it is still close to 90 degrees at 9:00pm And, it is only going to get worse. I hate not giving her walks, but it is just not worth the risk.....

[Desrae]

We're having the same problem here, believe it or not- Ireland is having a heat wave and our two doglets are feeling the heat!
I used to walk them around 10-11am for about 45 minutes. Now I try to get them out the door around 9am and do 25-30 minutes, and that seems a bit too much for them. They seem very sensitive to the heat. Belle is 2 years old and Bob is nearly 9 months. I give them crushed iced to eat after the walk and they lay on the cool tiles, that seems to do the trick. But I am being very careful, as Holly had said, they can go downhill very fast!
They love this weather though. They seem to like lazing about in the shade in the back garden whilst listening to the birds and watching them fly overhead. I like to say that they've taken up the hobby of ornithology!

[waldor]

I waited til it was almost 8:30 at night to walk the dogs and it had cooled considerably.

I'm only 200+ miles north of you, but our temps are quite similar. I do my serious dog-walking in the early morning, between 6 and 7:30 a.m., while I'm out doing my exercise walking. In the summers, our heat is dreadful, especially on the days that start out at 80° F (26.6° C) at 7:00 a.m. and the humidity is 80-90%.

The problem with walking dogs at night, even though it cools down and feels better to us, is that the pavement is still hot. It retains the heat and reflects it back up at the dog. Small dogs, that are closer to the tarmac, feel that heat.

[Holly]

The problem with walking dogs at night, even though it cools down and feels better to us, is that the pavement is still hot. It retains the heat and reflects it back up at the dog. Small dogs, that are closer to the tarmac, feel that heat.

Ahhhh... that makes sense. Hadn't even thought of that.

[Soushiruiuma]

Thanks for the replies. I've decided the best way to deal with this is to take the shortest walks possible until it cools off (November). And we'll be doing a training class to get extra energy out. I wish I could find someone who would do agility indoors, but it doesn't look like I'll get that lucky.

Oh well, Guinness can start on his CGC.

[Bet]

Thanks for the replies. I've decided the best way to deal with this is to take the shortest walks possible until it cools off (November). And we'll be doing a training class to get extra energy out. I wish I could find someone who would do agility indoors, but it doesn't look like I'll get that lucky.

Oh well, Guinness can start on his CGC.

Heat Exhaustion.

Even although I live in Scotland, I did dread the Summer Months if it got too warm, the only thing we could do was have Fans on in the House, we don't have Air Conditioning ,don't think anybody has this in Scotland, and cover our Cavaliers with a Wet Towel ,it was such a worry if they had a Heart Problem.

It was just a case of a wee walk early in the Morning before it got too warm, out and in when they had to go, then another wee walk when it was a bit cooler at night.

The rest of the time ,just kept our Fingers Crossed that their Heart Trouble would'nt be being affected by the Heat.

We never had any of our Cavaliers who suffered from SM, but I would think it will be the same for them ,when it's warm ,extra care will have to be given.

Since Cavaliers are predisposed to MVD, in hot weather I really do feel that they should not be being put to any undue risk.

Bet