Winners of our Dog Day of Summer Baseball Tickets

When the Vancouver Canadians baseball team sprang some promotional tickets on us a couple of weeks ago, we weren’t quite sure what to do with them… for about a minute! Then we quickly cooked up a contest and let people know here on our blog and on Twitter that all people had to do to enter was comment about why they’d like to take their dog out to the ballgame on our Facebook page. And it all worked out perfectly swell: we had lots of entries and we had lots of fun. Thank you to everyone who entered. The comments were so heartfelt and full of love for their dogs. I only wish we had tickets for everyone! But we actually had a fair number of tickets to give away, and here’s who got them:

• Grace Simon Daffy
• Naomi Thomas
• Kim Spencer-Nairn
• Teresa McCarthy
• Tiffany Akins

Each person listed above has won two tickets to Dog day of Summer, Wednesday August 3rd at Nat Bailey Stadium. The gates open at 6:00 p.m. and the game starts at 7:05 p.m. The winners need to contact me, Tammy Preast, Alpha Dog at Love on a Leash Dog care Services @ 778-552-1301 or via e-mail at: tammy@loveonaleash.ca to make arrangements to pick up your tickets before game day.

Each winner receives two tickets and may bring one dog per person. Entry is thru the 3rd base gates.

If you haven’t won but would like to go, you can still purchase tickets and join us on August 3rd at The Nat. Tickets are available at the gate and online.

See you game day!

Summer’s Danger: Heatstroke and Your Dog

It’s summer time and it’s finally getting hot! Over the July long weekend, a news story reported the very sad tale of a pup being left in a car on a hot day, for several hours. She died from heat stroke. It was terrible and would have easily prevented.

Pet owners often underestimate how the heat affects their dogs. Please don’t be foolish -- this is a topic that is constantly in the public eye so there is NO excuse for leaving your dog in the car for even a few minutes or over-exercising them on warm days.

Also keep in mind older dogs, dogs who have been quite sedentary during the winter, dogs prone to respiratory conditions like pugs and shih tzus and dogs who are overweight have a very difficult time cooling off and should not be over-exercised this time of year.

I personally walked my own senior dog, Casey, a little too far a few weeks ago, on a warm day. We both paid the price. She was quite ill for 24 hours after. It suddenly, and nearly tragically, reminded me that she is 16 years old -- in human years that is in the upper 90’s!!! Had I lost my gal that day I would have been furious with myself forever and all because we walked a few blocks too much for her 16 year old body... a walk we have done hundreds of times over the years.

Heatstroke can occur in minutes and can be fatal. Following are the signs of a dog with heat stroke.

1. Excessive panting. This is common. A dog that just won’t stop panting: they keep going and going. Sometimes they seem like a little engine that can’t stop.
2. Noisy breathing. Some dogs with airway problems will begin to have trouble and their panting/breathing will become very noisy. Almost like a whistling noise in their windpipe.
3. Weakness. Many dogs that are out exercising or walking just stop. They don’t want to move. They want to lay down and don’t want to keep going.
4. Collapse. This goes along with weakness. Some dogs will eventually collapse or fall over and not want to (or are unable) to get up.
5. Altered mental state. As the heat really gets to dogs, they will seem out of it and disoriented. They often are slow to respond or don’t respond. Their focus is on trying to cool their bodies down.

What should you do if you suspect your dog has heatstroke?
Act fast because heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency! If you are able, check your dog’s temperature rectally if you suspect heatstroke. Normal body temperature in dogs is higher than in humans (99.5 to 102.5 F as compared to 98.6 F). If your dog’s temperature is over 105 F, call your veterinarian and remove your dog from the heat source immediately.

Place a cool, wet towel over your dog or place him in a cool water bath. Do not use ice because it may cause skin injury.

If unable to check your dog’s temperature get to a vet immediately for treatment.

There are several things you can do to prevent heat-related problems for your dog:

• Monitor outdoor temperature and minimize your dog’s activity on hot, humid days.
• Limit sun exposure during the hours of 11 AM to 3 PM on hot days.
• Walk or exercise your dog in the morning or evening.
• Keep your dog in a comfortable environment (air-conditioned room or partially open windows with a breeze) during extremely hot weather.
• NEVER leave your dog in a car (even with the windows partially rolled down) for any reason, at any time. Leaving dogs in a car during warm weather is the most common cause of heat stroke.
• Provide your dog with plenty of fresh water and plenty of shade. Take extra care with puppies and pets with medical problems, obese pets and senior pets.
• Always work to allow your dog to gradually become accustom to high temperatures. Heat illness is common when the dogs have not had sufficient time to acclimate to warmer temperatures.
• After traveling to a warmer climate, allow your dog several days to become acclimated before allowing any vigorous exercise.

Finally, even if you are able to offer heat stroke treatment at home, still take your dog to your vet for a thorough check up & professional analysis. A little bit of common sense can make all the difference in heat stroke and save your pets’ life.

Canine-Friendly Camping

Written by Craig Romano

There is no lack of wild and beautiful places to set up your tent and enjoy the great outdoors in the West. Delightful places abound for you and your hound for sharing time under the stars in our special part of the world. Here wilderness travel expert, Craig Romano, looks at the best ways -- and Northwest places -- to go camping with your best friend.

Here are ten gorgeous places to go camping -- all near trails, lakes, rivers and beaches -- and all of them surrounded by acres upon acres of public land. Some of them are close by, ideal for a quick getaway; while others are a little distance away and perfect for a week long outdoor holiday. But most importantly, all of them welcome your canine companion.

Washington
1. Kaloloch, Olympic National Park, Pacific Coast
Set up camp on a coastal bluff high above the crashing surf of the wild Olympic coast. A sprawling campground with a handful of sites with breathtaking ocean views, Kalaloch is one of the few public campgrounds in Washington right on the Pacific. Watch stunning sunsets right from your picnic table. Listen to gulls, oystercatchers, and eagles and let the incessant pounding of the breakers lull you and your lab deep into la la land. While dogs are not allowed on the trails of Olympic National Park, they are allowed on leash on this stretch of park beach—over 10 wild miles worth! While there are 170 sites, in summer they go fast, so be sure to make reservations (www.recreation.gov).

2. Sullivan Lake, Colville National Forest, Selkirk Mountains
One of the largest and prettiest undeveloped lakes in northeastern Washington, Sullivan is surrounded by steep emerald peaks including 7,308-foot Abercrombie Mountain and 7,309-foot Gypsy Peak, the two highest summits in eastern Washington. Two gorgeous national forest campgrounds, East Sullivan and West Sullivan grace the lake’s northern shore while remote and peaceful despite its name, Noisy Creek Campground graces its southern shore. The sites are well-shaded and there are plenty of dog-friendly hiking trails nearby, including the four mile Sullivan Lake trail connecting the campgrounds. The lake warms up nicely by mid-summer and there’s a beach for your dog to splash in!

3. Colonial Creek, Ross Lake, North Cascades
One of the most stunning settings for any campground within the entire country, Colonial Creek sits in a deep valley in the heart of the North Cascades. Set in primeval timber along the turquoise waters of Diablo Lake and surrounded by towering glacial-clad cloud-piercing peaks, you may not want to budge too far once you set up camp. But if your buddy’s tail is indicating it’s time for a walk, take to several miles of delightful trail radiating right from the campground. The 1.9 mile Thunder Knob Trail is perfect for an after dinner leg-stretcher. Claim one of the sites right on placid Thunder Arm and spend an afternoon in the canoe paddling with your pooch.

4. Silver Springs, Snoqualmie National Forest, Mount Rainier
While Mount Rainier National Park allows your furry friend to accompany you at one of its developed campgrounds, you can’t take her on the park’s trails. So if “the Mountain’s” allure is too much for the two of you to resist, consider setting up camp right outside of the park at the Silver Springs Campground in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Nestled in old growth forest right on the glacial-fed White River, this CCC-built campground offers spacious and private sites. And when it’s ready to hit the trail, head to nearby Crystal Mountain taking to a large network of trails surrounding the resort. Lots of dog-friendly options complete with howling views of Washington’s most famous landmark.

Oregon
5. Cape Perpetua, Oregon Coast, Siuslaw National Forest
While there is no shortage of great camping spots along Oregon’s spectacular coastline, most of them can get pretty busy during the summer months. Cape Perpetua, a rugged area of salt-blasted headlands, moisture dripping old growth giants and fog-catching coastal peaks offers one of the most secluded and quietest campgrounds on the entire coast. Nestled in a deep valley set back from busy US 101, choose from 38 campsites perched along Cape Creek. Once the pegs have been staked, hit the trail! There are 26 miles of interconnecting trail radiating from the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area including paths to shore-hugging Neptune State Park. And while this campground is a tranquil gem, it’s well known. Be sure to secure a reservation (www.recreation.gov).

6. Silver Falls State Park, Willamette Valley
Looking for a quick getaway in the Willamette Valley? Does your pooch enjoy waterfalls? Do you? Silver Falls State Park located just 25 miles east of Salem is a waterfall lover’s, hiker’s, and camper’s haven! One of the crown jewels of the Oregon State Park system you and your outward bound hound can choose from among 100 sites (electrical hookups available) and then take to 25 miles of dog-friendly trail to 10 dog-gazing cascades, four in which you can wag your tails from behind. Be sure to reserve your site online before packing the Subaru.

California
7. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, North Coast
Set up camp along a quiet creek shadowed by towering redwoods hundreds of years old. While this gorgeous state park on the Redwood Coast does not permit dogs on its trails, you can walk your buddy on some of its quiet roads. Be sure to watch for elk feeding in misty prairies. Gold Bluffs Beach located within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park consists of 10 miles of wide sandy gorgeous northern California beach—and it’s open to your four-legged camping companion. And just south of the park you can roam two more beautiful dog-friendly beaches, Humboldt County Parks’ Big Lagoon and Clam Beach.

8. Doran Beach, San Francisco Bay Area
While your four-legged friend is allowed to set up tent with you in the scores of beautiful California state parks lining the Pacific, she’s not allowed to accompany you on almost all of those parks’ wonderful trails and beaches. That’s when places like Sonoma County Park’s Doran Beach come to the rescue. Located about 40 miles north of San Francisco in quaint and scenic Bodega Bay, Doran Beach provides camping on a beautiful two-mile long dog-friendly beach. And there are one dozen other dog-friendly beaches nearby including a couple of stunning ones at Point Reyes National Seashore.

British Columbia
9. Cultus Lake Provincial Park, Fraser Valley
While Cultus means “worthless” in the Chinook Jargon, this big beautiful lake located just south of Chilliwack where the North Cascades meet the Fraser Valley is anything but worthless to outdoor-loving humans and dogs. Choose from nearly 300 sites within four distinct campgrounds within 5,000-plus acre Cultus Lake Provincial Park spread out along the eastern shore of the lake. The sites are large and well-shaded and all are within a short walk from the lake. The park’s Shale Beach is leash-free. Excellent hiking trails radiate from the park from easy strolls to old-growth giants to an all out grunt up mile high International Ridge. Be sure to make a reservation because Vancouver campers love this park too.

Idaho
10. Heyburn State Park, Lake Coeur d’Alene
Established in 1908, Heyburn is the oldest state park in the Northwest and one of the finest. Developed by the CCC, this 8,000-acre plus park located on the southern quieter end of massive Lake Coeur d’Alene contains three lakes, the St Joe River Delta, old-growth pine forests and ridges of open meadows. Choose from 130 sites in three separate campgrounds. Take a swim and then hit one of the park’s fine trails including the three-mile, bursting with views and flowers, Indian Cliffs Loop. Go for a bike ride or run afterwards on the paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.

Packing List
Aside from packing your own camping necessities and comforts, don’t forget to take along the following for your intrepid little buddy:

1. First-aid kit (including but not limited to; insect/tick repellant, gauze, adhesive tapes, tweezers)
2. Drinking water or purification tablets (if campground doesn’t have potable water).
3. Food and water bowls.
4. Chamois cloths and/or towels (you want a mud-free tent, no?).
5. Doggie bedding and blankets.
6. Treats and chew toys.
7. Doggie pack for hitting the nearby trails.

Canine Camping Etiquette
To paraphrase Robert Frost, “Good dogs make for good camping neighbors.” While no one wants to be camped next to a party of loud and obnoxious humans, a dog yipping and whimpering all through the night can be equally annoying. Be sure you and your pooch set the standard for good camping courtesy. Practice the following good neighbor behavior:

1. Your buddy should always be on leash at the campground.
2. Never leave your furry friend unattended at the site.
3. Don’t let your pooch dig holes at the site. Hey, he’s telling you it’s time to take a walk!
4. Clean up any presents your pal leaves behind. Carry extra plastic bags and deposit waste in proper place.
5. Don’t leave your buddy’s food out overnight and/or unattended lest you’ll attract uninvited critters to your site.
6. And never let your dog chase or harass wildlife.

Craig Romano is the author of numerous guidebooks including Best Hikes with Dogs Inland Northwest (Mountaineers Books) where you can find out more about Sullivan Lake and Heyburn State Park.

Ask Casey...

Dear Casey,

Q: Why does my dog stick his nose out the car window?

A: Ottawa veterinarian, Miki Shibata explains, “Dogs are intelligent animals that rely heavily on their nose & eyes to help them navigate and understand the world.”

In plain English, your dog has more than 220 million olfactory receptors in his nose while humans have only about five million of these receptors. That means they have almost 50 times the sense of smell we do! And basically, dogs poke their snouts out the window because they enjoy the sights and smells passing by.

Again we quote Dr. Shibata, “The fast-moving air brings a constant stream of scent that is very interesting for your dog and provides him with key information about his surroundings. This fast-moving air also has a cooling effect by speeding the evaporation of saliva from the tongue and mouth of a hot and panting dog.”

Most vets agree that you should take precautions if you allow your dog to poke his head out the window of a moving vehicle. There are serious risks involved mainly from flying particles like debris, dirt, sand or stone which can cause severe injury to your dog’s eyes. Also, keep in mind that there has been more than one dog who inadvertently fell or jumped out the open window of a moving vehicle even if they had never done so in the past.

A number of years ago a product called “Doggles” doggy goggles were invented to protect the eyes of dog’s who just had to have their heads out of their owner’s vehicles. You may want to invest in a pair to protect your dog’s eyes if you travel a lot.

While your dog may love to hang out the window and sniff out the great smells while you are hitting the road, be cautious and consider your speed and the amount of traffic all around you before allowing him to do so.

The Love Behind Love on a Leash: David Binsfeld

David was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, along with 12 dogs, 32 cats, 2 goats, 53 rabbits, 4 budgies, and tropical fish. Pets have been a huge part of David's life, so rest assured that your loved one, will be well taken care of.

David is ecstatic to report that he is near the end of his long teaching career and looks forward to entertaining and “doting upon” various breeds of the canine family. The seawall is steps away from David’s townhouse, which is located on the lagoons at Granville Island, and is truly perfect for a dog walk anytime of the day.

David is able to care for pooches during the summer months and on weekends only at this time. At Love on a Leash we believe that the special little friends with fur coats that come to stay with us are deserving of companionship throughout the entire day.

David looks forward to meeting you and yours…

Recipe Corner: Ice Cream Heaven

Is your pet feeling the heat? Homemade dog ice cream will keep him cool and happy. Peanut butter is a great ingredient to use in ice creams because most dogs love it. Here is a great starter recipe that is simple & easy to make. Check out: http://www.crazycrumb-dog-treats.com/frozen-dog-treats.html for more great “beat the heat” delicious doggy recipes and tips.

Ice Cream Heaven

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups natural plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey

Mash the banana and stir into the yogurt then warm the peanut butter either on your stove or in the microwave until it is easy to stir. Add the banana/yogurt mixture and the honey. Mix everything until it is well combined. Pour into non-stick trays or containers and freeze. We like to use ice cube trays, or freeze in small dog sized containers!

Freeze overnight or until frozen

This recipe make a lovely creamy ice cream. It is nicer if you take it out of the freezer to let it soften before giving it to your dog. It depends how big your frozen portions are, but this could take somewhere between ten minutes and half an hour.


Note: If you’re in the UK or planning a visit, you won’t have to make the ice cream yourself. The image above is from Wagg Pet Food, a popular UK company, who recently started making ice cream for dogs. (Don’t you think the addition of the biscuit is an elegant touch?)

Doggy Biz of the Month: Petzooba E-Cards

I just logged onto the new Petzooba e-card site and had a blast viewing the different e-cards that you can personalize with a message (and even a photo) before sending them off to your friends/family.

Petzooba is a diverse e-card site for pet lovers! There’s a plethora of cards for just about any occasion or season you can think of: Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Friendship and even Moving Notices. Some of my personal e-card favorites on the site are The Great Turkey Escape for Thanksgiving, International Dogs in the Friendship section and Seasons for Pet Loss. The Holiday selection has quite a few fun and humorous e-cards, too. One called “A Rippin Holiday,” is pretty hilarious and many have me laughing my head off!

One of the great things about this site is that you can easily add photos of yourself and your pets to make the cards more personal or you have the option of sending the cards as-is with just a personal message. If you do decide to use personal photos, the images are stored for future use. I uploaded my address book to the site and created a card that was sent to a bunch of my friends with just once click!

Petzooba offers a free personal subscription which gives access to 14 e-cards that can only be sent to one person at a time. For a small subscription fee, Petzooba offers a full year subscription with a growing selection of e-cards approaching 200. Only $9.95 a year! Once subscribed for the year, you can send to as many recipients as you’d like. Also, with every paid subscription Petzooba will give you a second year subscription free, which you can send to a friend as a holiday gift! Petzooba co-founder, Mitch Wilder, is a compassionate pet educator and 14 year broadcast journalist in the pet industry and his site reflects his great with and wicked sense of humor.. His philosophy is that “No pet should be left behind.”

Best of all, Petzooba have chosen Adopt-a-Pet to receive 10 per cent of every paid e-card subscription! All-in-all I was deeply impressed by Petzooba. I plan on using it a lot.

Noise Phobia in Dogs

Noise phobia is an excessive fear of a sound that results in severe anxiety and panicky behavior It’s an irrational, intense and persistent fear response that can develop at any age and in any dog breed.

My dog Casey was always mellow when it came to sounds until she’d been around fireworks multiple times. I was never sure what triggered her fear exactly as she was fine the first few times. Even if the fireworks were popping off in the distance she would become inconsolable when outdoors. Her body would go stiff, she’d tremble and pull on the leash in a panic and scrabble to get home scratching and clawing her nails on the sidewalk. I could not pick her up to comfort her as she’d squirm and wriggle and scratch me to get down and head home as fast as possible. After experiencing this kind of fear twice, I ensured we were not out during Vancouver’s fireworks nights and did my best to keep her inside around Halloween.

Dog psychologists have explained to me that, “Trying to escape from the noise that is agitating them, a dog's normal instinct is to seek shelter to avoid danger.” But things can go awry when dogs overreact to sounds that don’t actually represent danger.

Characteristic behavior can include, but may not be limited to, hiding, urinating, defecating, chewing, drooling, panting, pacing, trembling, shaking, and barking. A fearful dog might seek out his human family; try to escape the noise by jumping through windows or chewing through walls, and running away. We’ve all heard the sad tales of dogs and cats disappearing from their yard on fireworks nights because of their sheer panic.

The most common causes of noise phobia are definitely fireworks and thunderstorms, but dogs may develop a fear of any sound no matter how inconsequential. Even a squeaky door being opened, use of a fly swatter, pots and pans banging, or a fan being turned on, can provoke a reaction from a noise-phobic dog. And, the more exposure a dog has to a frightening noise, the more intense his phobic response is likely to become.

Veterinarians recommend a health check-up for dogs experiencing a noticeable change in behavior over noise that is truly minimal. There are several medical conditions that could aggravate a dog’s anxious and panicky behavior that need to be ruled out first. If your vet determines that your dog has a behavior problem, ask your veterinarian if he/she has a PhD in animal behavior. If not, contact a board certified veterinary behaviorist or dog psychologist in your area.

Effective treatment for dogs prone to flee from fearful sounds can be as simple as offering them a comforting space like a pet crate covered with a heavy blanket as a partial sound barrier, or making a bed in the bottom of your closet. The most effective cure for my dog’s anxiety was just that: being in her crate, tucked away safe and sound out of what she perceived as harm’s way. Now that she is almost 16 years old and completely deaf, we no longer experience any of this anxiety over noise. If your dog is afraid of thunderstorms, keep your dog inside and turn on an appliance or television, or play music to override the noise.

Dogs are pack animals and look to you, the pack leader, for guidance and reassurance. Adopt an easy-going manner and remain calm in the face of your dog’s fear and anxiety and you will be surprised at how much more relaxed they will become. Lead your pack and that alone will be the start to much needed comfort.

Enter to Win Free Baseball Tickets for You and Your Dog

While we were excited enough just to hold our tickets for this year’s Dog Day of Summer event at Nat Bailey stadium, (Casey and especially Finnegan just love watching the Vancouver Canadians rip a strip off the ball!) imagine how pleased we were that the nice people at the Canadians offered us some tickets to give away to our friends and clients. The challenge then becomes how to do it. While it turns out there is no shortage of baseball-loving dog owners in our lives, we figured the most fair and awesome way to hand out free tickets would be with a contest. Who doesn’t love a contest, after all?

So here we are. We have the supreme delight of being in the position of giving away six totally free and fun tickets for Dog Day of Summer at Nat Bailey Stadium, August 3. That means, if you win, you and your dog can have a great evening of fun and baseball.

To enter, all you have to do is Like the Love on a Leash Facebook page (which is easy. After all, what’s not to like?) and leave us a comment about why you’d like/appreciate or even dream about being one of our lucky winners.

The draw is July 27th: just a week away so, clearly, the odds of winning are certainly better than the lottery. (And nearly as cool!)

You can Like our Facebook page here.

Pets Will Rock BC’s Biggest Party

Pet Connection, BC’s only local pets magazine, will be front and center for 17 days and nights at the province’s biggest party August 20 until September 5th. Look for Pet Connection near the ever-popular Super Dogs.

Pet Connection is “published six times a year and available at select locations. The Pet Connection is BC's only printed source of local information for the many pet lovers in the province.”

When you see them at this year’s PNE, pick up your copy of them magazine while telling the nice folks in the book that Love on a Leash says “hi.”

Pet Connection can be seen online here. See what PNE 2011 has in store here.

They Go Together Like… Dogs and Baseball?

On Wednesday, August 3 at 7 pm you and your canine pal are invited to attend Dog Day of Summer hosted by the Vancouver Candians at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Bring your dog out to the ballgame for “a great night when all dogs are allowed in with their owners.” Organizers let us know that, last year 400 canine pals showed up with their owners: many of them wearing jerseys, t-shirts and bandanas supporting their favorite teams.

The stadium will provide special watering stations and treats. (For beer and hot dogs, you’re on your own!) It sounds like a super fun night!

The gates open at 6pm, first pitch is at 7:05.

You can see more about Canadians baseball at Nat Bailey here.

Understanding Your Dog and Heat Stroke

Summer heat can be extremely dangerous. Many dogs die needlessly each year because of heat stroke and that’s something none of us wants to see. Allowing a dog to remain in a car with closed windows on a hot summer day is probably the most common cause of heat stroke. And leaving your windows down an inch or two will not prevent heat stroke from happening: your vehicle cannot remain cool in these temperatures.

What is heat stroke? It is a serious condition caused by an extremely high body temperature (rectal 105-110 F), which leads to nervous system abnormalities such as lethargy, weakness, collapse and coma. Further signs of heat stroke may include: intense rapid panting, wide eyes, excessive salivation and staggering.

High body temperature develops after increased activity with the ability to give off body heat seriously impaired. This is caused by high heat and humidity. In plain English, your dog cannot cool his own body down fast enough.

Normally dogs dissipate some body heat from their skin, but they do not sweat, like us humans and cannot cool off through their skin as effectively as we do. Panting allows evaporation of water from the respiratory tract and is an effective method of heat dissipation, but when these cooling mechanisms are overwhelmed due to high temperatures, hyperthermia and heat stroke usually set in... and they set in fast. Dogs have defective cooling systems that rely on their bodies releasing heat through panting and through their paws. Walking on the hot earth prevents any heat from being released from the paw pads.

All mammals can suffer from heat-related illnesses, all of which can be prevented by taking precautions. Canine hyperthermia is a significant threat during the summer. Help your dog stay cool and comfortable by learning how to protect him.

Here are some important tips to keep your dog safe and prevent heat stroke:

1) Keep pets in well ventilated areas
2) Provide exercise early in the morning or late in the evening (coolest times of day)
3) Exercise your dog gradually. Don’t overdo it. Don’t go for a long run on hot days with your dog. This is especially true if your dog is older, obese or has a heart or lung condition.
4) If it is hot and your dog is panting hard stop what you are doing immediately. Allow him to cool down and stop panting before continuing.
5) NEVER ever leave your pet in a car for any reason at any time -- ever! Not for two minutes and not for 20 minutes. There is no excuse. When hot outside, do not take your dog with you if you cannot remain in the car with him with the air conditioning running.
6) Make sure your pet has plenty of fresh, cold water and keep it in the shade if they are outdoors.
7) Try to keep pets indoors in a comfortable, cooler environment during extreme weather conditions.
8) Limit sun exposure, especially during mid-day.
9) Remember, if you are uncomfortable, your pet probably is, too.
10) For sudden high temperature changes, allow your pet to acclimate before stepping out for activity of any length.
11) Ensure puppies and kittens drink adequate amounts of liquids.

This potential elevation in body temperature known as heat stroke stimulates your dog’s body to release substances that activate inflammation. When body temperature becomes greater than 105 degrees Fahrenheit, failure of vital organs and consequently death may occur.

The mortality rate for hyperthermic dogs treated immediately by a qualified veterinarian is only 50%, due to irreversible changes in blood chemistry.

In short, summer is hot, dogs are already hot, and there isn’t a whole lot of room (4-5 degrees) between your dog “doing fine” and “likely to die.” Protecting dogs from hyperthermia is mostly about prevention and common sense. Take the right precautions, and you and your companion can relax and enjoy the summer in comfort.

Turn on the Waterworkz for Canine Wellness

Everyone is invited to a pet nutrition and supplement discussion with Dr. Sue Pollen this coming Saturday. The event is being held at WaterWorkz Paw Spa in Burnaby from 12 to 1 PM. The nice folks at Waterworkz are keen to let people know that there will be a discussion of incredibly useful pet information every Saturday in July and August. “These discussions are as free as the sunshine,” Waterworkz tells us, “and just as likely to make you grow.”

The first discussion will be around nutrition, “because that’s the single most important thing we do for our pets,” says Waterworkz. “Bring your pet’s food and we’ll look at the ingredients. Bring your pet’s supplements and we’ll discuss what makes one better than another. We will also discuss what to take on a trip to make it safe for your pet.”

Over the coming weeks, Waterworkz will tackle such issues as cruising and traveling with your pet; swimming dogs, including the benefits of warm salt water; the Tellington Touch with Catherine Stewart; how to tell if your pet is really sick and other timely topics.

For more details, visit WaterWorkzPawSpa.com or just join them on the day at 3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby BC.