Help Your Cat Beat the Heat

Heatstroke

You know the drill: the sun is blinding, relentlessly beating down reminiscent of a Stephen King novel. If you don't have air conditioning, you seek out shady spots and sigh in relief from the slightest breeze, otherwise you huddle inside. Your thirsty body craves fluids, and the beverage of choice suddenly becomes water. If you stay in the sun too long you may become dizzy, have heart palpitations, and increased internal temperature, all signs of impending heat exhaustion.
Consider this: before you ever reach that point, your cat may also be showing signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Although heat stroke is more commonly discussed in dogs, because of people's propensity to leave them in parked cars, cats can be affected too. Cats can't always tell you they're not feeling up to par, but they sure can show you.


How to Help Your Cat Avoid Heatstroke

You can help your cat survive extremely hot weather by keeping him indoors in a cool interior room. Rubbing him down with a damp towel will help; so will immersing his feet in a tub of cool water. Wrapping a cold compress under the cat's neck will also help cool him off. He may fight at first, but most likely will appreciate it once he gets used to the idea. Try wrapping a plastic bag of frozen peas in a towel, and placing in in his bed for a cool spot to lie. The peas will rearrange themselves to fit his contours and he'll have a "custom spa" for cooling off.

Make sure he has several bowls of cool water available. It doesn't hurt to drop an ice cube in once in awhile, not only to cool the water, but to pique kitty's interest in drinking. Strangely enough, cats affected by external heat may refuse to drink water, exacerbating the problem of dehydration, so you may want to "force" water by using an eyedropper or syringe. Be careful not to shoot the water down his throat as it can enter his lungs and/or cause choking. Just dribble a drop or two at a time in the corner of his mouth, which will help hydrate him and draw his interest to drinking on his own.

If your cat exhibits any of the signs above that lead you to think he is suffering heat exhaustion, cool him down as quickly as possible by immersing him in cool water, and then wrapping him with wet towels. Then get him to the veterinarian immediately. This is a serious, potentially fatal condition.

Sunburn

White cats, or cats with white ears and faces, are particularly susceptible to sunburn. Over a period of time, exposure to the sun can cause squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer found most often on the tips of the ears and nose. Early signs are a sore that does not heal, or that bleeds. My own introduction to squamous cell carcinoma was with our beloved little white cat, Arthur, who died of it at 18 years. Because of her age, we were reluctant to allow either surgery or chemotherapy, the two treatments of choice, and she passed on about three months after being diagnosed.

White cats should be kept out of direct sun as much as possible, and if they must be in the sun, you can help them prevent sunburn by using a sunscreen on their ears and noses. Your veterinarian can recommend one which will not be harmful if ingested.

The sun is a powerful giver of life and still worshipped by people all over the world, but it is not always your cat's best friend. Be aware of his condition on sweltering summer days, and if you have any doubts at all, get him to the veterinarian immediately. You are the only defense he has.

Hot Weather / Summer Tips for Dogs

In most parts of the country, when summer sets in, there is no question as to what the weather will be each day. Undoubtedly it will be hot!

For dogs, whose normal body temperatures are warmer than that of humans, it can seem even hotter. Couple that with wearing a fur coat and pets can get downright uncomfortable, or could even suffer heat stress or stroke.

Some of the things you can do to help your dog stay healthy and comfortable include obvious things, like making sure he has shade and cool water and not exercising him during the height of the midday heat. However, there are some other things you can do that can make a difference as well.

Remove bedding from your dog’s crate. If your dog is crated, he will surely be much more comfortable laying on the cool crate bottom rather than a thick pile of blankets or towels.
Keep up with grooming. Don’t let your dog’s coat get overgrown and matted, but don’t “shave him down” completely either. The dog’s fur is part of his natural insulation system that keeps warm air in during winter and hot air out during summer. Also, keep in mind that shaving dogs’ coats too short can put their skin at risk of sunburn.

Be careful with toilets. This is the time of year when dogs are tempted to drink the cold water from toilet bowls. Either be diligent about keeping lids down or skip using any type of cleanser or chemical that stays in the tank or bowl.
Teach your dog where to go. If your dog lives outside or is spending time outside, teach him to do a “down/stay” in a shady spot. This can also help prevent digging holes under bushes.
Leave your dog in the house when you go out. Keep the air conditioning on or at least a fan.

Check the ground during walks. Blacktop in particular can get scorchingly hot for your dog’s pads. Bend down and feel the surface to see whether it may be unsafe or uncomfortable for your pet.

Teach kids when “enough is enough.” Dogs, like people, may get grumpy when it’s hot and kids are overzealous with their affections.

Spending a day outside with the whole family? Wet your dog’s coat with a hose. He may love it (or not, at first), but will feel very refreshed once he’s all nice and wet.

Watch out for symptoms of heat stress or stroke. If you see that your dog is panting heavily, salivating or foaming, these may be the first signs of a heat related problem. Symptoms can progress to include vomiting, lethargy and even worse! Don’t wait for symptoms to progress.

Get your dog into a cool location, provide small drinks of cold water and if he doesn’t improve within a few minutes, contact your veterinarian right away. By taking a few steps to ensure your pet’s safety and comfort, he too can enjoy the “dog days of summer!”

Washing Your Dog

There comes a time in every dog's life when you can't escape the inevitable conclusion: he smells. In fact, he smells really bad. When you know the dog is entering the room before you see his furry body amble through the doorway, action must be taken. Yes, Rover, it's bath time!

As doggie caretaker, keeping your canine clean is your responsibility. Unfortunately, you may dread bath time almost as much as Rover does. The good news is that not all dogs need to be bathed particularly often. In fact, bathing a dog too often can be bad for his skin because it strips off the protective oils. The frequency of bathing depends a lot on your dog. Some dogs just get stinky faster. For example, retrievers and other water dogs generally have oily coats (to repel water), so they get a case of doggie odor more quickly than some other breeds. Short-haired dogs and dogs that spend a lot of time inside also generally need fewer baths than long-haired breeds or dogs that love to go outside and roll in disgusting things. Your nose will tell you how often you need to bathe your dog.


Before you wash your dog, brush him. Removing all the loose hair and mats makes the bath easier on everyone. Obviously, you have to wash less hair, but also on a long-haired dog, you are less likely to have matting problems if the dog has been thoroughly brushed out first. Water tends to turn small tangles into mats and small mats into big mats. If your dog has twigs, straw, or other pieces of crud in his fur, remove them. Clip out anything sticky like pitch or tar using clippers.


Once you have decided that yes, today is THE day, you need to get your bathing supplies together. Get everything you need in the bathroom before you go find Rover. The most important thing you need is dog shampoo. Dogs' skin is a different pH than peoples' so it's not a good idea to use human shampoo on a dog. You'll also need a lot of old towels. The bigger and hairier your dog, the more towels you need. Ideally, it helps to have a hand sprayer and a bathtub tether to hold Rover in place.


Once you have Rover in the bathroom, close the door. After you have him in the bathtub or shower, begin by thoroughly wetting down his fur. Follow the instructions on the bottle of shampoo, especially if you are doing a flea bath. Generally it's easiest to work in the shampoo if you water it down with some water in your hand first. When you are done soaping up the dog, move to the rinse cycle. Rinsing is extremely important and generally takes at least twice as long as the soaping up process (that's why a hand sprayer is very helpful). You don't want any soap residue left because it can irritate your dog's skin.


When the bath is done, the dog will inevitably shake. Probably all over you. If you can, it's nice to have the dog do one really big shake while he's still in the shower or tub (but if not, be ready to wipe down your bathroom later -- remember you did close the door, so he shouldn't be running all over the house). Then towel dry the dog. Most dogs love this part and forget all about the indignity of the bath. (Okay, maybe not.) Keep Rover out of drafts until he's completely dry, and then revel in the joy of a clean hound.

ABOUT CATS

The domestic cat belongs to the family Felidae, one of the oldest mammalian families, that includes wild cats such as lions, tigers, leopards, etc and there are 38 known species of felines in the world today.

Cats are hunting carnivores with strong predatory instincts, powerful jaws with long, sharp teeth and claws that draw back into their paws when not in use. Cats have exceptionally acute hearing, and eyes adapted for vision in dim light allowing them to easily hunt just before dawn and after dusk.

Domestic cats come in a variety of shapes, sizes and coats and over the years have been selectively bred to establish distinct breeds.

The domestic cat is agile, intelligent, friendly and affectionate. The cat is both sociable and independent - as happy with its own company as with the company of other cats or humans.

BUYING A DOG

Taking on a dog as a pet is a big commitment and should not be taken lightly. It will need attention, training, routine veterinary treatment, grooming and daily care and exercise.
Owning a dog is a lot like raising a child and in many ways requires the same commitment - they need attention, care, love, training and most of all - time and companionship. A dog views its owner(s) as its pack or "family" and it important that the owner(s) accept the dog as a family member in the same way.



Although some dogs are fairly independent and happy to amuse themselves for periods of time, they are sociable animals and so it is not ideal to get a dog if it is going to be left alone all day throughout the week while owner(s) are at work and/or school. Some dogs left alone regularly for long periods of time can become bored and this can often lead to destructive or anti-social behaviour.

A dog will require daily care for 10-15 years - too many dogs are already waiting to be rehomed through no fault of their own. This may be due to changes in the previous owner's circumstances, a wearing off of the novelty of dog ownership, a lack of time for the dog or some other reason. Just as anyone would give careful consideration to their circumstances, lifestyle, commitment, time etc before starting a family, buying a dog should be considered in the same way.



Buying a Puppy from a Breeder
If buying a puppy the best place to buy is always directly from a reputable breeder. Dog breeders may be located through dog clubs or advertisements for dogs for sale.
The advantages of buying directly from a breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy dogs of good temperament. Many breeders will also offer some form of guarantee contracting to take the dog back if not suitable. Unfortunately the same cannot always be said for puppies sold in pet shops or those that have come from "puppy farms" where dogs are bred in mass numbers for the pet market.

Many breeders of pedigree dogs also show their dogs and so breed towards producing a good healthy show dog with a view to keeping one or two themselves so quality and temperament is of vital importance when planning the breeding.
Although breeders of show dogs specialise in breeding pedigree dogs, there are also owners who have bred their pet dogs and produce cross breed or pedigree puppies. These may be the result of a planned or unplanned pregnancy but the pups have usually been well cared for and brought up in a family environment and so most often make very suitable pets and will be less expensive to purchase than a pedigree show dog.
Buying a dog direct from the breeder means that there is the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the puppy that it is intended to purchase.
Unfortunately not all private breeders are reputable - there are small time breeders who, whilst not "commercial" take on dog breeding as a financial hobby and as such their main aim is financial gain and not their production of healthy and well mannered pups. These breeders specialise in popular pedigree dog breeds but do not show their dogs and they or their dogs are most often not registered with any breed club. If buying a pedigree dog from someone who regularly offers puppies for sale and yet is not registered with any breed club it is wise to ask for contact details of a previous purchaser or two with a view to contacting them about their purchase to ensure that the puppy purchased remained of good health and temperament. Unfortunately many such breeders may not keep records of previous purchasers and without this it is not easy to assess the quality of puppies they are producing for sale.



Buying a Puppy or Dog from a Rescue Home
Another option when seeking a dog as a pet is to obtain a dog from a rescue home. Many dogs, both puppies and older dogs, unfortunately become abandoned or homeless through no fault of their own every year.
Rescue homes usually assess the dog's behaviour on arrival and often carry out remedial training if needed before offering for rehoming. Therefore dogs offered are usually very suitable and loving pets. The advantage of an older dog is that basic training has already been carried out and so in this respect these dogs are easier to care for than taking on a puppy.
Rescue homes often have both pedigree and cross breed dogs available but the dog's background or exact breeding details are often not know. However, unless the intention is to show or breed then rescue dogs should be considered.
Depending on the rescue organisation they may require the completion of a series of forms, interviews or even a home visit to assess suitability as a potential dog owner. Their primary concern is to ensure the correct placement of the dogs in their care with a suitable new owner.



Buying a Puppy from a Pet Shop
Sometimes puppies are available in pet shops. These puppies are unlikely to have come from a reputable show breeder and are most likely to have come from a pet owner with an unplanned pregnancy or from commercial puppy farms. There is some risk as to whether these puppies will be of good temperament or health as the parents cannot be seen and often little or no information can be given about their background or breeding.
It is no fun buying a unhealthy, weakly puppy and then dealing with the problems this presents afterwards - it can cause a lot of heartache so it is essential to find a good healthy puppy. Should any pet shop or the health of the puppies for sale cause concern they can be reported to an Animal Welfare organisation or local authority if the conditions warrant it.

Children, Dogs, and Activities

As a member of the family, your dog is certainly loved - but perhaps there is room for improvement in the ways that commitment is expressed. Take some time to reexamine, with your child, the most important gifts that families and dogs can give one another. Here is a list of suggestions for activities:

1. Review with your child his or her dog-related responsibilities. It is understandable that busy schedules interfere with the best intentions, but it does help to make a list and accommodate the dog’s needs to everyone’s busy days. Depending upon age and ability, children can take responsibility for: letting the dog outside or in for bathroom needs; exercising; feeding or grooming. If any of these has presented a problem, now is the time to discuss solutions. Probably the most time-consuming chore is regularly exercising the dog, which can be limited to weekends if the child is interested.

2. Consider a new “extracurricular” dog activity for your child to participate in. This might include an evening or weekend class in obedience training, agility (great fun for children as well as dogs) or breed shows. Take your child to sit in on a local class during this week, or attend a local or regional dog show. Register together and make the commitment to try a new venture that both child and dog can enjoy.

3. Volunteer a few hours at a local animal shelter. Animal shelters provide a wonderful introduction to volunteerism for children, who can assist the staff, help with cleaning kennels or taking homeless dogs for walks.

4. Read a dog-related book or browse the internet together with your child. Learn together about dogs by surfing Purina.com . Tackle a topic that you and your child would like to know more about, such as the history, care or behavior of dogs.

5. Schedule your dog’s annual veterinary exam during this week. Your child can participate in important decisions (Will laboratory tests be needed? Should a heartworm test be performed? Is this a good time to schedule a dental cleaning?). If there is interest, a “behind the scenes” tour may be possible if arranged in advance.

6. Suggest a dog-related project for your child (or ask him or her to come up with some ideas). Some examples: repair or refurbish the dog’s accessories, such as the dog house or fencing; deal with a nagging behavior problem such as jumping up or running away. Challenge your child to come up with some creative solutions - and then help to apply them.
Of course, even a fraction of these activities would easily fill up one week of time, but the payoff - a re-energized bond between child and pet - will last much longer.