Doe and fawns cooling in shade. Photo by Mike Gordon, Walnut Creek, CA
HOT IN WALNUT CREEK
Gary:
This doe and her two fawns found some shade! Mike Gordon, Walnut Creek, California
Mike:
Leave it to the wild creatures to figure out how to deal with a hot day. Go lie in the shade until it cools down!
Unlike us humans who go for walks in the sun, or drive around town running errands in the hot confines of our cars. Chill out, people. And while you’re at it, please make sure your pets have PLENTY of cool water to drink when they need it and some cool spots to get out of the heat! When it’s a hot day, do you know where your pets are? /Gary
Protecting your pets from heat stroke during summer heat waves
This video from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) offers advice on how to protect your pets from heat stroke during summer heat waves, like the one that’s hitting us right now.
Please take 2 minutes and 42 seconds to view this video. Seems like the life of your pet is worth 2:42. Thanks. /Gary
Hot squirrels, coping. Photo by Patricia Rotter, Clayton, CA
You’ve probably heard of a “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?”
Well, here are two hot squirrels on a hot back fence.
EVERYONE — man & beast — was hot this last weekend. Whew! Like these overheated squirrels, we cope with these things as best as we can. Stay cool, my friends … especially your pets. /Gary
Sunrise on a hot day on Mount Diablo, by Brian Murphy, Walnut Creek, CA
IT’S BEEN TOO DARN HOT
Some things to keep in mind for dealing with future hot days: ** Make sure your pets have plenty of cool water. ** Do your pets have a cool place to stay out of the heat? Is there outside shade? How hot is it in the shade? (You may be surprised.) ** Keep pet water dishes out of the sun. ** Freeze water in plastic bottles so pets can lie next to them and stay cool. ** Indoor cats also need cool places to sleep. Bathtub bottoms are cool, so leave the bathroom door open. ** Rabbits are very sensitive to heat, so make sure there’s a frozen bottle of water in the cage. Read the rest of this entry »
** I’m off on vacation to Panama. I’ll be back with a blog and some wonderful photos from the Central American rain forests on July 23. See ya! */Gary *
Many Bay Area communities have opened Cooling Centers to provide relief to seniors from HIGH temperatures.
Unfortunately, pets are not usually allowed at city-owned community centers, libraries and senior centers. And a lot of seniors won’t go to the Cooling Centers if they have to leave their pets behind in the heat.
There’s a simple and easy solution to this that will make sure our senior citizens are not placed at risk on these very hot days … Read the rest of this entry »
Associated Press, June 24, 2008: “SAN DIEGO — A police dog was found dead in the back of his handler’s patrol car amid triple digit temperatures. Read the rest of this entry »
Feeling too hot? If you’re too hot, think how your pets feel with their fur coats!
Here are a few simple suggestions to help you keep your live-in animals safe during the present hot weather. Cut the following information out and stick it on your refrigerator door so you’ll always be reminded. Read the rest of this entry »
This heat wave isn’t over yet
So keep an eye on your pets.
Here’s some good hot weather advice from the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services:
HEAT & CARS: An outside temperature of 85 degrees will raise the temperature in your car to 104 degrees within 10 minutes — even if you leave the windows slightly open. Within a half-hour, the temperature can reach 120 degrees. This serious heat can cause a pet or child to suffer brain damage, heatstroke, suffocation or kidney failure.
PLAYTIME: On very hot days (like today!), only play with your pet during cool early mornings or evenings. Keep dogs off of hot pavement or sidewalks. They can burn their foot pads. Keeps walks to a minimum (or not at all) on very hot days like today.
OLDER & OVERWEIGHT CATS & DOGS: Keep a special eye on these animals when it’s hot. They are more vulnerable to the affects of heat.
SHORT-MUZZLED DOGS: bulldogs, mastiffs, pugs, Boston terriers, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus find it harder to breath on hot and humid days. Keep them where it’s cool.
HEAT STRESS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY: Heat stress signs in dogs and cats include heavy panting, glazed eyes, fast pulse, unsteady on feet, vomiting, and/or a deep red/purple tongue.
If your pet is exhibiting any of these signs, you can lower its body temp by pouring cool (not cold) water slowly over its body. Let the animal drink small amounts of cool (not cold) water.
