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June 11, 2010

MAIL CALL: With hot temperatures, pets need more attention

The Athens Review

Eustace — To say it has been hot here in Northeast Texas the past several days would be an understatement, especially coming from someone who has been living 300 miles north of here in Oklahoma.

Charlie, my Mom's ancient hairy dog, whose breed name I cannot spell without it coming out as a bad word....nearly succumbed to the heat.

When he did not come up to eat last night, my husband Jeff went looking for him.  Jeff was gone so long, I honestly thought he must have been burying the Dog.  Charlie came to live with us after my Mom passed away.  Charlie was her dog.

When Jeff brought Charlie into the house, he was almost lifeless. I held Charlie on the sofa, and rocked him while Jeff drew up a tub of cool water.  At one time, I thought Charlie had quit breathing.  His legs were useless, his breathing raspy and uneven, and he could barely lift his head.  Charlie is the same color as the sand located under the steps to the back door where Jeff discovered him during the search, and was not responding to Jeff calling his name.

We soaked him in the tub for some time.  I loaded him down with conditioner, and took off his collar, and just kept turning him from side-to-side.  I had to hold his head up to keep his face out of the water.  Once his eyes rolled back into his head, I thought he had given up the ghost.  His core temperature was so high, he actually heated the water, and we had to put more cold water into the tub!  

His head was towards the faucet, and he maneuvered himself around to put his backside towards the cooler water.  That was the first indication that he might make it.

When we took him out, he could not stand.  We began pouring small amounts of water from a bottle into his mouth, and he did swallow it.

 During the course of the night, we gave him almost two bottles of water.  We wrapped him up in towels, placed him in the middle of the bed, and armed ourselves, each with a pair of scissors.

Both Jeff and I began cutting off as much hair as we could to give him some relief from the heat.  He laid there for a while, and then began to shiver. So we wrapped him in some dry towels, and left him on the bed. When we turned in for the night, we placed him between us, under the covers.

 Around 2 a.m., he began to get restless.  We got up with him, and put him on the floor.  He was trying to walk, but his legs would not hold him up.  We gave him more water, and left him on the wooden floors.  He was lying on his belly for the first time.  At around 6 a.m., when we got up for the morning, he was staggering around, putting his face into the bowl of water, but not actually drinking, so we gave him water via the bottle again.

Charlie is lying here next to me as I write this.  He is still very unsteady on his feet, not interested in food, but seems alert.  I am about to tackle the rest of the hair we did not get off last night.

Charlie has lived all his life in a much cooler climate.  I know this heat has taken a toll on me, so I can only imagine trying to endure it with a fur coat on!  We know he is not out of the woods yet, but he will be residing in the house from now on, sans one very hot coat.

Charlie should serve as an example to everyone who has animals in their family.  With the weather as hot as it is right now, it’s time to watch  your dogs and cats closely, especially if they are outside animals.

If you love your animals as Jeff and I love ours, you will be cautious to the heat – to the temperatures that are approaching 100 degrees this time of year.

Jean Riggs

Eustace

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