"And this is Love, that we walk in obedience to His command" 2John 1:6

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Month of August

Dog Days of Summer
Dog’s do not sweat. I’m sure you already knew that. When you see a dog panting, that’s him trying to cool off. This method works great in normal climates and during weather that isn’t too warm. But when the temperature starts rising, it’s time to start taking measures to keep your pet cool, as all the panting in the world wont make him comfortable in the heat of summer. Some tips on how to help your pup beat the heat:

1. Kiddie Pools are a great way for dogs to cool off.
A lot of dogs love these. Fill one up and watch how fast they get the idea. If you have a small dog, a basin will do. Just make sure it’s something the dog is big enough to climb out of easily.

2. Crushed ice is great..
some dog loves to crunch on this stuff. Toss your pup a few and see how fast they disappear!

3. Don’t leave your dog outside all day in the summer.
You know how bad you feel after a few hours in 100 degree heat? Well, put on a fur jacket and you know how your pet feels. If you want to leave him out for long periods of time, do it in the morning or evening – but not when the temps are at their hottest.

4. If they are going to be outside for awhile, make sure there is some kind of shelter from the sun.
Trees, picnic table, a covered patio or something that creates a shadow they can retreat to if he wants to. Dogs know what shade is, and they will absolutely use it if it exists. But it needs to be there all day – if you have one big tree that creates shade in the morning, it might not be creating shade a later. Make sure you know there will be shade the entire time your pet is out there.

5. Water. Water. Water.
Make sure your dog has a cold source of fresh water the entire time he is outside. If you leave him out for a long time, you need to make sure there’s enough water to last. And in the heat, that’s a lot of water you would need. More than a big bowl, it could be trough like you see in horse stables or like the water cooler type, remember to place in a shaded area.
Remember you will need a lot more than 1 bowl of water. It’s also worth mentioning a lot of dogs will put a paw in their bowls and knock them over, now what? You need something large that he can’t knock over and that will be in a cool place the entire day, as water gets warm quickly in the sun.

6. A parked car is NOT for your dog.
A parking lot is a hot place with all that asphalt drawing the sun down and reflecting the heat, just try walking on that in August in your bare feet. If you drive your car to the shops with the A/C blasting and plan to leave your dog in there for 5 minutes, you’re faced with a few problems. First, that cold air going to go right out the window – as no one with half a brain would leave the windows rolled up with a dog in there.
Second, you can’t roll them down far enough to get real airflow in there, as if they are open that far the dog could escape. Also, people like me who pass your car and see a dog in there, might just stand there and clock how long you are gone. I give it 15 min, max. If I don’t see you in that timeframe, I call the ASPCA or Police and let them deal with you. And they will come right out there.

This all sounds like common sense, but the fact is, a lot of dog owners don’t consider these things when they put their dog outdoors. They think he’ll be fine out there all day, not realizing he’s susceptible to the heat just like people are. More so, because he doesn't sweat and wears a fur jacket. It’s up to you to provide him with the means to stay cool – they deserve it!





 

Just some pics

dog

Lucy chills during a break in class

dog

After getting the idea Karma soars over the jump

dog

Bannock does a high speed turn upon exiting the tunnel

Health Spot

SENIOR WELLNESS CARE FOR DOGS AND CATS

Our veterinary patients are very good at hiding signs of disease until they are in the advanced stages. Dogs or cats in the wild would be killed by a predator or another member of the pack if they had shown signs of weakness. Because of that instinct, our domesticated dogs and cats tend to hide pain and disease as well. For example with liver or kidney disease, the animal will not show clinical signs that the owner would recognize (not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, etc) until there is compromise of about 80% of the organ. By that time, a lot of the damage that is done to the organ is irreversible or at least will leave the organ damaged to some extent. If the disease can be discovered early, then even if it cannot be reversed, in a lot of cases the progression can be slowed down by changes in diet and adding medication. Just as in humans, as your pet gets older, there is more chance that some of the organs will begin to have problems. So what is the best way to prevent these surprises from happening and shortening the life of your pet?

1. Having a thorough physical examination done at least once a year and every 6 months on animals with known problems. As we get older we would not (or at least should not) go 5-6 years without a physical examination. Because our pets age so much faster than we do, if we do a physical exam on them once a year, it is equivalent to us having one every 5-6 years. There are a lot of changes that can take place in a senior pet’s body over that period of time. A lot of those changes can be detected on physical examination. Some times things as subtle as too much weight loss over a few months can be a tip off of diseases such as thyroid problems in cats, diabetes in dogs or cats, cancer and other diseases.

2. Having a blood screen and urinalysis done once a year on your senior pet. Even before there are physical changes in most organs, there will be changes that will show up on bloodworm and in the urine. Subtle changes in the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, thyroid glands and in other organ systems will show up with bloodworm. It is one of the easiest ways to “look inside” of a senior pet’s body and see what is going on.

I know that your desire as an owner is to be able to keep your pet healthy so you can enjoy each others company for as many years as possible. Our desire is to help you be able to do that. In my opinion as well as experts from the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital association, the best way to do that is for your pet to have regular wellness examinations and appropriate lab testing (bloodwork and urinalysis).

Article supplied by

Don Berry DVM
LaRue County Animal Clinic
121 Shepherdsville Rd.
Hodgenville, Kentucky 42748
Phone 270-358-4474
Fax 270-358-9650
www.laruecountyanimalclinic.com


 

Schedule of Events

July 31 , 2010
Level 1 Obedience 
12:30pm (Saturday)
8 Week Class

August 12 , 2010
Rally Obedience Class
 6:30pm (Thursday evening)
8 Week Class
(must have completed Level 1 Obedience)

August 26 , 2010
Level One Obedience Class
7:45pm (Thursday evening)
8 Week Class

September 4.2010
 Level 2  Obedience Class
9:00am (Saturday)
8 Week Class
(must have completed Level 1)

September 25,2010
 Level 1 Obedience Class
 10:30am (Saturday)
8 Week Class

   





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