Hot Weather Tips
Sidewalk Hot Foot
While waiting to cross the street during a blistering hot afternoon, I
looked down at Denali and asked him: "Are your paws getting burned?" He
promptly lifted one hind foot up and shook it...
Moral of the story?
Don't wait to ask - bend down and touch the pavement and see how hot it
is! Cement pavement takes a while to heat up but black asphalt road
surfaces get toasty in no time at all. Bob I
Tips from our Members...
Over 90 degrees and climbing? Consider leaving them inside.
Bring Water
According to Newsweek a dog needs one ounce of water per pound of
weight on hot days. That's 32 oz per quart! Bring a water bottle with a
heavy duty re-sealable cap that's pretty much "tooth proof".
Another aside: While making Therapy Dog rounds at the Brooklyn VA,
Denali & I encountered a former dog handler, a Viet Nam vet, who
spoke of helicoptering in with dogs on combat missions. Each handler
carried a huge backpack that contained nothing but water for the dog -
heat and the dubious nature of local streams posing a major health
hazard. But the dogs served so well, that when the water ran low, they
were immediately medivaced out by chopper.
Keep on the shady side of the street... "
Always in the shady side" - as the song goes....
Cool off at the Dog Beach or take a swim in the Lake from the Peninsula
during off-leash hours! Note there are different opinions floating
around as to how healthy the water is to swim in and drink so ask
around. Most dogs survive quite nicely.
Ice cubes in water bowls really help beat the hot weather. Beware it is quite messy on wood floors!
Lyme Disease
If your dog travels outside of Prospect Park to areas known to be
infested with Lyme ticks you should use preventive measures. Popular
commercial products are Frontline or Advantix in conjunction with a
Preventick collar.
There is an inoculation for dogs.... See more on this subject back in our general health section.
Leptospirosis
Drinking from small standing pools of water is a big NO, NO for doggie:
leptospirosis, a disease caused by Leptospira bacteria in rat, possum
or raccoon urine, can result in severe illness, even death among dogs.
It is generally not directly passed from pet to pet nor from pet to
person though humans can contract the disease from the same source.
There is a vaccination!
Shade your rest areas
Blocking the sun while allowing cool breezes to keep on blowing is a
beautiful thing using Aluminet Cooling coats for your dog. Wet the coat
down and you'll be able to feel the wicking action that keeps your dog
cool, as long as the coat stays wet. Hey, if these are good enough for
superstar Agility competitors, then they're certainly fine for the
streets of Brooklyn! Locally, check with Tavi And Friends n Bay Ridge
who have them available.
DON'T Leave your dog in a locked car.
Note: Police will issue tickets quickly for leaving dogs in cars for
good reason. If the magnified heat of the car doesn't kill your dog, it
will certainly cause a very expensive series of vet bills.
Don't leave your dog tied up outside while you shop - you never know how long it will take.
In fact it's not a great idea to leave your dog unattended in a front
area-way or tied to a parking meter. They can get teased by passing
school children; worst of all stolen by professionals who sweep in with
a van and leash cutter. Your dog is gone in ten seconds. It's like
leaving a $2000 road bike leaning against a parking meter without a
locking device. Whether you get your dog back depends on what they have
in mind. Some will wait for the reward posters to go up and happen to
"find" your dog. Otther people steal them to sell to unscrupulous
laboratories.
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