With
hunting season coming up and so many folks migrating south for the
winter, we thought this might be some useful information. These
are the recommendations and input from SportVet about keeping your dogs cool …
BEFORE running your dog, you should wet your dog in the pool
(children's swimming pool) provided. This should be cool water, without ice.
This applies to EVERY dog.
AFTER running your dog, if there are
potential overheating issues, all handlers should be observing their dogs
closely as they leave the Line area, looking for signs beyond normal panting,
such as wobbling, a raspy vocal sound, or a curled tongue. If your dog shows any
of these signs, get your dog to the post-run pool, which contains ice.
What many people don't realize is that when a dog has a rectal temperature of
109°, its internal body temp may be three to four degrees higher, which can
lead to organ failure. It is a myth that you might cause additional problems
with rapid cooling if the dog is severely overheated. It is VITAL to cool the
dog, the WHOLE dog, to the MAXIMUM extent possible and as FAST as possible. It
is only during relatively slight overheating situations, when the rectal temp
reaches 103° or below, that rapid extensive cooling may lead to other problems.
{This
blog entry was submitted by Joule Charney, Retriever News' author of
the Retrievers of the Past series that dates back to 2009. Stay tuned
for more blog entries by Joule.}
