Bobba Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 It's that time of year again when we babysit our grandchildrens border terrier. She's 10 yrs old. No known health problems and groomed / sheared in the last 2 wks. Yeasterday the heat was unbearable for all. All day we had all back doors open into an enclosed back garden and she wandered around as in previous years. Suddenly, last night about 2030, she pointed her nose upwards, started panting like a steam train, rapid trembling, and in a very agitated fashion jumped up on the sofa and started to scratch at the cushions as if burying a bone. Mrs B suspected possible heat problems so we soaked a towel in cold water and enveloped her in the towel, gently reassuring her. After about 20 mins or so she calmed and was gently panting. After about another 10 mins all was calm. At about 2300 a minor repeat of the symptoms. Again wet towel and matters stabilised. To keep an eye on her we put a sheet on our bed and, exceptionally let her sleep there. Today it's a lot cooler and she's fine. So, advice from the dog community please. From my description were we right to suspect heat problems? Did we take the right corrective action? And, heaven forbid, should this recur is there anything else we should/could have done? Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 Low salts, good old dehydration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 23 minutes ago, washerboy said: Low salts, good old dehydration. That's a thing a lot of humans get wrong about hydrating themselves, it's not all about water! you need the salts as well! When I'm running 10k runs in the heat I always have dioralyte waiting for me at the finish line. I think you done the right thing getting the dog cooled off. That rapid panting would certainly have been drying the poor dog out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 We mist spray our Dogs during the day and have a kids paddling pool in the garden - Dogs lose heat through their feet, only other thing is Ice Cubes in the water - they eat them thus increasing their water intake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 I got mine to stand in the paddling pool and showered him with the garden hose for a good 15 mins the other day, I made sure to spray under his belly and give him a good soaking. Plenty of water (I add some to their food when it’s hot) and I don’t really take mine out when it’s hit like this... which sucks for trying to get them fit pre-season but I do worry about this heat. Be careful with having dogs coats clipped. People think it will keep them cooler but it can make the coat and mean that the sun can get directly onto the dogs skin which it can’t do if it’s longer. I don’t get my spaniels clipped at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 If you haven't got air conditioning, dog cool coats are good. They are a dog coat usually made out of a blue synthetic chamois. You wet them and they go from hard to supple. They work by evaporative cooling, but don't wet the dogs coat. We have them for our dogs and they work really well. You just need to be careful to keep the dog off hot pavements and slabs as although the dogs body is kept cool it will not protect their paws from burning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 6 hours ago, Bobba said: It's that time of year again when we babysit our grandchildrens border terrier. She's 10 yrs old. No known health problems and groomed / sheared in the last 2 wks. Yeasterday the heat was unbearable for all. All day we had all back doors open into an enclosed back garden and she wandered around as in previous years. Suddenly, last night about 2030, she pointed her nose upwards, started panting like a steam train, rapid trembling, and in a very agitated fashion jumped up on the sofa and started to scratch at the cushions as if burying a bone. Mrs B suspected possible heat problems so we soaked a towel in cold water and enveloped her in the towel, gently reassuring her. After about 20 mins or so she calmed and was gently panting. After about another 10 mins all was calm. At about 2300 a minor repeat of the symptoms. Again wet towel and matters stabilised. To keep an eye on her we put a sheet on our bed and, exceptionally let her sleep there. Today it's a lot cooler and she's fine. So, advice from the dog community please. From my description were we right to suspect heat problems? Did we take the right corrective action? And, heaven forbid, should this recur is there anything else we should/could have done? Many thanks. If you pm me an email address I will forward you an email I have just received from my vet's about heat stroke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted August 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 11 minutes ago, B725 said: If you pm me an email address I will forward you an email I have just received from my vet's about heat stroke. Great offer. PM sent. Really appreciated. Bob Thank you one and all for the advice. At least we were on the right track. I will have to get my son to invest in cool coats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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