Summertime, and the livin’ is easy. Or not. Let’s talk about summertime dangers for dogs.
The first is an oldie but goodie. Heat. OMG, folks. It’s hot. Don’t be an idiot. I’m not even going to try to be tactful here. Do not leave your dog in the car! Not even for a minute. That’s all I’m going to say about cars. But there are other ways Hazard, the hound dog, can overheat. Dogs basically don’t sweat. They rely on panting to reduce body heat, and they are wearing permanent fur coats. Exercising. Sitting out in the sun. Heatstroke happens, faster and more often than you think. It is particularly a problem for pups with pug faces, old dogs, and those with laryngeal paralysis, or heart and lung disease.
The best treatment for heatstroke is prevention, but if Hazard overheats, please immediately hose him off with cool water, being sure to wet him down to the skin, and getting his exposed belly, where there is less fur. Do not use ice. This will actually make things worse. Hose him down first, get him into the shade, then call your veterinarian immediately.
The second summer safety hazard is water. Saltwater. Pond water. Pool water. Let’s start with the ocean. When Hazard goes to the beach and repeatedly into the surf to retrieve that tennis ball, or just paddle around, he may ingest seawater. Some dogs will even drink it intentionally, especially if you forget to bring a water bowl. Small amounts may cause just an upset tummy, but most years I see at least one case of actual salt toxicosis caused by dogs ingesting too much seawater, and not having adequate access to fresh drinking water.
High salt levels in the ingested water lead to high sodium levels in the blood. This can cause all kinds of havoc in the brain. The pathophysiology is complicated, but basically the salt causes the brain to shrink, then blood vessels tear, resulting in intracranial hemorrhage. Dogs usually start vomiting within a few hours. Mild cases exhibit diarrhea, weakness, and muscle tremors, but more serious salt toxicosis can progress to seizures, and even coma and death. Treatment must be handled very carefully, as too rapid correction can lead to the equally dangerous situation of cerebral edema.
Pond water isn’t as salty as seawater, but is susceptible to another even more deadly issue: blue-green algae. These little organisms, also called cyanobacteria, thrive in the nutrient-rich environment of ponds, especially in hot weather. Ingestion of even tiny amounts of contaminated water can be fatal. Signs begin with vomiting and diarrhea, but rapidly progress to jaundice, weakness, shock, muscle tremors, seizure, and death due to liver failure, neurotoxicity, or respiratory paralysis. There is no antidote. Although aggressive supportive care may help, the prognosis is grave.
If Hazard takes a plunge in suspicious water, glove up so you don’t get exposed, then wash him immediately, and call your veterinarian. Signs are expected within six hours of exposure, but I have seen cases take longer. Unfortunately, you cannot identify whether a pond is experiencing a toxic bloom based just on appearance. The Great Pond Foundation has a website with some information about cyanobacteria on the Vineyard. I see they have already posted a warning to keep pets and livestock away from Edgartown Great Pond, but the Island is covered with ponds, most of which are not being monitored for blue-green algae blooms. Again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure … especially when there is no cure. When in doubt, keep your pets out of any body of water that you wouldn’t swim in yourself, and call your local board of health for information about how to get water tested.
So you’re just going to let Hazard swim in your backyard pool. That’s safe, right? Wrong. OK, pool water isn’t necessarily that bad, but high levels of chlorine can definitely cause problems. Some dogs will get dermatitis from chlorine exposure, or even injury to their eyes. The bigger risk is if your pup is exposed to the pool chemicals or cleaners in their concentrated form. If Hazard eats any of these products, grab the container so you have all the technical information and call an animal poison hotline immediately. Do not try to make him vomit until you speak with a veterinary toxicologist. Some of these products are very corrosive, and barfing them back up may cause more harm than good.
Don’t worry, you say. We don’t have a pool. We aren’t taking Hazard to the beach or the pond. We’re keeping him safe right here in our fenced yard. That’s wonderful … but are any mushrooms growing out there? The good news is that to the best of my knowledge we don’t have the most deadly species of mushrooms here on the Vineyard. In 42 years practicing here, I have never seen a mushroom-related fatality in a pet. We do, however, have mushrooms that can cause issues when ingested, usually just vomiting and diarrhea that can be treated symptomatically. Occasionally I see a dog who has been seen eating mushrooms who then developed neurological symptoms ranging from mild incoordination to marked tremors, to outright seizures. All recovered uneventfully with supportive care. The worst case I ever saw was when the owner decided to mow the mushroom-laden lawn, and the puppy followed behind, eating all those delicious chopped fungi.
If your dog enjoys munching mushrooms, remove them from your yard… just not with the lawn mower. If Hazard eats one, don’t panic. If you do panic, well, you can collect a sample for identification. Don’t ask me. I can’t identify mushrooms unless they are labeled at Cronig’s. You can call an animal poison control hotline. There is also a great Facebook group called Poisons Help; Emergency Identification For Mushrooms and Plants. These folks are amazing, and very professional. Read their guidelines clearly, and post pictures and details as requested. Now, about the ticks — summertime. Oy!
