Cures For The Summertime Blues.

In case you haven't noticed, summer is here and tomorrow is the Fourth of July. There are some particular summertime hazards for dogs, and there are always dogs that do not enjoy the fireworks nearly as much as people do.

There is nothing that is likely to help "noise phobias" in dogs except drugs. In spite of your reassurance and explanations, dogs run away, hide, pee on the floor, and dig little holes around the yard and get worse as they get older. If you think you may need tranquilizers or anti-anxiety drugs for your dog, call your veterinarian today. These are mostly prescription drugs so an exam or a "doctor-patient relationship" is required, and it will cost you more tomorrow unless your regular vet is on call.

Cheat grass is the most common summertime hazard. A few weeks ago, when the weather warmed up and things dried out, we began seeing dogs with cheat grass in their ears. A dog runs through the weeds sniffing the ground and comes back shaking his head. The grass awn is already deep in the ear canal, out of sight and unreachable except by a veterinarian with an otoscope, long forceps, and perhaps an anesthetic injection.

Cheat grass gets into every body orifice, including noses and eyes, and commonly penetrates the skin between toes and causes painful swellings. When it gets under the skin it can migrate deep in the tissue, between muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels. Surgery can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The most serious summertime hazard is overheating. A car with the windows rolled up in the hot sun is a death trap for a dog. Dogs cool themselves by panting, which depends on the evaporation of water from their windpipe, mouth, and tongue. It doesn't take long for a panting dog to raise the humidity in a closed car to 100% and then this cooling mechanism no longer works. Fifteen to thirty minutes can be enough to do fatal damage. On a quick trip into the Post Office or convenience store a distraction or delay could kill your dog.

An overheated dog is a life or death emergency. Getting the temperature down is critical. A kid in a swimming pool often doesn't get cold until he gets out of the water. That's because he is wet and the water is evaporating. The quickest way to cool an overheated dog is to get him wet. Then call your veterinarian. Treatment for shock, including lots of intravenous fluids may make the difference between complete recovery and death due to the kidney failure that may develop over the hours after apparent recovery.

Rattlesnake bites may be the most over-rated summertime hazard. Not that they are not to be taken seriously, but dog fatalities from snakebites, in my experience, are rare. I think if a dog is going to die from a snakebite, he will die within ten or fifteen minutes. In such cases antivenin within minutes may be life saving, but the cost of the correct dose of antivenin can easily be a thousand dollars or more. A vaccine is available. It must be given before the bite and its efficacy is debatable.

Snakebites can cause painful deep infections and shock that can be fatal. Prompt veterinary care can prevent or mitigate these things. If your dog is bitten, carry him to the truck and take him to your vet.

It may be that "There ain't no cure for the summertime blues" but "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."