# Sticky  Cooling-back by demand



## NateB

I have received some requests to repost my cooling article. So here it is with a few edits from the last copy. Enjoy, feel free to repost and copy.


Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs
Nate Baxter DVM

The first thing that needs to be understood is that dogs and people are different enough that most of the info cannot cross lines. I do not profess to know what the appropriate procedures for people other than what I learned in first aid. 

Dogs do not lose enough electrolytes thru exercise to make a difference, but if the dog gets truly into heat stroke the physiology changes will make them necessary. BUT oral replacement at that point is futile, they need intravenous fluids and electrolytes and lots of it. 

Cooling: Evaporative cooling is the most efficient mean of cooling. However, in a muggy environment, the moisture will not evaporate so cooling does not happen well. I cool with the coldest water I can find and will use ice depending on the situation. The best way is to run water over the dog, so there is always fresh water in contact with the skin. When you immerse a dog in a tub, the water trapped in the hair coat will get warm next to the dog, and act as an insulator against the cool water and cooling stops. If you can run water over the dog and place it in front of a fan that is the best. Misting the dog with water will only help if you are in a dry environment or in front of a fan. Just getting the dog wet is not the point, you want the water to be cool itself, or to evaporate. 

For MOST situations all you will need to do is get the dog in a cooler environment, ie shade, or in the cab of the truck with the air conditioning on (driving around so the truck does not overheat and the AC is more efficient). Up to a couple of years ago, I was very concerned about my dogs getting too hot in the back of my black pickup with a black cap. New white truck fixed a lot of that problem. When I had one dog I just pulled the wire crate out of the car and put it in some shade and hopefully a breeze. But having 2 dogs and running from one stake to another, that was not feasible. So I built a platform to put the wire crates on, this raises the dog up in the truck box where the air flow is better. Then I placed a 3 speed box fan in front blowing on the dogs with a foot of space to allow better airflow. I purchased a power inverter that connects to the battery and allows the 3 speed fan to run from the truck power. It has an automatic feature that prevents it from draining the battery. When I turned that fan on medium I would find that the dogs where asleep, breathing slowly and appeared very relaxed and comfortable in a matter of 20 minutes or less, even on very hot muggy days. 

Alcohol: I do carry it for emergiencies. It is very effective at cooling due to the rapid evaporation. It should be used when other methods are not working. You should be on your way to the veterinarian before you get to this point. We recommend using rubbing alcohol, which is propylene alcohol, not ethyl, for those of you not aware. So do not try to drink it. Alcohol should be used on the pads and lower feet area where there is little more than skin and blood vessels over the bones. Use a little bit and let it evaporate, you can use too much as some is absorbed through the skin. There are concerns about toxicity, but you have to get the temperature down.

I purchased those cooling pads that you soak in cold water, but found that the dogs would not lay on them. I would hold them on the back of a dog that just worked to get a quick cool, but have not use them for years. I also bought a pair of battery operated fans but found them pretty useless. Spend your money on the power inverter and get a real fan. 

Watching temperature: If you feel your dog is in danger of heat injury, check its temp and write it down. Keep checking the temp every 3 minutes. I recommend to get a “rectal glass thermometer. The digital ones for the drug store I have found to be very unreliable, Don't forget to shake it down completely each time, sounds silly, but when are worried about your companion, things tend to get mixed up. This is VERY IMPORTANT**once the temp STARTS to drop, STOP ALL COOLING EFFORTS. The cooling process will continue even though you have stopped. If the temp starts at 106.5, and then next time it drops to 105.5, stop cooling the dog, dry it off, and continue monitoring. You will be amazed how it continues to go down. If you do not stop until the temp is 102, the temp will drop way too low. I cannot emphasis this point enough.

When the dog is so heated that it is panting severely, only let it have a few laps of water. Water in the stomach does not cool the dog, you just need to keep the mouth wet so the panting is more effective. Do not worry about hydration until the temp has started down. A dog panting heavily taking in large amounts of water is a risk of bloat. Due to the heavy panting they will swallow air, mixed with a large amount of water they can bloat. Once the temp is going down and panting has slowed to more normal panting then allow water. The dog will rehydrate it self after temp is normal. If the dog has a serious problem and even though you have gotten the temp normal, get the dog to a vet, as it can still need IV fluids and some medication. Also, a case of heat stroke can induce a case of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (not parvo), with a ton of very bloody diarrhea and a lot of fluid and electrolyte loss. These cases need aggressive treatment. 

The best method of treatment is prevention. Learn to watch your dog, and see the changes in the size of the tongue, and how quickly it goes down. Learn your dogs response to the different environments, and be careful when you head south for an early season hunt test or trial. I have been to Nashville at the end of May, only 5 hours away, but the difference in temp and humidity did effect the dogs as they were used to more spring weather in Ohio. Try different things in training to help the dog cool and learn what works better. Another very important point=> Do not swim your hot dog to cool it then put in put in a box/tight crate. Remember, evaporation can not take place in a tight space, and the box will turn into a sauna and you will cook your dog. Carry a stake out chain, and let the dog cool and dry before putting it up. I demonstrated this lesson this spring with my 10 monthold pup. After doing a 15 minute session in yard drill on a warm 70+ degree day, she was panting pretty hard and was pretty hot. She was OK but it was time to stop. Just for the heck of it I took her temp. She was 103.6, above normal but too bad for a dog that had just finished working. In my back yard I have a 300 gallon Rubbermaid tub filled with water. I took her to it and she jumped in and out 3-4 times. She appeared totally improved, tongue was much smaller, and eyes brighter and her full spring was back into her step. So I re-took her temp and it was 104.2, so even though she looked better she was hotter. This is a perfect lesson to show not get a hot dog wet and then put them in a box. The water on her skin caused the blood vessels to constrict, decreasing blood flow to the skin. Therefore the hot blood was shunted back to the dog’s core and retianed the heat. You may have felt the same thing, after exercising but still being very warm, take a shower and get cooled off but as soon as you turn the shower off you start sweating again.

I know this is s bit long, but hopefully this is easy to understand and helps provide some useful information.
Remember: Prevention, learn your dog. It is worth the time and effort.


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## goldeneye

Nate,

Great article, nice to have it on top.

Iwas always told that you should not use ice or very cold water as this causes vasoconstriction which will inhibit cooling by reducing blood flow.

What is your take on this notion?


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## NateB

goldeneye said:



> Nate,
> 
> Great article, nice to have it on top.
> 
> I was always told that you should not use ice or very cold water as this causes vasoconstriction which will inhibit cooling by reducing blood flow.
> 
> What is your take on this notion?


When used for a longer period of time it will work, you will cool the animal. Quick exposure is likely to cause the problem of increasing temp as in my example. Best to keep check on the rectal temp with a thermometer and see if it is working.

Nate


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## LuvMyLab

Awesome article. I'm printing it and putting it in my truck for reference.

I'm always worried of over heating my pup. She seems to take for ever to cool down.


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## Mike Tome

Nate,

I seem to remember that there is a change in tongue shape that is an indication of an over-heating problem... is it that the tongue goes from being very wide and thin to narrower and thicker, or am I having a brain fart?

Thanks!

Mike


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## Janice Gunn

Thank you Nate for taking the time to write this article and to share it with us all.

This is my favorite part about RTF, the valuable health information that we can gather.
Whether you agree with certain aspects of any post or not, it is best IMHO to know all your options and pick what best works for you and your dog.

Cheers to Nate!


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## jeff t.

Mike Tome said:


> Nate,
> 
> I seem to remember that there is a change in tongue shape that is an indication of an over-heating problem... is it that the tongue goes from being very wide and thin to narrower and thicker, or am I having a brain fart?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Mike



Also, the whites of the eye become more and more reddened as they heat up. I've found that to be easier to see and interpret than observing the tongue. When I begin to see redness, it is time to cool down.


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## goldenguy

*heat conditioning..is it possible*

What is the best way to condition a slim dog that is in good health to warmer weather? Or is there a good way? 

Here in Oklahoma, we often get weather in the 90's with relatively high humidity. All my dogs are slim and trim and in excellent physical condition but they are dogs with the same physical limits as all other dogs. 

Is there a max temperature and/or humidity that dogs should not be allowed any exercise?


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## Terry Britton

*Re: heat conditioning..is it possible*



goldenguy said:


> What is the best way to condition a slim dog that is in good health to warmer weather? Or is there a good way?
> 
> Here in Oklahoma, we often get weather in the 90's with relatively high humidity. All my dogs are slim and trim and in excellent physical condition but they are dogs with the same physical limits as all other dogs.
> 
> Is there a max temperature and/or humidity that dogs should not be allowed any exercise?


I posted some information on how temperature and humidity works on a post a long time ago relative to cooling a dog. I once had a computer model of the system, but that was back in 1995 when I took Quantitative Biology for Engineers.

Baically, there is a relationship between enthalpy, temperature, humidity, and the lbs of H2O per lb of dry air. A dog will breath in the air at a given temp and humidity (lbs of H2O per lb of dry air), and breath out 100% humidity air at the dogs current temperature which increases the enthalpy so you can measure how many BTU's of heat was removed from the dog with a breath. 

Also note that the faster the dog breaths, the more it will cool, but because additional oxygen is being added to the system, the more energy the dog will be burning. Rather than look at a given temperature and humidity, you need to look at the enthalpy on a psychometric chart, and compare that to 100% humidity at the dogs temperature to see if enough energy can be removed from the dog with a breath for cooling compared to the amount of energy the dog is burning (from faster panting or working). There is no simple ansewer. 

There are more details in the prevous post that I made in 2003 or so.


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## labdoc

Has anyone tried the cooling vest from www.coolk-9.comor similar? A client whose dog has larygeal paralysis brought one in the other day. They are very light and look like they may be great for arid environments.


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## Montview

labdoc said:


> Has anyone tried the cooling vest from www.coolk-9.comor similar? A client whose dog has larygeal paralysis brought one in the other day. They are very light and look like they may be great for arid environments.


You know, I have a couple of Kool Koats (different because they're basically made out of thick chamois material that you soak in cool water) for my dogs when it gets really hot out, but I always wonder how well they work. If you consider that the belly/armpits/inguinal region are some of the best places to cool down an overheated dog/cat (or human for that matter), how well can a vest that cools the dorsum really work? Some, perhaps...but enough?


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## Jennih40

Thanks for re-posting that article! That will be very valuable information to have this time of year here in Northwest Florida where temperatures can be 95 F by noon with 90% humidity. It's smothering! Since my dogs live indoors, I sometimes worry that they don't get enough conditioning to the heat. What can you recommend doing to enhance their tolerance for heat? (besides move.. LOL)


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## Jus Ducky

Nate, thanks for the information about cooling them off in water. At the HT in MD it was horrible hot and there were quite a few dogs that went into the water to cool off prior to the water portion. I couldn't tell if it helped them or not, and we didn't dip ours at all - just kept him in the shade, eventually turned on the air conditioning for him and our lil pup.  I know spoiled



labdoc said:


> Has anyone tried the cooling vest from www.coolk-9.comor similar? A client whose dog has larygeal paralysis brought one in the other day. They are very light and look like they may be great for arid environments.


I'm interested to hear how your client's dog is doing and how it is working for them. 

----------

Ducky


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## Guest

Hi All

First post here. When my dog gets too hot her tounge color turns bright red from her normal pink. Thats my signal to stop and cool her off.


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## Devlin

Even though so many of us have read this in the past, and hopefully _all_ of us pay close attention to our dog(s) in the heat and humidity, I'm really pleased to see it as a sticky. Here's hoping everyone takes a minute to re-read it.


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## jeff t.

Bump

I've heard of 5 different dogs going down due to heat in the past two days.


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## Bullet

jeff t. said:


> Bump
> 
> I've heard of 5 different dogs going down due to heat in the past two days.


What do you mean when you say...."go down"??

We trained today and the grass was taller than normal and it was pretty warm out. My dog is pretty high energy and does everything 100mph. She actually laid down after hunting up a bird. That is not like her and I knew we over did it. I got her cooled off asap and 10 minutes later she was ready to again but we called it a day. Very scarry...I now know what to look for and it will never happen again!


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## JS

"Going down" refers to actually collapsing from heat/exhaustion.

If your dog laid down panting because she was really gassed, that is not quite the same BUT IT IS A WARNING that she is getting close. Especially if that is out of character for her.

Read the article and pay attention. Lots of good info there.

The ambient temp does not always have to be extremely high. Everything is relative. They generate body heat from exertion and if conditions are not good for them cooling down they can get in trouble before you realize it.

JS


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## Guest

Found It!!! Please Re-sticky!!!!


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## Chris Atkinson

Consider it stuck!


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## 1tulip

Excellent article! I appreciate it very much. 

However, I don't know where to find a simple glass thermometer. I'm an RN and we haven't had them in a hospital for decades and decades, and I haven't seen one in the drug store to buy. I think it has to do with the mercury, which is now considered so toxic by the feds.

Is there a source for glass thermometers?

Thanks.


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## jeff t.

1tulip said:


> Excellent article! I appreciate it very much.
> 
> However, I don't know where to find a simple glass thermometer. I'm an RN and we haven't had them in a hospital for decades and decades, and I haven't seen one in the drug store to buy. I think it has to do with the mercury, which is now considered so toxic by the feds.
> 
> Is there a source for glass thermometers?
> 
> Thanks.


I searched for a glass thermometer a few months ago as I needed one to take Diesel's daily temp (watching for post-surgical aspiration pneumonia). I ended up with a digital thermometer and find that it works well too.


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## 1tulip

I have just returned from running errands where found glass thermometers. They have some other substance in them. I can't speak to their accuracy, though.


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## Labradogs

Thanks Nate for the article and thanks to you Chris for tackin' it up there on top.


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## Micah Duffy

That is great and very useful information, especially as we are approaching the heat of summer.(even though it just snowed here again) Thank you for the post.It is things like this that make this such a valuable website.


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## Blackbear

Thank you for this post! I printed it off and I am putting it in my training bag. I will now be studying my labs.


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## goldust

Here is something helpful to have in your truck when out training/trialing. An ice chest with some ice and a lot of water and several washcloths. Just keep dipping the washcloths into the cold water, wring them out and place one on the top of the head, one under each arm and in the groin area. The washcloths warm up petty quickly so just keep repeating the process. I used this trick at an outside obedience trial. It kept my dog cool waiting for his turn to go into the ring. Worked like a charm. The other dogs were hot and did not perfrom nearly as well as they should have. They expended all of their energy just trying to keep themselves cool - not much left when they went into the ring.

This is more of a preventative - not for after the fact.


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## P J

Thank-you for posting this. 

It has been 13 yrs since I've had a puppy. At 7 months, she is ready to go most of the time, but lately, she has been very subdued, especially in the morning. I had considered the heat, but did not recall it being an issue with my other labs. 

Thanks to those who posted links for cooling items, a must in the temps and humidity of FL.

Paula


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## Doc E

A Recent Article :

Thanks to Shawn K. Wayment, DVM for his excellent and timely article on heat stroke.

http://www.strideaway.com/strideaway/index.php



.


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## Ken Archer

Here is another hot weather warning from my daughter, Stacy, to members of the Alamo Retriever Club.

I have a warning to share with other club members about the dangers of summer heat. Tuesday evening I took several dogs to the park for exercise/training. I worked Chiquita from 7:00-7:20 under the big shade trees. We did a little walking fetch and about 5 SHORT teaching doubles, and then some heeling work. It was a very light training session. I put her back in the truck with plenty of water and the truck was parked under the shade trees. 

We got home a little after 8 and she unloaded fine - alert and active. I put her in the yard and went inside to prep food dishes (about 5-7 min.). When I walked out to feed, she was having a seizure. It took almost a minute for her to respond to her name. She was able to belly crawl to the adjoining yard. 

Her temperature was 106.7. As I called my vets emergency number, I ran the water hose on her continuously and was able to get her temp. down to 105.3. By the time I got her to the vet at about 8:45 her temp had gone down to 103, but I left her overnight for IV fluids. It's no surprise that they diagnosed heat stroke. 

She is fine now and will go back in two weeks to check her organ function. This whole thing came as a shock to me because the weather and training conditions really should not have caused such a severe reaction. Please be careful and watch your dogs closely anytime you train.

Have a great summer!
Stacy Archer-Baker


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## TN_LAB

John Daniels said:


> At what temp do you need to stop and let the dog cool down?


When in doubt, take a break. 

This doesn't mean you can't train when it's hot, but you've got to be real, real careful anytime it gets over 85*...especially if it's rather humid.


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## Jim Harvey

John, these are the guidelines I use. These are core/rectal temperatures 

Normal resting temperature of most dogs *100-102 1/2.*

Temperature where hyperthermia (heat stoke) begins to take place *106-106 1/2*

Temperature where most organ failure begins to occur *109.*

I am far from an expert, these are guidelines that I have experience with or learned of. I am sure someone else will have a scientific answer.


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## Decoyin Drake

thanks for sharing. it clarifies many "untruths" i believed in.

DD


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## honker88

bump...

good to read this time of year


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## JaKaR

bump.. to up


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## Justin Allen

This thread makes me scared to train. Its mid and high 90's everyday here and the pup works in it daily, sometimes in the very heat of the day. No marking in the heat of the day though, and no running, drillwork in the yard only and a 15 min max. I've noted a bit of him laying down lately waiting on me to set up bumpers and what not, which is not normal for him. Makes me feel irresponsible for training in this heat when I hear about other peoples dogs having problems and ending up in trouble. 

One thing I do is keep multiple 2 liter bottles and milk jugs frozed every night and when I actually load the dogs to go train, marks or whatever, they each get a frozen jug in the box. As it melts, they have cold water. I also keep a 2 gal gas tank full of ice water at all times when I'm on the truck. Seems to be a good idea to me anyway.


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## BTG

Yesterday it was 94 degrees here in Iowa. When I got home from work at 5:00, first thing was to check on my 15yr old blk lab male. He was hot( panting hard), but he came out of his kennel normal and milled around the yard as I got fresh water and petted him. He seemed o.k., but one hour later I noticed him laying outside his kennel, which isn't normal for him. I got out there to find him down, breathing hard and not responsive. I started to run cool water over him, while wife called the vet. Got him there and his temp was 107! We were able to get it back down slowly , he was responsive an hour later, and he stayed the night. I will find out this morning if he made it out of the woods. I'm really kicking myself for not bringing him in the house when I got home. He has never had a problem with heat like that.
After I thought about it, it is probably just like the elderly. He is going to be 16 this fall! I forget he's not my little young lab anymore. I pray he's o.k.


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## jeff t.

I can't imagine leaving an old dog outside in that kind of heat.


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## Dave Burton

I have a soaker hose over my kennel and if it's over 92/93 it gets turned on during the day. If I don't turn it on they will drink half of their bucket of water in a day. On days it gets turned on they will drink about 2 inches out of it. I have sat and watched them get up out of the shade and walk around in circles under it then go lay back down several times a day.


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## TN_LAB

BTG said:


> Yesterday it was 94 degrees here in Iowa. When I got home from work at 5:00, first thing was to check on my 15yr old blk lab male. He was hot( panting hard), but he came out of his kennel normal and milled around the yard as I got fresh water and petted him. He seemed o.k., but one hour later I noticed him laying outside his kennel, which isn't normal for him. I got out there to find him down, breathing hard and not responsive. I started to run cool water over him, while wife called the vet. Got him there and his temp was 107! We were able to get it back down slowly , he was responsive an hour later, and he stayed the night. I will find out this morning if he made it out of the woods. I'm really kicking myself for not bringing him in the house when I got home. He has never had a problem with heat like that.
> After I thought about it, it is probably just like the elderly. He is going to be 16 this fall! I forget he's not my little young lab anymore. I pray he's o.k.


I too hope he's OK. I had a scare last summer. Let us know how things turn out.

On a similar note, there was a news story about a police dog 

*Overton County Police Dog Dies From Heat*
http://www.wsmv.com/news/24261389/detail.html​
Gotta be careful.


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## Deadeye

There are a few important things to train during the hot days:
- obedience with other distractions
- water work
- steadiness drills, deny 75% of the retrieves, have other distractions, etc.


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## Kenneth Niles Bora

Deadeye said:


> There are a few important things to train during the hot days:
> - obedience with other distractions
> - water work
> - steadiness drills, deny 75% of the retrieves, have other distractions, etc.


Really?
Work on these things during the heat of the day?
You think a dog cannot overheat right next to you doing obedience drills?
Or honoring or working hard and being put up wet instead of staked out?
Your naïve and your advice is dangerous.



.


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## Brad

Ken Bora said:


> Really?
> Work on these things during the heat of the day?
> You think a dog cannot overheat right next to you doing obedience drills?
> Or honoring or working hard and being put up wet instead of staked out?
> Your naïve and your advice is dangerous.
> 
> 
> 
> .


Im with Ken.
We trained the other day and almost had a dog over heat when running 2water marks.
The water is so warm now, they can over heat faster than on land.
I am almost through swimby with 1 dog, but quit because of the water temps.
We may get in 1 or 2 marks before the dogs get to hot in the mornings.
It Texas the water is not cool.


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## TN_LAB

Ken Bora said:


> Really?
> Work on these things during the heat of the day?
> You think a dog cannot overheat right next to you doing obedience drills?
> Or honoring or working hard and being put up wet instead of staked out?
> Your naïve and your advice is dangerous.
> 
> 
> 
> .


I think his point is the dog is less likely to overheat by doing these obedience drills than you are when running marks and blinds. 

Heat kills, so you gotta be careful when doing _anything_ with your dog.


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## Tik-A-Tik

Thanks for the great post! 

http://www.duckdayz.com/


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## rlw

Hope it's ok but I posted this on another site, one of the boy's there had his dog almost go down on him hunting dove here in Texas. The dog is ok but it was really scary he said for awhile.
Great article BTW/
Rick


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## Mackenzie

Helpfull info!!!


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## Larry Pegg

TN_LAB said:


> I think his point is the dog is less likely to overheat by doing these obedience drills than you are when running marks and blinds.
> 
> Heat kills, so you gotta be careful when doing _anything_ with your dog.



I Agree Heat kills


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## TN_LAB

Larry Pegg said:


> I Agree Heat kills


I hope you haven't had first hand experience with this. I had a lil scare.


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## doramide7

LuvMyLab said:


> Awesome article. I'm printing it and putting it in my truck for reference.
> 
> I'm always worried of over heating my pup. She seems to take for ever to cool down.


I seem to remember that there is a change in tongue shape that is an indication of an over-heating problem... is it that the tongue goes from being very wide and thin to narrower and thicker, or am I having a brain fart?


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## Howard N

Bigger, wider, really seems to engorge.


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## tom

A simple trick for moderate overheating that I have used for years.
Mix rubbing alcohol with water in a spray bottle, and mist the dog down. It evaporates much faster than just water. Get the belly, leg pits and feet (where ever their coat is thin).
Catch the problem BEFORE it becomes a BIG problem, and this will probably be all that is needed.

Also, most of the dogs that I have seen get into trouble were dogs that the owners put into a dog box wet on a hot/humid day. This will turn a dog box into a sauna in a heartbeat.


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## lencoo12

jeff t. said:


> Also, the whites of the eye become more and more reddened as they heat up. I've found that to be easier to see and interpret than observing the tongue. When I begin to see redness, it is time to cool down.


What is the best way to condition a slim dog that is in good health to warmer weather? Or is there a good way?

Here in Oklahoma, we often get weather in the 90's with relatively high humidity. All my dogs are slim and trim and in excellent physical condition but they are dogs with the same physical limits as all other dogs.


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## Thefish1680

great articles...thanks for sharing


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## plnolan

Nate,

Do you find it true that dogs having once overheated are more susceptible to overheating?


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## TN_LAB

plnolan said:


> Nate,
> 
> Do you find it true that dogs having once overheated are more susceptible to overheating?


I have no idea about any scientific study, but I would say that once your dog overheats you are more likely to pay attention to the symptoms (I know I sure do).


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## Schmemdog

I'll also add that behavior isn't necessarily an indication of stress with these guys. We've bred that GO into them, and I know for example that my young choc male lab won't stop of his own accord. it's my job to watch temp, he would keep going if allowed, well into the danger zone. 

I also use reg. drugstore thermo. I use one on myself and loved ones, and have a *seperate* one for the canine family members. 

Also, i didn't see this mentioned, in case anyone doesn't know: normal temp for your pup is 100.5 - 102.5- you're ok up until about 103.5, at which point you really need to get that dog's temp down.


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## Rtyler4616

This almost makes me too nervous to train, being new, I'm worried I wouldn't notice the over heating signs as well as others would. How do most people train during the summer? Early mornings and evenings?


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## Shiner

great article. I'm pretty concerned about this with our hot and humid texas summers... our first dove season is approaching and I've been worried about keeping my pup cool.


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## Golden Gibby

Great info


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## ValleyGooseHunter

Thanks for the article. Had a close call last night myself. It has been hot during the day but waited til late evening (10-15 degrees cooler around 70) to run some blinds. It wasn't until on her way back from the last one that the symptoms showed up. Seems like there is a fine line you need to pay attention to there. It's the first time that ever happened to me and panic sets in rather quickly. Caught it before it got bad so that was a good thing. 

VGH


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## Kim Pyle

Thank you for posting this important message. I am new to RTF and there is so much interesting and valuable information!


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## Cleo Watson

Bill's last judging at Central La. HRC was several years ago and the heat index was 115 degrees. He told his co-judge that they would set up a test so as not to damage or kill a dog. Hope your judges will be as considerate this week end. Be prepared as the heat can be brutal on you and your dog.

I'll be there too and do hope it won't be too bad.


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## HeatherStewart

Great information. Wish I knew I this knowledge before this year's Canadian National Am.


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## Chris Atkinson

'Tis the season.

One of our RTF family had a close call today and it is time to re-focus on the fact that our dogs can overheat.

It's hard to believe that the last time I saw my buddy Nate Baxter DVM, it was to go to the great white North to have his female bred....and the great lakes were solid ice across the surface.

But the heat is here in North America now, where the vast majority of the RTF family resides.

Be careful....

Chris


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## fishin444

Actually I fill a little kiddie pool for training around the house. As temps in Sacramento can get up to 110 in the summer. When my dogs start to over heat they naturally go get in the pool. I've also noticed that coat thickness seems to be associated with overheating. So I keep my dogs brushed in summer training. When training away from my home I will always try to be near some type of water for them to go play in. Take a break or two I'm in no hurry normally. All in all a good article IMO. The bottom line is know your dog and learn when problems start to surface.


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## Roper

Thank you for this article. I'm thinking of getting a new puppy, & I live in the desert & summer is coming.


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## pete slattery

Great article


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## MattC

Thank God for this thread. It helped me tremendously just a little while ago. I've read over it a million times. I live in Oklahoma, and our heat and humidity is high right now. Tonight we had an accident. 

I had finished working my dogs, and figured some big dog with little dog play in the pond would be fun. I took em out and got some bumpers. We threw for a little while and i just let em have fun chasing each other. They were swimming and having a grand ol' time. I threw a fun bumper for my big dog, and on his way back he looked sluggish. I checked for the signs and found he was getting pretty hot. I called it quits, and headed in. As we were going in, my big boy laid down on his side and just sat there panting a storm. He had gotten majorly overheated. He wouldn't get up, tongue was huge, eyes were red, and i could tell. 

It took me a little while to get him cooled, and thanks to this thread he is sitting in the backyard cooled off and hanging out. Without knowing the proper ways to cool him, I'm not sure what would've happened. Thank you for this thread. It helped me a lot tonight. I hope to never have to do this again.


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## Julie Rihn

Thank you for taking the time to post this and allowing it to be reposted. I did go ahead and post it on our club site. Again,...thank you.


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## Chris Atkinson

Upon Request, I am re-stickying Dr. Nate's Cooling thread. For the North American Retriever folks, the heat season is again upon us.

For those seeking permission to repost Nate's article in other newsletters and things, please contact him directly via pM.

Thanks, Chris


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## featherqwest

I always carry a small first aid kit in the car for my dog and myself. The articles include things to include treating for snake bites, bee stings, shock, and other medical emergencies. I take annual Red Cross Certifications to make sure I am up to date on the latest techniques to save your dogs and human life. Many times I have been stuck in a ditch or out in the cold while on computer service calls working for HP or myself. I never take any chances. There is a simple book available on Amazon.com that was recommended in a Yankee Golden Retriever Class I took last year. 

http://www.amazon.com/Dog-First-Aid...373581369&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+first+aid+books

Well I think I just bought the book on my own after getting my CNA a couple of years back. You learn quite a bit working in nursing homes. The site of blood doesn't scare some of us but if your dog is in distress I recommend carry some cold ice in a cooler. Reminds me to get ready for the test this weekend. 

Of course I am over the hill and fat so my heat level is less than that of a 20 year old. Well I can take the heat if I have water. I have had heat stroke and frost bite so I know the signs. Even had CPR performed on me at one time.


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## John Robinson

featherqwest said:


> I always carry a small first aid kit in the car for my dog and myself. The articles include things to include treating for snake bites, bee stings, shock, and other medical emergencies. I take annual Red Cross Certifications to make sure I am up to date on the latest techniques to save your dogs and human life. Many times I have been stuck in a ditch or out in the cold while on computer service calls working for HP or myself. I never take any chances. There is a simple book available on Amazon.com that was recommended in a Yankee Golden Retriever Class I took last year.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Dog-First-Aid...373581369&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+first+aid+books
> 
> Well I think I just bought the book on my own after getting my CNA a couple of years back. You learn quite a bit working in nursing homes. The site of blood doesn't scare some of us but if your dog is in distress I recommend carry some cold ice in a cooler. Reminds me to get ready for the test this weekend.
> 
> Of course I am over the hill and fat so my heat level is less than that of a 20 year old. Well I can take the heat if I have water. I have had heat stroke and frost bite so I know the signs. Even had CPR performed on me at one time.


Great advise Featherquest, reminds me that I need to update my first aid kit and buy that book. Also thanks to Chris for making the sticky.


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## dalenpalmer

My personal favorite is the one with the dog watching over things-I believe they do.


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## Irishwhistler

Thanks Doc! Your efforts at writing this article may have very well saved many dogs from potential harm.

Irishwhistler


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## Chris Atkinson

It's time for this to be re-stickied. The majority of us on this board are in the Northern Hemisphere and as such, it is time to again be mindful of the humidity and the temperatures.

Thanks, Chris


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## chrisramos

Great article. 
Thanks!


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## Wayne Nutt

I just cut back on Rowdy and Shadow's food by a half cup each to get them in the summer skinny look to better deal with the heat.


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## colinSEA

"A pink plastic swimming pool filled with ice was available to help cool dogs down after running." Was under the impression that this was counter productive to cooling?

https://masternational.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/master-national-blog-saturday/

Under Flight B notes for Oct. 1st


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## BrownEliza_16

Hey,
Are you talking about Dog Cooling Mat?


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## SweetJams

Thanks! This helps a lot.


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## furandcollars

First time to read that you need to mist some water to the air. From the very beginning I only spray or soak their feet or belly with water. Some articles I read online just recommends soaking it so really thankful for this article.


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## NickJ2812

Great article! Thanks a lot! I'll print it and keep for the next season.


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