Heatstroke Snakebites and Bee Stings

                                   PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN TREATMENT!

Summer Provides great opportunities for outdoor time with your dog.  Enjoy it while it lasts, but keep in mind some of the following health risks:

                        HEAT STROKE

--Dogs pant to cool down.  This is less effective than sweating, so dogs are far less heat-tolerant than people.  Overweight dogs, and breeds such as bulldogs with compressed airways, are even less able to handle hot weather.
--Early signs of heat stress include shade-seeking behavior, intense thirst, and uncontrollable panting.  Stop your pet's activity immediately once signs present and seek shade and/or air conditioning and offer water to drink.  You can cautiously resume more moderate activity once symptoms resolve.  Continued overheating may progress to life-threatening heat stroke.
--Symptoms of heat stroke include weakness, collapse, vomiting, diarrhea, or seizures, and require immediate veterinary care.  Wetting your dog down with cool (not cold) water and fanning him en route can start the cooling process and may save their life.
--To Avoid Heatstroke:
    [] Keep your dog fit
    [] Avoid exercise during the hottest parts of the day or
       extremely hot or humid days.
    [] Keep water readily available at all times
    [] Watch your dog closely for signs of heat stress
    [] Remember: there is no safe amount of time you can leave 
       your dog in a parked car.  Even with the windows open, it 
       can quickly become too hot for your dog to prevent 
       overheating.  Fatal heatstroke can occur within minutes.

                                            INSECT STINGS
--Bee and wasp stings cause local pain and swelling.  Call your veterinarian immediately for the best course of action.  In the meantime apply a cold compress to the area for 3-5 minutes (a bag of frozen peas or ice cubes wrapped in a towel works well)
--Severe allergic reactions are rare in dogs, but facial swelling and hives are common.  These warrant timely veterinarian attention, but typically respond well to treatment with antihistamines.  Never administer medications to your pet without consulting a veterinarian; some over-the-counter antihistamines are extremely toxic to pets.


                                SNAKE BITES/OTHER WILDLIFE
--All snakebites should be considered dangerous.  Signs of envenomation include local pain and moderate to severe swelling
--If you suspect your dog has been bitten:
     [] Keep him calm and restrict his movement
     [] Keep the bitten limb below the level of the heart and do 
        not allow him to walk
     [] Do not apply tourniquets, ice, or suction to the limb
     [] If he was bitten in the head or neck- remove his collar
     [] Seek veterinary attention ASAP!
--SKUNK- In addition to smelling terrible, skunk spray can be irritating and cause red eyes, sneezing, pawing at the face, or vomiting.  If your dog is showing these signs contact your veterinarian.  
--PORCUPINE- Porcupine quilling is a serious matter.  Quills are barbed, will imbed deeper into tissues and can migrate through the body to end up in the eyes, lungs, or heart.  Examination and treatment by a veterinarian is recommended for any case of quilling.  Try to prevent your dog from pawing at his face while he is en route; broken quills are challenging to find and remove, resulting in higher risk of infection and quill migration.

PHONE: (919) 781-0696
EMAIL: creedmoorroadanimalhospital@gmail.com
WEB:   www.creedmoorroadanimalhospital.com