Summer is a time to spend more time with your furry best friend outdoors. And a time when heat stroke is a real threat to your dog's health. Dogs lower their body temperature by panting and sweating through their paws. Follow these tips and you and your dog will have a great summer.
Offer The Basics: Water and Shade
Give your dog a small plastic pool to soak in. When you dog is hot, he can lay in his pool to cool off. Put it in a shady area to keep the water from heating up too quickly. Empty it out at night and refill it with fresh, cold water in the morning. This will prevent little parasites from living in the water, which your dog might ingest if he drinks the pool water.
Set up a tent to give your dog extra shade. Purchase a tent made specifically for dogs. Or you could use a child's camping tent. This will give your dog another place to escape the sun's rays for a while.
Buy a dog cooling bandana. These are bandanas that you can soak and place on your dog. As the water evaporates, it helps your dog cool off. You can find them at your local pet store or online.
Your dog has to have lots of cool water to keep his body temperature under control. Carry a water bottle or find a fountain when taking walks. Offer more frequent rest periods. Give him a bowl of ice water. The summer sun can quickly heat up your dog's water. The ice melts providing cool water to drink.
How about a dog toy popsicle? Get a bowl and put one or two of your dog's favorite toys in it. Fill it with water and freeze it. Now your dog has something cold to lick while he's busy trying to get to his toys.
Get your dog off the hot concrete. Buy a dog cot. It looks just like a camping cot for dogs. It keeps elevates your dog, and allows air to circulate around him as he pants to cool off. For extra cooling power, wet it down a few times during the day.
Bring your dog inside. Especially during the hottest times of the day. A nap in the house on the cold tile floor could be the very thing that keeps your dog from having a heat stroke.
What Is Heatstroke
Heatstroke occurs when a dog's body tempurature goes above 104 degrees Farenheit. Moderate heatstroke occurs when his tempreature is 104 to106 degrees. Severe heatstoke occurs when a dog's temperature reaches 106+ degrees. Severe heatstroke is deadly.
How would you know if your dog was having a heatstroke?
According to the website Peteducation.com, these are some common heatstroke indicators:
Weakness
Bright red nose
Thick, sticky saliva
Rapid panting
Dizzyness
Red or pale gums
Vomiting or diarrhea
If you see your dog displaying these symptoms, you should:
Take him inside.
Wet him all over with cool water.
Put a fan on him to increase air circulation.
Wrap him in towels and take him to the veterinarian right away.
Help you dog stay cool by following the suggestions listed above. Watch for symptoms of heatstroke. Enjoy your dog and your summer.
The Caribbean consists of a large number of beautiful islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The Caribbean is proving to be one of the most sought after vacation destinations in the world. With clear blue skies, crystal clear waters, heavenly sea food and superb hospitality presented by the hosts, your Caribbean vacation is something that you will cherish all your life.
Some of the most sought after destinations in the Caribbean are Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and St. Nevis and Antigua. All these islands have great treats for tourists in the form of reasonably rated hotels and excellent sites to offer. In the following paragraphs we will give you a gist of the islands mentioned above so that you can plan your vacation accordingly.
Barbados
Barbados proves to be a great getaway for the tourists with its clean and pink sandy beaches. The island has a rich cultural heritage and a wide choice of sight seeing options to choose from. Cricket is the most sought after sport here. The southern coast of the island has a couple of night spots and reasonably priced hotels. The east coast is distinguished with quiet beaches and the ocean is comparatively calmer than on the west coast of the island.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost islands of the Caribbean. They lie just a few miles from the Venezuelan coast. The population of the islands is diverse and come from different countries like India, Europe and Pakistan. The people like to play calypso music, enjoy eating and they are usually warm towards their guests. Trinidad is one of the most visited destinations in the Caribbean. Tobago is also very peaceful and beautiful and has a wide number of forests and sandy white beaches. The visitors can enjoy activities like swimming, snorkeling, hiking and bird watching.
The British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands consist of the islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. The Islands have a large number of shops and the pure waters are a treat for the tourists who enjoy activities like swimming and snorkeling. There are a lot of hotels and restaurants to choose from.
St. Kitts and Nevis
The St. Kitts and Nevis Islands are in the northern part of the Eastern Caribbean. St. Kitts is 68 square miles while Nevis covers a distance of 36 square miles. St. Kitts offers a combination of volcanic mountains, beautiful white sand beaches and green rain forests. The capital of St. Kitts is Basseterre. Basseterre has a lot of rich historical architecture and has a good amount of shops and cafes. Nevis is popular for its natural beauty, various plantations and amazing beaches. Charlestown is the capital of Nevis. It is an old Caribbean town has a variety of dining and shopping options to choose from.
Antigua
Antigua is a British Island. It was formerly a British colony and it has still retained its British tradition. Antiguan people play a lot of cricket. Tourism ahs expanded ten fold in recent years and Antigua is one of the most visited islands in the Caribbean. Antigua is preferred by tourists from all over the world. The island has 365 of the most beautiful beaches and supports activities like swimming, snorkeling and diving. Yachting is also a very sought after activity in the sea.
In addition to the islands mentioned above, the Caribbean offers a lot more exciting islands for you to visit. You can visit the Caribbean islands websites to learn more about the islands and also explore lodging and dining options.
Both Geoffrey English & Jim Grayson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Geoffrey English has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Lingerie and Dog Care. Geoffrey A. English is the Founder of GundogsOnline.com, the internet's premiere online magazine dedicated to . Visit their site if you are in need of hunt. Geoffrey English's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.
Jim Grayson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Treadmill Exercises, Family and Computers and The Internet. The author makes a living in the field of research and if you have found this article useful, try clicking on his specialist resource sites,