Rottweilers Ate My Laptop

Rottweilers. Computers. Cameras. World Domination. Not necessarily in that order.

Rottweilers.
Computers. Cameras.
World Domination.
Not necessarily in that order.

The heat is on

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It’s pushing 90° F today in Chicago. I have gone through too many rainy sixtysomething degree Memorial Day weekends to jump the gun on storing all of the heavier clothing, but I will let myself hope that summer may have actually arrived on schedule this year.

I have to admit that this year we were somewhat underprepared for yesterday, the first truly hot day of the summer. The outdoor condenser unit had been uncovered and cleaned, but for some reason we didn’t flip on the power switch the day following cleaning. We discovered this sad fact right around the time we were hot enough to want air conditioning. All is well now, but humans, canines, and felines alike wilted our way through a few uncomfortable hours (the parakeet did not seem to mind the heat). This was minor discomfort, though, and far from a dangerous situation. We were well-hydrated, with shade available outdoors, and ceiling fans and standalone fans going indoors.

But extreme heat can definitely be very dangerous, particularly to the very young, the elderly, and pets. I have not heard any local stories of heat-related deaths so far this year, but one that is still on my mind is one that I’ve talked about here before: the heat-related deaths of seven show dogs left in an unventilated cargo van overnight by their handler, Mary Wild, last June. The wheels of justice turn slowly, but a pre-trial hearing was scheduled for today, May 24, and a jury trial for June 3. With summer weather upon us again, my hope would be that jury members experiencing the summer heat will be clearly able to imagine the agony these dogs went through in their final hours, something that may not have been so easy to relate to if the trial had indeed happened in the dead of winter.

I doubt anyone who visits me here on a regular basis would even think about leaving a dog, or any other living creature, in an unventilated vehicle overnight. But remember that when outdoor temperatures are high enough, it only takes a few minutes for the interior of a vehicle to reach dangerously high temperatures.

Here are the signs of canine heat stroke, from AKC’s Summer Safety Tips:

Early stages: Heavy panting, rapid breathing, excessive drooling, bright red gums and tongue, standing 4-square, posting or spreading out in an attempt to maintain balance.
Advanced stages: White or blue gums, lethargy, unwillingness to move, uncontrollable urination or defecation, labored, noisy breathing, shock.

Get the dog to a vet immediately, and in the meantime, cool it down:
– Apply rubbing alcohol to the dog’s paw pads.
– Apply ice packs to the groin area.
– Hose down with, or immerse his/her entire body in cool water
– Allow the dog to lick ice chips or drink a small amount of water.
– Offer Pedialyte to restore electrolytes.

Monitor rectal temperature; once temperature drops to 100-102° F, stop the cooling efforts.

Also see PetMD’s article about heat stroke in dogs for more information and emergency care advice.

Obviously the best strategy is prevention. Think twice about strenuous exercise in extreme weather. Think about leaving your dog at home if he would have to remain in the car for any length of time on a hot and humid day.

Update: show dog heat stroke deaths

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I’ve tried to keep my June 26 post about Mary Wild and the heat-related deaths of the show dogs left overnight in her van after a show weekend updated with new links as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has posted additional articles.

Today’s update reported that Wild has been charged with eight counts of animal cruelty, and is free on $2,500 bond.

While I absolutely think that Wild was criminally negligent and that criminal charges are appropriate, I was a little surprised to find that this would still be considered a misdemeanor; specifically a Class A misdemeanor, which could involve up to one year of imprisonment and up to $1,000 in fines.

I say a “little” surprised because in the past few years, many states, including Missouri, have made changes to their animal cruelty statutes. But as in most states, the death of an animal, even in a case like this, would not be a felony unless it was a repeat offense or unless torture was involved. I’d put heat stroke up there as a horribly torturous way to die, but I don’t believe that is how it will be seen by the courts.

We’re about to get another wave of high temperatures here in the Chicago area this week. Put the safety of your human and animal family members as a major priority. If you see someone stupidly putting their children or pets in danger, get help or get involved. Stay safe and cool, everyone.

(NaBloPoMo | July ’09: 6 of 31 | 75% Challenge: 163 of 274)

Killer heat: don’t let it get you and yours

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Once again, we didn’t ease into summer here in Chicago. We went from still needing sweaters or jackets in late May straight to some dangerously humid and hot 90-plus degree days. When the extreme heat arrives, so do some unfortunate incidents where babies, the elderly and pets succumb to the heat. Sadly, at least some of these incidents were completely preventable.

The saddest stories are those of children or animals locked in cars, windows cracked or not, and left enclosed long enough to cause heat-related illnesses, often followed by death. We are not even at the hottest part of the summer yet, and already there have been several stories that made the national news. Two such items happened earlier this week.

This past Tuesday afternoon in North Fort Worth, TX, a 21-year-old mother left her 2-month-old daughter locked inside her car while she shopped at Wal-Mart. Thanks to a woman who noticed the baby in the car, and her father who called 911 and broke out the back window to get the baby to safety, this story had a mostly happy ending.

The other story did not have a happy ending at all. Eight show dogs were left in a cargo van overnight by the professional handler who had shown them last weekend. The handler claimed to have set up electric fans, left the van doors open and checked on the dogs during the night. Unlikely. On Monday morning, the dogs were in severe distress. Seven of the dogs died of heat stroke, and the eighth, as of this writing, is still in critical condition.

EDITED: to add update links from the St. Louis paper:
6/25 update to story
6/26 update to story
6/28 update to story
7/3 update to story
7/6 update to story

to add links from The Dog Press:
7/24: Mary Wild Kills 8 Dogs
7/27: Dog Handler Charged

to add contact information for Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office from Kinship Circle:
7/4/09: Seven Dogs Perish, Trapped Inside Hot Van

I am horrified at any incident where a baby or child is put in danger in a hot, locked car. I am mystified at one of Oprah’s shows this week, where the main guest was a woman who “forgot” her baby in the car for eight hours, and the theme was not “baby killer” but more like “stressed out moms who make mistakes.” Since I am not a mother myself, I guess I should not say more than that.

But I am a showdog mom, and the story of the “professional” handler who put her clients’ dogs in harm’s way hits me hard because I can actually imagine being one of the dog owners who got that awful call. Or in this case, the courtesy of a call wasn’t even given to some of the dog owners, who had to find out via the news media that their beloved dogs were dead.

I’ll probably have more to say on show dogs and handlers later. But right now, since temperatures are still in the red zone, stay cool and stay safe with some tips from The Weather Channel and the American Kennel Club.

For humans, The Weather Channel has a number of summer safety and health articles. Extreme Heat Health Emergency tells us what to do for these heat-related ailments:
Heat cramps: Rest in a cool place, drink cool water (or juice or a sports drink), and avoid strenuous activity for a few hours.
Heat exhaustion: Rest in a cool place, loosen clothing and apply cool damp cloths (or take a cool shower), and drink cool beverages. Seek medical attention if nausea occurs.
Heat stroke: CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT GIVE LIQUIDS. Cool the victim as swiftly as possible in a cool bath or shower, or with a garden hose.

The Weather Channel also has some pet related health and safety article, as does the American Kennel Club’s website. Check out their Summer Safety Tips, particularly on how to recognize the signs of heat stroke:

Early stages: Heavy panting, rapid breathing, excessive drooling, bright red gums and tongue, standing 4-square, posting or spreading out in an attempt to maintain balance.
Advanced stages: White or blue gums, lethargy, unwillingness to move, uncontrollable urination or defecation, labored, noisy breathing, shock.

Get the dog to a vet immediately, and in the meantime, cool it down:
– Apply rubbing alcohol to the dog’s paw pads.
– Apply ice packs to the groin area.
– Hose down with water.
– Allow the dog to lick ice chips or drink a small amount of water.
– Offer Pedialyte to restore electrolytes.

(NaBloPoMo | June ’09: 26 of 30 | 75% Challenge: 153 of 274)