Q: We will be taking a car ride through Texas and the south this
summer, and we want to take our dog Moe, a 5-year-old lab with us.
He doesn’t seem to do well when it gets too warm, so we’ll have to
be extra careful. But why do dogs have so much trouble in hot
weather, while horses and farm animals seem to tolerate heat so
well?
Q: We will be taking a car ride through Texas and the south this summer, and we want to take our dog Moe, a 5-year-old lab with us. He doesn’t seem to do well when it gets too warm, so we’ll have to be extra careful. But why do dogs have so much trouble in hot weather, while horses and farm animals seem to tolerate heat so well?
A: When the weather warms up, different animals have different ways of cooling off. Horses and cows have sweat glands, and regulate their temperature the same way you and I do. But dogs and cats cannot sweat. They can only cool off by dissipating excessive heat through the pads of their feet or by panting.
This is why it’s so important to keep your dog in a cool, shaded area. Always make sure Moe has plenty of cold water to drink. He’ll be comfortable in an air conditioned car, as long as he’s shaded from the sun coming through a window.
It sounds as though you’re prepared to take good care of him on this trip. Just remember; never leave him in the car when the air conditioner is turned off. Even with open windows, the temperature inside your car will quickly reach dangerously high levels.
Heat stroke happens fast to dogs left in cars in the summer sun, and the results can be fatal. So be careful, be safe and have a cool trip.
Q: This morning I noticed several flies on the tips of my dog, Tina’s ears. When I chased them away, I touched her ears and they felt hard and thickened on the outside edge. Why is this happening?
A: Flies can be a problem all year ’round, but in warmer months, they are exceptionally bad. They cause inflammation either by biting the skin where they land, or by leaving small excretions which irritate the surface of the epidermis. Areas where the haircoat is thin are most likely to be affected, so the tips of the ears are a common site for this skin problem.
The symptoms are exactly like those Tina suffers, but they can get much worse. Left untreated, the ear tips may start to bleed and become infected. Things can get very messy and terribly uncomfortable.
Fly irritation is usually worse in older dogs. Aged dogs seem more indifferent and disinterested. They can’t be bothered with chasing away flying pests while they nap. That’s when the flies literally stick around and do a lot of damage.
Treatment of the skin lesions consists of antibiotics and sometimes, topical steroid ointment (hydrocortisone salve works well). It’s also very important to remove the sticky substance that accumulates on the ear tips as a reaction to fly irritation. If this blister-like secretion is not removed, it traps bacteria and makes secondary infection even worse. Gentle washing with warm water and cotton can soften and clean the area and make things much more comfortable.
Prevention is even more important here. Fly irritation can be avoided with good pest control where your dog lives. Be sure to pick up all food and keep the living area clean of urine and excrement so that flies aren’t attracted to your pooch’s home. Bathe Tina regularly … a fresh-smelling pooch is less likely to attract pesky bugs.
In addition, medicated ointments containing fly repellent can be put on the tips of her ears. These salves work well to keep flies away. Even plain petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) works to a certain extent to do the same. It is so thick, it provides a physical barrier between your dog’s skin and the flies. But when flies are persistent, repellent really is necessary.
Q: After a ferret is spayed, does she still go through the normal heat cycles?
A: Female ferrets (called “jills”) have a heat cycle that features a very long estrus period unless they are bred. Female ferrets are induced ovulators, meaning they only ovulate (and go out of heat) if and when they are bred.
If a jill is not bred, her estrogen levels stay high for a very long time, as much as several months. And prolonged, elevated estrogens can lead to serious health problems, including bone marrow suppression, anemia and other life-threatening metabolic disorders.
Because of this, veterinarians always recommend an ovariohysterectomy (spay) for any jill who will not be bred. This procedure involves the removal of the uterus and the ovaries, and it prevents her from ever coming into heat.
So no, she won’t go through normal heat or estrus, and she’ll be a healthier little girl. And her owner won’t have to do the extra work of caring for a female in heat.
Ferret owners are always encouraged to have their pets spayed or neutered because afterwards, their companions are happier, healthier and much better pets.
