Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
When Dr. Bob Menardi lived in Alaska, he treated dogs for heatstroke.
In the middle of winter.
"I moved here from Alaska 1-1/2 years ago," he said. "We saw the same problem up there with Huskies during the middle of winter. If it got to be 30 degrees, we treated Huskies. These were dogs that were working so hard - sled dogs - that their body temperature went way up."
Menardi moved to Indiana, and he now works at the Wawasee Animal Clinic.
The hot weather has arrived. The mercury climbed to 98 degrees Monday, 99 degrees Tuesday. Unless your car was parked in the shade, you probably felt like somebody shoved a sock down your mouth when you opened the door and slipped behind the wheel.
You know how that feels. You gasp for air. You don't like it.
Here's what happens if you leave your dog in that car.
"Cars act like an oven," Menardi said.
"A dog can get extremely ill in only 10 or 15 minutes if it's hot enough," Dr. Dennis Woodward of Anicare-Pet Center said.
Even if the window is cracked, a dog left in a hot car can get heatstroke. This could lead to brain damage or death. Signs include panting, drooling, rapid pulse and fever.
If your dog shows these characteristics, quickly immerse him in cool water and call a veterinarian.
Menardi estimates his clinic will treat at least three or four cases of heatstroke this summer.
"It's very difficult to regulate their body temperature," Menardi said. "For dogs, it's usually bye-bye. But if we catch (heatstroke) early enough and treat it aggressively, then they'll be OK."
If you feel you have to take your dog in the car, Menardi recommends three things: Roll down the window, park in the shade and leave water.
Better yet?
"Just don't do it," Woodward said. "Don't leave your pet in the car for any length of time."
Menardi agreed.
"It's a better idea to leave them at home."
Even at home, they may not be safe. A dog chained up outside without any shade on a hot day is asking for heatstroke. Remember, dogs don't sweat. Their only relief is through their mouth, panting. Make sure plenty of shade is available, and make sure he always has fresh, clean water.
Here's how serious the heat can be. Last week a man brought a Newfoundland into Menardi's clinic. Menardi said the dog came in "very lethargic." Sure enough, the dog's temperature was more than 106 degrees.
The dog and owner had been on a 15-minute walk.
"The point is this," Menardi said. "It doesn't take much. It doesn't take long."
Heat isn't the only problem pets battle in the summer. Heat brings mosquitoes. They could prove more deadly than the summer heat.
"Mosquitoes carry heartworms, and they inject these into dogs," Menardi said. "They can cause heart failure."
Between the Wawasee Animal Clinic and the Lake City Animal Clinic, Menardi estimates they treated 50 cases of heartworm last summer.
Once a dog has heartworms, treatment becomes very expensive.
The good news is you can keep them from getting heartworms in the first place.
"There is a very easy way to prevent heartworms," Menardi said. "One pill a month is all it takes."
This goes for inside dogs, too. Unless you live in an airtight fortress, mosquitoes can find their way into your home.
Summer always brings the other typical pet problems: fleas, ticks and skin allergies. Warmer weather typically causes dogs to explore more, leading to more accidents on the road.
Even July 4 proves dangerous for pets. Menardi has treated dogs that have been hit by fireworks.
Menardi called fleas "annoying" and said ticks aren't "as big of a problem here" as in other places. And what about Lyme disease, which ticks can carry?
"People are concerned about that, but I don't think that's a big problem here," Woodward said.
Treatments are available for fleas and skin allergies. Keep tabs - and tags - on your dog to make sure he doesn't wander away while exploring.
