Camping With Boxers

[mgrey]

Hi All!

My husband and I are going camping this weekend and it is supposed to be a little on the warm side- around 80. We have taken Maggie camping in the fall when it was cooler but not during the summer. Our camp site will be in the shade- so that's a plus. She will also have constant access to water. However, I am concerned that she will get too warm since boxers don't do very well in the heat.

Have any of you all camped with your boxer during the summer? Any advice?

I appreciate the advice!

[bruinsBoxers]

Some info I have on heat stroke .


Never leave dogs unattended in vehicles or yards with minimal shade when the
temperatures rise above 90 degrees.
Avoid exercise during the peak hours where heat and humdity are at their
worst.
Provide lots of cool shade, water, and in hot regions install misters set on
timers to deliver a cool mist every 5 to 10 minutes for 2 or 3 minutes to
the shady areas of your yard, and water should be available for drinking at
all times.
Wading pools in the shade should be provided as well.

Use cool coats soaked in ice water when possible if dogs are out in the
heat, and above all else, be aware when your dog is begining to show signs
of developing heat stroke.

The normal body temperature of the dog is between 100 and 102.5 degrees.

Dogs are not as efficient eliminating excess heat from their bodies as
people are.
They exchange heat through their tongue and nasal passages, the sweat glands
located in their perianal and interdigital areas, and through their skin.

When a dog's tongue begins to enlarge markedly as it pants, this is the
canine body trying to increase the surface area of it's primary heat
exchange respiratory system organ to eliminate its excess heat, but only so
much heat can be eliminated in this manner, or through sweating and from
passive exchange from the skin itself, due to the limited numbers of sweat
glands on the canine body, and limitted surface area of skin.

Early signs of heat stroke are excessive enlargement of the tongue, extreme
heavy panting, progressing to incoordination, weakness, elevated heart rate,
seizures, collapse, shock, respiratory arrest, and organ failure due to
hypoperfusion and increased clotting and embolic showers that may occuer in
the circulatory system, called DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation) .

If you find your dog in a situation where it has overheated and is mentally
dull, incoordinated, shock is begining to set in and you must get a fan on
the dog and rinse the dog in a continuous stream cool water immediately and
for 15 to 30 minutes.

If the dog is not responding quickly, rush to the nearest veterinary
hospital for further evaluation and therapy.

At the veterinary hospital continued efforts to cool the dog will include
cool water enemas, cool water rinse, and isopropyl alcohol applied with
towelettes to the neck, armpits, abdomen, groin regions, and feet.

Seizures, shock, and collapse must be aggressively treated ASAP for the dog
in serious respiratory and thermal compromise.

IV fluids, mannitol, steroids, and supplemental oxygen are some of the
things that may be necessary to halt the deadly cascade of physiological
events that occur with severe heat stroke.

If DIC has occured, or does occur shortly after emergency stabilization,
continued IV fluids and anticoagulative medications may also be necessary
for several days or longer, as well as repeated monitoring of rectal
temperature, mentation, respiration, neurological and renal function, PaO2,
and blood levels of FDP's and clotting times.

Again, the best medicine for heat stroke is PREVENTION if possible, but
should it happen please seek prompt and aggressive emergency care for you
dog in distress.... .unfortunately, many serious cases of heat stroke are
fatal despite our best efforts to treat them.

Larry P. Occhipinti, DVM, MPVM
Guardman's Veterinary & K9 Reproduction Services

More from Dr. Larry:
An 8 oz squeeze bottle with isopropyl alcohol would provide enough alcolhol
to place on baby wipes and apply to the neck, armpits, abdomen. groin, and
the feet.
Again, the key is to AVOID the heat.
Yes, you always want to pack an ice chest with ice and water and cool coats,
and spray bottles with cool water, but AVOID AVOID AVOID exercising your dog
in the heat.

[Ron]

good info. i didn't know that about their tongues

[Ruby Red]

Lots of really good info and advice there, thanks Missi, very helpful.

[Doreen]

Now I am constantly watching Rex's tongue since he runs so much out there in this heat. It seems to hang out pretty long after his exercise, but I get him inside with the AC after about 10 minutes of play since I do worry so about heat exhaustion.