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Community Corner

Healthy Pets in Summer Heat

Holmdel Veterinarian Dr. Frank Mitterman shares tips for keeping our furry friends cool and safe when temperatures climb.

On days when the heat index climbs past 100, keeping our pets cool and hydrated can be a matter of life and death.

So cautions veterinarian Dr. Frank Mitterman, of Holmdel Veterinary Clinic, located at 959 Holmdel Road, who only yesterday saw a 10 year old Rottweiler succumb to hyperthermia, or overheating beyond the body's ability to cool itself, from being left outdoors too long.

Dr. Mitterman's office is a modest white house with maroon shutters and sign, across the street from Vonage Headquarters. He's practiced in Holmdel since 1993.

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“It can happen so fast, people don't realize how quickly dogs can overheat,” he said.

Particularly at risk from soaring temperatures are overweight dogs, older dogs, large breeds, and certain “short-headed” breeds, or brachycephalics like bulldogs, pugs, or Boston terriers. These dogs already have a tough time breathing says Mitterman, and are particularly susceptible to overheating.

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“But especially overweight dogs get very stressed in the heat,” he said, “they can't dissipate their temperature like we do with our sweat glands, their cooling mechanisms are different.” Dogs need to pant to give off heat, he says.

Cats, on the other hand, are rarely seen in the office for hyperthermia, he says, because they can tolerate the heat much better than dogs.

Dr. Mitterman shared some common sense tips for all pets:

  • Always keep an animal in the shade if you're outdoors, and don't leave them outdoors for very long.
  • Keep the animal well-ventilated.
  • Keep fresh water available at all times for good hydration.
  • Always keep a dog in air conditioning on an extremely hot day, especially an older dog.

Never leave an animal in a car, even if you think you'll “only be a minute.” Summer temperatures inside cars can reach into the triple digits in a few minutes.

Signs of distress:

  • Over-panting
  • Excessive salivation
  • Lethargic, depressed behavior
  • Shock
  • Mucous membranes (like the gums) turning white-ish to blue can signal loss of circulation.

Coma and death can follow quickly. Seek veterinary care immediately if you see any signs of distress in your pet.

“We put dogs on IV fluids right away,” said Mitterman. “Then we try to cool them down with isopropyl alcohol. This gets the body temperature down a few degrees within a few minutes.”

Then, Mitterman says, you must treat the dog for shock.

“Believe it or not, you also have to treat for coagulation problems – dogs can bleed out very quickly – then with antibiotics,” he said. “It sets off a whole set of cascading bad effects from the initial over-heating.”

“Sometimes, like yesterday, it's just too late, no matter what we do,” he said.

As for cooling off in the backyard pool, proceed with caution, says Mitterman.

“It's ok in terms of exercise, but they end up getting a lot of ear infections.”

“Use common sense. Avoid problems,” he said.

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