46 THE QUEENS COURIER • PETS • APRIL 19, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
pets
Dog days of summer
BY JOHN CHAROS, DVM
If your dog or cat likes to sit in the sun,
you need to make sure he/she isn’t getting
too much of a good thing – remember
that dogs and cats are at risk of dehydration,
overheating and even being sunburned.
Brachycephalic (short-snouted) breeds,
geriatric and obese pets are especially susceptible
to heat stroke. Th ese pets should be
kept indoors in an air-conditioned room.
Short-haired breeds with light colored
coats or alopecia (hair loss) and puppies
or kittens with delicate skin are especially
prone to sunburn. Take some caution and
care for your pet as you would any child.
Avoid sun during the hottest part of the
day between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. If these
hours are unavoidable, you might consider
a 100 percent cotton T-shirt or a
non-toxic SPF sunscreen developed specially
for pets, containing titanium dioxide.
Th is can be applied to sensitive spots
like the ears, muzzle, nose or any bald
spots exposed to the sun.
Never use human products as they can
be toxic if ingested.
Unlike humans, dogs wear fur coats 365
days a year. Compound this with a higher
normal body temperature than ours,
and summer days can be downright dangerous
– if not deadly – due to heat stress
and stroke.
Some obvious things that are a must for
any pet are plenty of cold, fresh water and
having shade available all day.
Do not exercise them in the height of
the midday heat.
Groom and brush your pet daily especially
in the summer.
Never shave your dog completely. Fur
helps keep the hot air and sun rays from
contact with the skin. Remember that
shaving a dog makes them more prone
to sunburn.
Stay off blacktop surfaces, or any nongrassed
surfaces, to avoid pad burns. You
can use the palms of your hands to check
surfaces when grass is not available.
If you and your dog are out for the day,
wet your pet with a hose or a wet towel
to aid in preventing heat stress or worse,
heat stroke.
NEVER leave your dog in a car even for
a few moments on a mild day, and know
that being left in the car on a day that is
80 degrees or above is a death sentence.
During hot weather, monitor your pet
closely for signs such as:
• Heavy panting
• Increased salivation
• Foaming/frothing from the mouth
• Lethargy
• Warm or hot skin to the touch
• Vomiting
• Muscle twitching
• Confusion or dazed look
Should you see any of these signs call
your veterinarian immediately! Hose
your pet down with cold water. If a hose
is not available, wrap a towel soaked in ice
water. Th is can be the diff erence between
life and death.
If you can remember just two things
from this article let them be: always provide
adequate water supply and shelter
from the sun, and never leave your pet
unattended in a car, even with the windows
open.
– Courtesy of Central Veterinary
Associates
Is Your Lizard Ill?
BY TRESA ERICKSON
Where, oh where, is that
lizard? You just saw it a week
ago, climbing all around the
rocks. Today you canÕt fi nd
it. It must be hiding out, or
is it? Are you sure you saw
your pet lizard a week ago?
Or, was that two weeks ago?
Are you sure your pet lizard
is hiding out because it
wants to, or could it be ill?
When children fall ill, they
can tell you. When pets fall
ill, they look to you to fi gure
it out. It’s not so diffi cult
with animals that you handle
regularly, like cats and
dogs. With lizards and other
reptiles, it can be much
harder to tell when they are
under the weather. Here are
some common signs that
your reptile may be ill.
Appearance
• Changes in color
• Pale mouth
• Extra thick saliva
• Exaggerated folds or
more folds than usual
• Lumps, bumps and
bruises
• Scabs and scratches
• Swelling
Behavior
• Aggression
• Diffi culty moving around
• Hyperactivity or lethargy
• More or less shedding
• Prolonged soaking
• Smaller or bigger appetite
• Tremors
Bathroom Habits
• More or less defecation
• Smaller, harder, drier
fecal matter
• Th icker, more viscous
urates
Th ese are just some of
the signs that your reptile
is ill. Th ere could be others
depending upon what illness
your reptile has. Should
you see anything of concern
or suspect something is not
right, do not hesitate to call
your vet.
To keep your reptile
healthy, learn about it as
much as you can. Learn
what you should be feeding
it and take the steps to
implement a healthy diet.
Learn where you should
keep it and take the steps
necessary to keep its environment
clean. Pay attention
to the room its cage
is in as well. Any changes
there could cause problems
for your reptile. Become an
expert on your pet reptile,
treat it well, and with any
luck, it will have a long life.