THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508080094
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY XIAOHONG ZHANG SWAIN, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
While you are staying cool inside your comfortable, air-conditioned home, don't forget that your animal friends suffer from hot weather, too.
Heat stress and heat stroke are two most common summer problems for pets, said Dr. Brian E. Kim, a veterinarian with the Chesapeake Animal Hospital.
Heat stress is especially hard on puppies and older and overweight pets, Kim said. The result of accumulated heat stress is heat stroke, in which the affected pet will develop muscle weakness, a rapid heart rate and dry skin and eventually collapse or have a seizure.
In case of heat stroke, Kim said, people should cool down the pet's body temperature immediately by pouring cold water or applying ice packs on it.
To prevent heat stress and stroke, Kim said, people need to provide their pets a shaded shelter that has adequate air circulation and to provide fresh cool water. People should also avoid making their pets do excess exercises, such as walking them in the heat. And pets should not be left in a parked vehicle, Kim said.
Kathy Umberger, coordinator of the city's Animal Control Bureau, said hot weather takes a heavy toll on pets.
``So far this summer season, we have received a lot of calls about pets being tied outside and not sheltered, or pets being closed in parked vehicles,'' she said.
In a non-emergency case, Umberger said, an officer from the Animal Control Bureau will give the owner 48 hours to correct the mistake. But in an emergency case, where the life of the pet is endangered, such as a pet being left in a heated vehicle, an officer will immediately take the pet into custody and charge the owner with cruelty, Umberger said.
``Cruelty to animals is a Class I misdemeanor,'' Umberger said. ``If convicted, the owner could face jail time of not more than 12 months or a fine of not more than $2,500.''
Umberger said Virginia has one of the best animal welfare laws in the nation.
``The Virginia Animal Welfare Act states that the owners are responsible to provide the pets adequate food in terms of the amount and type according to the pets' age and breed,'' Umberger said. ``They are responsible to provide adequate water in a clean, fresh manner and in a drinkable temperature. And they are responsible to provide adequate shelter to protect pets from the weather.''
Besides heat stress and heat stroke, pets face problems of heart worm, flea and tick bites and bee stings, said Kim.
Heart worms are transmitted by mosquitoes. Even during the winter season, there are still mosquitoes in this area. So owners should provide their pets with heart worm guards throughout the year, Kim said.
In addition to traditional flea sprays and shampoos, monthly flea pills, which stop flea eggs from becoming mature fleas, are now available from veterinarians.
``European and other countries have used the flea pill for 10 years,'' Kim said. ``It's just now being approved by the American Food and Drug Administration. It has been shown to be very effective. I think it will change the way we treat fleas.''
Kim said people should also frequently check for tick and bee stings on their pets. If a tick is found, Kim said, use tweezers to carefully loosen it up and pull it all out. In case of bee stings, Kim said, owners should immediately contact their vets or a poison control center for instructions.
In summer, young puppies are especially prone to infectious diseases, such as diarrhea, which is spread by contacting other animals, Kim said.
``It's better to avoid exposing young puppies to a lot of different animals,'' Kim said. ``People should hold off showing their dogs in public until the pets are 4 to 5 months old.''
Summer is also a popular season for owners to travel. If owners choose to leave their pets behind, Kim suggests they make an effort to lodge their pets with reputable and well-facilitated kennels. If they bring their pets along, make sure the pets are wearing identifications all the time.
``People often lose their pets at rest stops,'' Kim said.
In both cases, the pets should be current on vaccinations and their medical records, emergency phone numbers and addresses should be accessible to the caretaker.
And, don't let your pets hang their heads out of the car window during traveling.
``It's not safe,'' Kim said. ``They could fall out. And the wind exposes them to a lot of dust and poisonous fertilizers and insecticides.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by ROY A. BAHLS
Here is an 8-week-old female lab-mix puppy. She has blond fur and
plenty of puppy energy. ID number: 74735. The SPCA has many other
homeless animals at its headquarters, Virginia Beach and Ballentine
boulevards. Animals can be viewed and adopted Monday through
Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Call 622-3319.
by CNB