Pets in peril
Animals need shade and cool water to beat sizzling heat, experts say
11:36 PM PDT on Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The dog days of summer, often synonymous with August, have arrived early, and humans aren't the only ones who need relief.
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Dogs, cats, horses and other pets are just as susceptible to the relentless heat, humidity and glaring sun as are people, veterinarians and pet-care professionals say. Just like their two-legged owners, animals need shade, cool air and plenty of water to avoid heat exhaustion.
Inland temperatures began creeping into the 100s earlier this month. On July 15, the National Weather Service reported daytime highs of 122 in Indio, 118 in Palm Springs, 111 in Hesperia, 110 in Lake Elsinore, 108 at UC Riverside, 106 in Temecula and Beaumont, and 105 in Ontario, Chino and Rialto, and the swelter has been pretty constant since.
"We get a lot of calls (to) check the welfare of animals where they don't have water, or they're chained up in the sun, or they don't have any shade," said Sue Hoak, operations manager for San Bernardino Animal Control, the city agency that serves Fontana and Loma Linda.
"Before you leave the house, make sure they have plenty of shelter and plenty of cool water," Hoak said. "The temperature of the water is very important. If it's hot or warm water out in the sun, they're not going to drink it, and then they become dehydrated."
Sympathetic neighbors sometimes lower a bucket of water over the backyard fence to help a neighbor's thirsty pet, Hoak said.
Officials at the city shelter recommend that pet owners hose down their lawn and patio before they leave their animals in the backyard. Hoak also suggested placing a wet towel or cloth on the ground so the dog or cat can lie on it to cool off.
In Riverside County, animal control officers helped a pet store Wednesday when the temperature in the store became too hot and the animals were suffering, said Rita Gutierrez, an operations chief at Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
About 2 p.m., the employee at Animal Elegance on Arlington Avenue in Riverside called 911.
The animals were in dire straights, Gutierrez said.
The store's co-owner helped animal control officers take the birds and other pets to Animal Services' building to let them cool off. The animals will eventually be moved to the sister store in Moreno Valley.
"We just did it to help her out," Gutierrez said.
There are plenty of products available for pet owners to help their animals stay cool.
Hot-weather products have been big sellers at the PetSmart store in Hemet, said store Manager Tina Welch.
"Anything to keep a pet cool has been very popular," Welch said. "With this heat wave, we've had people come in like crazy. Spot and Fido are their 'kids,' so they buy whatever they can for them."
The store has sold numerous durable plastic wading pools and elevated pet beds, which have a mesh surface that allows air to circulate and keeps the animal a few inches above the hot ground.
Customers also have snatched up customized pet scarves that can be cooled in the refrigerator and then fastened around the animal's neck; nozzles that attach to a backyard spigot, allowing a dog to get a drink without a bowl, and water jugs that activate each time the pet drinks.
"As they lap it up from the little bowl, more water comes through," Welch said.
In rural communities such as Norco and Mira Loma, many families keep horses and livestock. It's crucial for owners to recognize the warning signs of heat stress, said Hugh Gibbs, a Riverside veterinarian who specializes in stallions.
"People should make sure to always give horses clean water, provide them with shade, cool them down with fans, water misters or hose them down with water," Gibbs said by phone.
Horses experiencing stress due to the heat display signs such as increased respiratory and heart rates, and profuse sweating, Gibbs said. In severe cases, horses can become lethargic and will show signs of depression and a diminished appetite. Some horses may even stumble or collapse.
Armando Miranda breeds, raises and sells Andalusian horses on his Norco ranch, Hacienda Miranda. "I've had to install about 10 exhaust fans in my barn," he said. The fans -- in the rafters and on the ground -- cool off the dozen horses he and his brother own.
"They're not as perky. They're constantly in one spot, standing still, and they try to get close to the air from the fans," Miranda said.
"They're just constantly sweating, and they're prone to colic. Because of the heat, they have problems with their stomachs. They get gassy," he added.
Since the hot spell began, Miranda and his workers have been hosing down each horse every day. They do the same for the barn floor and ceiling. He's using twice as much water and triple his normal electricity consumption.
"The electric bill is about $500 a month now," Miranda said.
Rancho Cucamonga resident Irwin Myland, 33, runs his own business, Spoiled Silly Pet Sitting Services and More.
Since the heat wave began, some customers ask that he come by twice a day to check on their dogs, cats, birds and reptiles.
"I usually suggest them leaving an extra water bowl (and) leaving the air (conditioning) on if the dogs are inside. It's amazing -- some people will not," Myland said. "I just don't think it's healthy for anybody to sit in a 92-degree house."
Rialto pet-sitter Kristy Bagwell said she freezes water bottles and puts them in her clients' rabbit cages, because the lop-eared animals don't cope well with the heat.
Other clients ask her to supervise while their dogs cool off in the swimming pool, said Bagwell, who runs Kristy's Kritter Sitters.
Reach Mary Bender at 951-893-2103 or mbender@PE.com
Reach Sonja Bjelland at 951-893-2114 or sbjelland@pe.com
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