Dogs Need Protection From Heat Exhaustion
Thursday June 5,
2003
As the summer heats up, so do concerns for animals. Linda asks, “I see people jogging with their dogs and I worry about the dog being overheated when running in the heat of summer. The dog cannot stop unless its owner does. I saw a man and his dog jogging down St. Charles Avenue and his dog was dragging behind looking exhausted. Am I being overly sensitive or is running like this okay for the dog?”
Linda’s concern is a valid one. Unlike humans, dogs have very few sweat glands and cannot adjust to heat like we do. Essentially, dogs cool themselves in three ways: through panting, through blood vessels on the face and ears, and through their footpads. If a jogger is running on the sidewalk or roadway, then one of his faithful companion’s cooling methods has just been eliminated. The streets and walkways can become extremely hot and dogs can get small burns on their pads. Imagine running with sore feet! Dogs will generally continue to run, whether or not they’re in pain, as they want to please their master.
A dog’s internal body temperature is between 100 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. If it rises to 105 degrees or so, the dog can suffer from heat exhaustion, which can lead to heat stroke. Signs of exhaustion include redness inside the ears and excessive panting. Overheating in dogs is very serious and can result in death. Although many people think dogs can handle nearly all extremes, they cannot. Joggers can reduce the risk of canine heat exhaustion by running in the cooler times of the morning or evening, and wrapping a cool pad or wet bandana around the dog’s neck before heading outside.
Mules, on the other hand, do a much better job at handling high temperatures. Public complaints regarding the mules in the French Quarter have increased, as they do each summer. Perhaps knowing that mules are tough working animals may help ease the mind.
Mules are a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. Physically, mules are disease resistant, very tolerant of heat, live longer, and demonstrate superior endurance over horses. The mule owes its ability to weather high temps to its father, the donkey, who is well adapted to survive desert conditions.
In New Orleans, the mules are required to stop working if the thermometer hits 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The carriage companies answer to the Taxi Cab Bureau although the LA/SPCA can respond to complaints at the City’s request. The SPCA’s Chief Humane Officer attended “Mule School” to learn about the breed and how to identify potential problems with a mule’s care or condition. Because of the cross between horse and donkey, mules are sterile and cannot produce offspring.
- Laura Maloney
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