Poor Johann is meltuing in the heat....

[Tessa]

I was concerned enough about the ice to call the vet today since we've been giving ours ice in a bowl all week. They said ice is just fine in moderation but it's probably not a good idea to give them a whole tray to eat at once. They also said it's common to give dogs ice cubes after surgery. Tucker will only eat 1 or 2 pieces at a time so I think we're ok.

And about the frozen yogurt treats - we gave one to our friend's maltese when they came over to visit. After eating half, the dog started shaking and shivering and ended up at the vet the next day. He couldn't handle the cold of the frosty paws so he isn't allowed to have them anymore. Tessa was excited that night since she got to finish his half too. That was about 2 years ago and I did ask our vet at the time if it was ok to give her frosty paws. He said no problem as long as they don't upset her stomach. It probably wasn't a good idea to give a 10lb dog and a 55lb dog the same serving size. We now make homemade versions out of yogurt, banana, honey and peanut butter, frozen in a muffin pan. We started making them after I realized I couldn't pronounce most of the ingredients on the box (and it's MUCH cheaper too!).

 

[johann]

Thanks for the ideas (and warning about ice water) everyone! Johann is doing ok, I brought him swimming yesterday and he had a blast.

He also loves his pool.....will run around, then go lay in the pool, then do a boxer burn, lay in the pool, etc. He's been spending a lot of time laying on our bed underneath the fan or locked in his crate in the A/Ced room.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/kateandcoco/Johann/Johann after May 2009/IMG_1419.jpg (picture is from last year, he's not so scrawny looking anymore)

 

[Gatorblu]

He also loves his pool.....will run around, then go lay in the pool, then do a boxer burn, lay in the pool, etc.

I bought a pool for my dogs and they won't go near it! Thor just walks past it. If I put one of Arabella's balls in it she'll just circle it until it floats close enough to the edge for her to get it. However it the water has mud involved, like a lake or stream she is all over it!

 

[dodgerdaddy]

A little way I help mine stay or get a little refreshment in the heat is have a wet rag with cold water and lay it on his chest. They cool down best from their chest, not like us where we wanna cool our heads

 

[christianpk]

Shock

Please just remember if they are really hot just watch how fast you cool them down. If you do it to fast they could go in to shock. I would bring them in to a cool room let them drink cool water (slow put a ball or something in the water so they have to drink around it). Then try cold towels and things like that.