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How can I tell when Cody is too hot or too tired?


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Looked up overheating and found this thread. For those whose dogs overheat or get the signs of overheating, do your dogs get hot otherwise?

 

I took Curly to the vets about 4 years ago b/c he gets so hot, when he's NOT exercising. The vet said that some dogs just run hot. Then another vet didn't seem to think it was a big deal. He seems so hot maybe 60% of the time inside. Most of the summer he lays on top of the A/C vent on the floor. He goes from room to room trying to find the cool spots and when you feel where he's been the floor pretty warm--so I guess he's moving b/c it's gotten too warm to lay where it once was cool. (does that make sense?) So he moves around a lot, and a lot of laying down hard with a moan often. Then I wonder if he's in pain? Also in the middle of the night he will get up, act like he has to "go out" urgently and he goes outside and lays on the brick path. This happens all year-maybe 2-3x a month. I put the fan on him but it doesn't seem to help.

 

I have a stock tank for him to cool down in but then I dump it b/c he gets a pretty bad stink after a few days of much dunking.

 

Also you can't get near his behind. So taking a temp has to be under sedation. If he's restrained he will become a bucking bronco and will hurt himself before he will let anyone restrain him.

 

I'm taking him again tomorrow to have his Lymes checked. He had a CBC in April and he had some elevations but the Vet said they weren't high enough to worry about. The Lymes was active. (and he's been limping-he was supposed to be on IR for 6 weeks but it's impossible)

 

I'm also curious about the once a dog has had heat exhaustion they are more prone.

 

Any idears?

 

Thanks

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Hi all,

 

Such good info and I hope this becomes a sticky for newbies or for those who read information on border collies and are too thick to get it--like ME!

 

I have read this board for a couple years. I carefully read the threads about overheating dogs, and still had to learn the hard way. We couldn't figure out why our dog was having the symptoms you all have described after just a few minutes of play. Vet said maybe EIC or myasthenia gravis. Nope. Poor management of her play on our part. Before we put our dog through a bunch of tests, we decided to carefully observe her and try different things.

 

One day at the soccer field, (and this was after she had mastered a darn good recall), she played for a few minutes, then all I saw was a black blur as she ran pell mell over the hill and made a huge splash in the creek. I'm thinking what the heck?? :rolleyes: And she's thinking, "You're so stupid to worry about me getting smelly, or getting cut on glass or cans in the creek, or bacteria, or ear infections, this is the most sensible way for me to cool down!" :D

 

So after I learned my lesson, as I often do from my teacher Polly, we worked out a way to play. We walk with her around the soccer field and throw a toy for a bit, then throw the toy in the creek and let her cool down, then rinse and repeat for no more than 10 minutes. Then a final cool down in the creek and another lap for sniffing and drying purposes.

 

My jeep, truck, carpet, and furniture smell creeky. Polly does not. She smells like nature and fun.

 

*sigh* The little stinker loved her wading pool last year, but this year she won't get in. I asked her why and received this memo:

 

To: Humans

From: Polly

 

Please be advised that I will not use the yellow wading pool. I liked and miss my purple wading pool.

Also, the cat is getting on the kitchen counters when you are gone.

 

Regards,

Polly

 

For us, the key was management and access to water, I can not believe how tricky it can be to live with a border collie....

 

Charlene

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You would be amazed at adding a new toy to the mix can increase the chance of overheating. Overheating is not necessarily just from running too much, the added mental exercise of anything can add to the overheating problem.

 

FYI - I had my bc tested for thyroid problems because she has some general behavior issues plus the overheating. If you are seeing some off behaviors and overheating, having the thyroid tested is an idea to have done. I was hoping for a thyroid issue but nope Tempe is just my lil chicken and I love her anyways.

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I've only had Suka a short while, but I've already seen some stong indicators for her. She's coming from Alaska, where their hottest hot is cooler than our local coolest cool, so her coat is heavy (though begining to blow out already). I only exercise her outside in the early AM and at dusk - We've got a good safe neighborhood for that. But when she's starting to overheat, it's pretty clear. First her enthusiasm wanes - her ears stop rotating like little radar dishes, and she stops perking up at each new sound or sight - instead, her eyes focus on the walk ahead of us. That's stage one. Stage two, she'll start to drag her rear toenails as she walks. I never let her stay out once I hear the nails.

 

As for prevention of over-consumption of water, that's easy - I give water in a fairly small dish, and keep a full pitcher nearby to replenish it. She'll drain the dish, and I'll let her settle for a while before I refill it. I do NOT leave her out unattended at any time, and can immediately bring her into the cool as soon as she's showing the signs.

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