Under normal circumstances, neonatal puppies depend on their mom to maintain their body temperature. But your situation is far from normal. Without external heat, it doesn’t take long for a puppy to become chilled (hypothermic). Newborn puppies can't generate their own body heat until they develop the shiver reflex at around two and half weeks. At birth his body (rectal) temperature should fall between 95° and 99°F. If it drops below 94°F, your puppy could be facing life-threatening hypothermia. Over the next three weeks, his body temperature will slowly rise until it reaches 99° to 100°. Eventually he’ll sustain a normal temperature of 101.5°. Until his little body can produce its own heat, mom (or in her absence, you) must provide warmth. If mom can care for her brood, let her keep the babies warm. Under normal circumstances she shouldn’t need additional heat. Without her, it’s up to you to keep the room temperature according to the chart below. Despite our instinct to want to immediately feed a puppy in trouble, warmth is far more critical than food.

Cold puppies can’t nurse or digest food. Their heart rates drop, and the circulatory and respiratory systems collapse. They don’t last long. But you don’t want to warm a cold puppy too quickly because that, too, can be fatal.You have to find that happy medium between having a chilly dog and a hot dog. The safest way to warm him is old school—using your own body heat. warming him too quickly could send him into shock. Hopefully, in a couple of hours you should feel him wiggling and moving around. Then it’s safe to prepare the bottle. When you’re ready to set up the nest, place clean towels or puppy pads in a cardboard box positioned well away from drafts like air conditioning vents, windows and doors. Position the box half-on half-off a heating pad (rather than placing the heating inside the box.) This way the puppy can crawl off the heat source should the pad grow too hot. Cover the floor with a towel, blanket or puppy pads. If you must put the heating pad inside, make sure the puppy can’t come in direct contact with it.

If he’s open-mouth panting, the box is too warm. A litter of puppies can help you gauge their comfort level easier than a solo pup. Cold puppies will cry and they’ll collect in a pile to help keep each other warm. Hot dogs will separate and sleep apart. You can keep your puppy warm using: Whatever heat source you provide for your puppy, make sure he doesn’t become overheated or suffer burns.Shower Head Mist SprayIt’s officially summer and that means rising temperatures. Nordstrom Shower HeadWe decided to put together this handy list of easy tips you can employ to keep your pets cool this season. Mobile Homes For Sale Roanoke Rapids NcSome of these you may already be familiar with, but we scoured high and low to find other crafty ideas that you might not have thought of.

Give these a try and let us know which ones you found to be most helpful. These tips are especially handy if you don’t have A/C in your home. But if you do have A/C, then Tip #1 is simply: Turn on the A/C for your dog or cat during the day. We’ve also included a section on emergency strategies you can employ if you are unable to get to your vet in time. It’s worth noting that senior dogs, as well as the brachiocephalic breeds, are especially prone to heat exhaustion so be extra careful with them. Dogs and cats regulate their body temperature to different degrees by: Some breeds of dogs and cats have adapted to repelling the sun’s rays (i.e. herding dogs) via their fur, but many animals will need to have “summer cuts” to their fur to improve heat exchange and facilitate heat loss through the skin. Dark fur absorbs more heat than light fur. Wild, endemic tropic dogs have short hair that is usually light beige in color to improve heat exchange and to repel the sun’s rays (like sunscreen!).

Heat plus humidity (which traps heat in the body) at high degrees is the most dangerous climate for pets. A/C and/or fans are especially important on these days to keep the air flowing and cooling. And of course, always be sure that your dog or cat has access to fresh, cool water at all times (you can even put a few ice cubes in there). Is Your Pet Going to Have a Hard Time Adjusting to the Heat This Summer? Ask yourself these questions: Is your pet an older animal? Does he/she have a compromised immune system? Does he/she have a heart or lung problem? Does he/she have a thick coat? Does your pet have dark-colored fur? Is your pet a brachiocephalic breed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then take extra precautions this season! Here are some common signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If your pet is displaying any of these, get to your local vet fast! These signs are often accompanied by increased heart and blood pressure and can lead to stroke, seizures, or heart failure.

If you live in an apartment with poor indoor circulation, take your dog outside during the hottest part of the day. I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. This may go against conventional advice, but often the outdoor temperatures are much cooler than inside a poorly ventilated apartment that has been absorbing the sun’s heat all day. So take your dog outside to a very shady park with a cool breeze. Stay away from areas without any shade, or with lots of concrete. Instead look for areas with tall, full trees and covered spaces. Grab a book, bring a bone or chew toy, and spend some time relaxing in the cool breeze. Stay out of direct sunlight and don’t let your dog do anything strenuous. Other tactics to try while venturing outdoors: Take advantage of the cooler parts of the day to exercise your dog. Remember that your dog has a fur coat to manage and will heat up much faster than you would. Also, be especially mindful in urban areas as concrete and asphalt can get really hot on even mildly hot days (78 degrees).

Before you walk your dog on concrete or asphalt, take your shoe off and test the temperature of the ground with your bare foot. If it’s hot for you, it’s too hot for them! And avoid hiking during the middle of the day or afternoon. I’ve seen many cases of dogs that have gone on mid-day hikes in the forest and quickly succumbed to overheating. Find a water feature/fountain for your dog to play in, or take your dog swimming in a clean ocean, river, stream, etc. If there are no water features in your area, invest in a backyard kiddie pool. They’re cheap but provide immediate relief from the heat. You can also look into specialized doggy swim centers that allow you to rent pool time for your dog (usually by the half hour) to play and exercise. There are a number of tactics you can employ to cool your home down during the day. Here are a few of the more viable options. Purchase thick sun-blocking curtains to use during the day, and open your windows at night.

This strategy will allow cool air to come in during the night, and keep your home from getting hot during the day. If you have lots of windows in your home on multiple walls, open them to allow for cross breezes and utilize fans to move hot air out, and bring cool, fresh air in. c) Turn off or unplug appliances Turn off or unplug the electronics you don’t need right away or aren’t using. All electronic items generate a little heat so plug things in only as you use them. d) Remove your rugs for the Summer Remove most of the carpets/rugs from your pet’s area to allow them a space to lie on bare tile or wood floors. e) Make use of fans Consider installing a ceiling fan if you don’t already have one, and set up multiple fans in your home to circulate the air properly. If your home tends to get warm, considering leaving a fan on for your pet, and allow them the space to choose to lay in front of it if they need to. Frozen treats and goodies in the summer are a classic way to cool down as well.

But these tend to get messy, so the following tips are especially great if you have a backyard. a) Give your pet some frozen toys Freeze a Kong toy with yummy, edible liquids (or blueberries), or take it one step further and freeze an assortment of toys and chewies ala the Kool Dogz Ice Treat maker. b) Freeze these items to create “portable A/Cs” Freeze a plastic water bottle and give the bottle to your dog (with a towel to collect the moisture). Your dog can lay next to it if he/she wants to. Or soak and freeze a washcloth or dish towel and allow your dog or cat to lay on it. You can also try the ol’ fan next to a bowl of ice water trick. Fill a bowl with cold water and add some ice cubes, then place it directly in front of a fan. The fan will blow the colder air towards your dog, creating an A/C effect. Of course, use supervision with this one, and don’t leave your pet unattended with the fan and water bowl. And of course, it bears repeating – always make sure your dog or cat has access to a lot of fresh, cool water during the summer, and take your dogs out more often for bathroom breaks.

Get a Cooleroo bed/cot and direct a fan under it, or try one of these cooling mat type of beds. During hot days, feed your dog cold home cooked meals. If it’s leftovers from the fridge, even better! In my next article, we’ll talk about specific foods to feed that have cooling properties and I’ll share some of my favorite summer time recipes. Many animals can benefit from a haircut in the summer, but you should consider each animal’s breed origins before getting the clippers out. Some pets have adapted and evolved to effectively manage the sun’s rays despite having a long coat (for example, herding dog breeds). Their fur provides some UV protection from the sun, and if you shave too much of it off, your dog will have a higher risk of sun burn and will need added precautions when outdoors. But if your pet is very far removed from the climate and geographical location of his/her breed development, then a shorter haircut or a shave may be exactly what he or she needs.

For example, huskies or malamutes (who originated in snowy, cold environments like Siberia) developed a coat that was designed to protect it from the cold, dryness of the wind, and snow. But a husky in a tropical climate like Hawaii will have no need for such a thick coat, and will feel miserable in Hawaii’s humidity and heat unless the coat is thinned and trimmed. It’s always a good idea to have a baseline of “normal”, so I recommend taking your dog’s temperature in the summer so you know what the “normal” temperature should be.  It might be higher than it normally is in the winter.  The average normal temperature for dogs is 101.5 degrees. When your dog is panting excessively, drinking water and becoming weak, it’s time to take his/her temperature. 104 degrees and higher is serious. Heat issues can get fatal very quickly, but what if you don’t have enough time to get to your vet? Here are things you can do immediately to help your pet. 1. Put your dog or cat in a tub or sink full of cold water and ice (keep some crushed ice in the freezer).