Take The Heat Off: Article in Animal Wellness Magazine

Article Published in Animal Wellness Magazine June 2009 (submitted by Alpha Dog PR for Chillybuddy)

Take the heat off!

Canine hyperthermia can be a significant threat during the summer. Help your dog stay cool and comfortable by learning how to protect him.

by Bob Stalick

We may love the heat, but it’s hard on our canine companions. Whether you live in Arizona or Alaska, your dog is affected by rising temperatures during the summer. And with global warming driving average temperatures up, the situation won’t get any easier for our four-legged friends.

In an odd twist, people’s awareness and knowledge of canine heat issues seems to be inversely related to the average temperature of a particular region. We found that Canadians are generally very knowledgeable and concerned about the thermal welfare of their dogs; in some ways, though, those living in the southern United States are a bit more casual about it. You might say it’s the old story of familiarity breeding contempt.

Basic facts

•Dogs have defective cooling systems. They lose heat only through respiration and their paws, and they don’t perspire like we do. Like any heat producing engine, they radiate heat to the environment. This is a great system for an animal that evolved for life in the taiga and the Ice Age, or cold deserts at night. It’s not so great for a sled dog living in Florida.

•The equivalent of 1,250 calories per square meter of infrared energy strikes the Earth at sea level every hour – and that number is higher at greater elevations. This is approximately the energy requirement for a reasonably active 50-pound dog per day.

•The normal temperature for a dog is 101ºF to 102ºF.

•A dog is considered hyperthermic when his body temperature exceeds 106ºF (The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2006, 20:38-46).

•The mortality rate for hyperthermic dogs treated immediately by qualified clinicians is only 50%, due
to irreversible changes in blood chemistry (JVIM, Ibid).

In short, summer is hot, dogs are already hot, and there isn’t a whole lot of room (4ºF to 5ºF) between “doing fine” and “likely to die”.

Doing the math

In dogs, we are dealing with a system already overloaded by the elimination of normal heat caused by burning food for energy. In a walk lasting an hour, the average dog is exposed to almost as much energy as he consumes in a day from food. Even if he absorbs only 10% of the solar influx, he is adding significantly to his thermal load.

The average fit 50-pound dog burns about 1,400 calories per day; that translates to an average of 56 calories of energy burn an hour. That rate goes up if the dog is out for a leisurely walk. Let’s say there are 100 calories of energy to be eliminated. A dog doesn’t occupy anything like a square meter, but is exposed to about a third of the total influx of infrared energy mentioned earlier (1,250 calories/square meter/hour), or about 400 calories per hour. Assuming the same 10% absorption referred to above (based on coat temperature measurements, this is probably a low number) the dog will absorb about 40 calories on an hour-long walk. That absorption is an additional 40% load on an already challenged heat elimination system.

Cool solutions

1. Water, water, water! Your dog should always have plenty of fresh cool water available. If you’re taking your dog for a walk, there are some very neat new devices for carrying water for your dog.

2. Don’t overwork him. Just because he goes nuts when he sees a tennis ball doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to throw it for half an hour when it’s 95º outside. If you’re going to work a dog in warm weather, take a good cue from the best agility and search and rescue handlers: be prepared with lots and lots of water, a good cooling jacket that works properly, and perhaps a cool pond in which to quickly dissipate heat.

3. Provide shade whenever possible. My dog Buddy’s unwillingness to come out of the shade for a walk
was what gave me a clue to develop my own cooling jacket. Shade represents reduced heat influx (though
not entirely) and reduces strain on the dog’s system.

4. Air movement is good, and more is better. A breezy, shady spot on a warm day helps a dog even though he doesn’t perspire. Dogs can lose heat through radiation, helping offload some work from his primary cooling systems.

5. Give him a dip in a pool or stream. Water on the body allows for evaporative cooling. But that cooling mechanism works well only if airflow is plentiful and the heat being absorbed by evaporation comes from the dog, not the environment. One of the problems with older style towel wraps and chamois is that they turn into a sauna underneath because they emphasize water at the exclusion of air. Evaporative cooling is about 80% airflow, 20% water.

6. Watch for the slightest signs of heat stress. Keep in mind, though, that a dog may already be suffering
from heat stress before these symptoms of distress appear.

a. Intense, rapid panting

b. Wide eyes

c. Excessive salivation

d. Staggering and weakness

e. Collapse

7. Use a good quality cooling jacket. I designed the Chillybuddy jacket for Buddy to deal with the real physics and biophysics of the dog’s circumstances. Try to find a product that addresses solar influx, provides enough airflow and/or emphasizes water over airflow. Remember this is not about what’s convenient or
inexpensive for you.

Protecting dogs from hyperthermia is mostly about prevention and common sense. Take the right precautions, and you and your companion can relax and enjoy the summer in comfort.

Knowledge is power

Busting the myths about dogs and heat.

“My dog’s long coat protects him from the heat.”

This has to be the number one myth and it comes in a corollary version too: “My dog is double coated so isn’t bothered by heat.” A fur coat is an insulator; two fur coats makes a better insulator. Yes, it’s true that longer hair helps reduce the heat transmitted from the surface of the coat to the skin. But the longer coat also creates a layer of air that insulates the dog. In this case, that air is heated by two sources: the dog and the outside environment. In the event that the insulating air mass exceeds the skin temperature of the dog, the heat transference will be reversed and flow back to the skin.

“My dog’s short coat protects him from the heat.”

A short coat does help a dog radiate his own heat to the environment better than a longer coat – we all see that in the cold months. But the short-coated dog is that much more likely to absorb heat from solar influx, and a black short-coated dog is most at risk.

“My dog is tough.”

Very popular among those with Dobermans, rottweilers, various American bulldog breeds, etc. A tough-minded dog has the same metabolism as any other canine, but is less likely to let you know he is suffering until he cannot carry on. Add to that the fact that many of these “tough” dogs are black and short-coated, and you have a problem since black attracts heat.

“I walk my dog at night.”

Good, that’s a start. But if it’s 105ºF in Las Vegas at nine in the evening, you and the dog are still being bombarded by radiant energy. Your eyes say it’s dark, but the heat says the world is glowing with radiant thermal energy. If it’s hot, it’s hot.

Callout

Just because he goes nuts when he sees a tennis ball doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to throw it for half an hour when it’s 95ºF outside.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ANIMAL WELLNESS MAGAZINE, ©2009.
www.AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

Artist Aimee Hoover came to us with the dream of painting a portrait for her favorite TV Personality Bonnie Hunt. We had to pull some major strings with our contacts at the show but we finally did get the producer to go along with the idea. We love to make our clients dreams come true…

[via Aimeehover.com]

I was completely honored and thrilled when the wonderfully talented and hilarious Bonnie Hunt of the Bonnie Hunt Show (Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile, Cheaper By The Dozen) presented her new (large!) portrait of Charlie, her pit bull mix, on national television.

And a week later I had the chance to thank her in person during a live taping of the show in Culver City, CA. For those of you who are wondering, yes–she is as warm and funny as she seems on TV. I highly suggest checking out her new talk show, if you haven’t already and attending a live taping of the show if you live in the area. It was a blast.

Fox News

Check out this report! A year in the making but our president, Susan kept “hounding” reporter Louise Pennell until she finally agreed to do a sotry on the business behind the pet industry. And the story centered on All Alpha Dog PR clients! You’ll see super star Sailor from PetFlys, Badwlin & Bliss are in beds wearing their Chillybuddy vests, that’s our freind Kika on the Urbanbone bed, she’s holding a bag of Kruncheros form our client Great Life Performance food, the best food around, and on and on.

This is one of our favority stores located in Santa Monica. So naturally, when the opportunity arose to film a segment for Fox News, we called on them and they were thrilled to help out! Check out owner Andrew. He’s a movie star! We got a bunch of our Alpha Dog PR Clients mentioned in the report. Yahoo!

Getting a client in an Associated Press article is like hitting the lottery! This is sent to hundreds if not thousands of publications and goes over the internet. Sometimes, these stories get picked up by the major tv shows too! Here, we got our Trendhunter Jeremy in an article about the top trends in 2009…check it out!

AP) – What will be the top trends of 2009? Here’s what professional trendspotters forecast:

THE TREND: The “Cuspers”

Marian Salzman, trend spotter, chief marketing officer for Porter Novelli Worldwide

The “Cuspers” are Boomers born between 1955 and 1964, said Salzman.

She predicts the Cuspers, sometimes called Generation Jones, will continue to rise to power. She ticks off a list that includes president-elect Barack Obama, Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations nominee, and Caroline Kennedy, who could be tapped to run for Sen. Hillary Clinton’s vacant seat.

Unlike older Boomers, Cuspers are more egalitarian, more tolerant and more anxious to make a big difference, she said. Look for more Cuspers in leadership roles, said Salzman. And look for their “let’s get on and do it” message to resonate with the masses, she said.

THE TREND: Detoxing

Anna D’Agrosa and Paige Newman of the Zandl Group

Newman and D’Agrosa see aversion to “toxic spending” _ living above one’s means and buying things they don’t really need or want.

“Lately, several people have even mentioned that the recession almost seems like a blessing because they are now forced to readjust their values and make different choices, says Newman.

Even those who are OK financially are choosing to cut back, place more value on substantive things and focus on personal relationships that are not based on buying.

THE TREND: Credit crunch couture/DIY and upcycling

Jeremy Gutsche, Chief Trend Hunter, TrendHunter.com; Rita Nakouzi, director, Promostyl, North America

Inexpensive designs are getting a lot more attention, says Gutsche.

Designers such as Vivienne Westwood, who made a splash in her spring/summer 2009 collection by emphasizing fashion statements that work on a limited budget, including necklaces made out of safety pins and shawls from tablecloths, are going in that direction, he says.

The credit crunch is also adding fuel to more folks doing it themselves, DIY, says Gutsche. A troubled job market and the need for extra cash will motivate hobbyists to transition their love for their craft into a cottage industry.

That dovetails with “upcycling,” reusing an item so that it doesn’t become waste. The term comes from “Cradle to Cradle” authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

“There would be no waste if we upcycle everything that we’ve used,” Nakouzi says.

Last year, Etsy, a site where people buy and sell handmade things, challenged users to create an upcycled object to sell on the site, she said.

Nakouzi said to look for things like a chair cushion made out of old neckties, and more restaurants and hotels using reclaimed materials.

THE TREND: Distraction as entertainment

Ann Mack, Director of Trendspotting at JWT

Content creators are layering a multitude of media into entertainment for simultaneous consumption and engagement, Mack said.

For example, “LittleBigPlanet” users are gamers, social networkers and content creators, “The Hills” ‘Backchannel’ social networking site is where fans can gather to talk about the show as its happening on TV, and author Stephenie Meyer has a playlist that readers can listen to while they’re reading the Twilight series, she said.

“People are almost in an entertainment bubble of sorts,” said Mack.

THE TREND: Mobilize me

Jane Buckingham, president of The Intelligence Group

The year 2008 was all about computer saturation, says Buckingham, with people Facebooking, uploading videos on YouTube and watching television on their laptops.

“But next year your media friend might start collecting dust when a mighty mini version takes hold,” says Buckingham. “With the iPhone, the Bold and the Google phone, we’re beginning to truly be able to take our shows on the road.”

 

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