|
MARTHA’S QUEST FOR EVEREST
Contributed by Dr. Deanna Clark DVM
| "Seriously, Martha, should we move camp?” I asked her again with more urgency, but she just peered at me with her big brown eyes. Earlier that day we had climbed to the top of the North Carolinian Bald. Tired, we had stopped just short of the peak to enjoy the sun and dry out our gear. In my state of exhaustion I failed to realize we were at the peak, and our stellar campsite was beneath the tallest tree. Surely it won’t thunderstorm again, not after three straight days! “Martha, do you think there will be lightening tonight?” I asked, but all she did was glance at the “warning, highly flammable”
tag in the tent, and then she pawed to get out. |
|
Dr. Clark of the Lake Mills Veterinary Clinic is show
below
with her dogs, Milton, Sadie and Martha.
|
|
Well,
maybe the dogs couldn’t tell me to move camp, but I was comforted by
their presence later that night as we huddled together waiting out the
massive thunderstorm!
Dogs have always been my favorite companions to share nature with. Their un-ending enthusiasm adds enjoyment and eases the pain that my shoulders and hips feel beneath my pack! So how do you prepare a dog to climb a mountain with you? And how do you get them to carry their share of the load? It takes preparation and lots of ground work. When properly conditioned a dog can carry 20% of their body weight in a backpack! However, they need the same conscientious conditioning we give ourselves. Easing into free-runs with long walks builds up strength in muscles and ligaments thereby reducing the risk of injury. If your dog is sitting at home during the week while you’re exercising elsewhere, they won’t be in proper condition to be a “weekend warrior.” Most dogs don’t hold back, they push themselves to the brink and often beyond exhaustion. After all, they were bred to work for us, and most hunting or working breeds are designed mentally to work for hours on end (even if that work is now fetching, running or playing.) If we allow them to become overweight they have the compounded effect of weight on their joints adding even more likelihood of injury. In addition, fat is a great insulator and makes a dog more likely to overheat.
Heat exhaustion is a life threatening condition. Often times the side effects of over-heating are irreversible and even if you can get them to a veterinarian on time they could die. Prevention is clearly the key so take care on hot days. Since dogs release heat by panting the heat index becomes the most important factor. Humid days are the worst for dogs to contend with and are probably best avoided completely. But your dog needn’t be excluded all summer! Exercise out of the sun in early morning or late evening if possible. Always bring plenty of water for your dog, remember that they are expending much more water by panting to keep cool than usual. Also, swimming is a great activity and helps keep them cool as well. Early signs of heat exhaustion are a bright red engorged tongue, and a later sign is staggering. If this happens get your dog to a shaded area quickly where they can be doused with cool water, don’t use ice. You can even consider clipping a very heavily coated dog to keep them cooler, although it may take a long time for the fur to grow back, but it can provide heat relief throughout summer.
This summer on a hike in the Porcupine Mountains I slept beneath the stars. While contemplating life, the galaxies and watching my three companions slumber deeply, I heard a noise. It was a bear snorting and circling the campsite from a distance. The hair stood up on the back of my neck, but the bear left the area without a conflict. The dogs slept peacefully through the experience, or were they listening with their eyes closed? I surely hoped so or at least that’s what I believed in order to fall asleep. There are many fun summertime activities that dogs can safely enjoy, but remember we still have to be the ones watching out.
|
