Holistic Dog Medicine

Holistic dog medicine has always intrigued me so I got a magazine dedicated to the topic. As I was reading this magazine about holistic dog medicine I came across an interesting article that dealt with dogs and taking them out shopping etc. What are the risks and inherent problems when taking a dog along with you while shopping? Because many states allow only Seeing Eye or assistance dogs to be brought into stores or malls, some people take their dogs along but leave them in the car. This can be deadly. A little heat outside the car can quickly make it very hot inside. On a summer's day of only 85 degrees, for example, even keeping the windows slightly open won't stop the inside temperature from climbing to 102 degrees in 10 minutes, to 120 degrees in 20 minutes. A dog whose body temperature rises to 107-108 degrees will within a very short time suffer irreparable brain damage or even death. For a dog overcome by heat exhaustion, immediately soak him or her down with water and take to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Animals kept indoors are usually smart enough to move out of the sunlight, but don't forget that fish and other animals in fish bowls or aquariums need your help in avoiding the sun. And while reptiles love sunshine, they still need a shady place to which they can escape. If you want to give your bird some fresh air, partly cover the bird's cage if you take it outside. Longhaired animals may appear to be suffering in the summer's heat, but don't give them a haircut so they'll be cooler. That long coat helps protect from heat and insects, and retains cooling water after a refreshing swim or wetting down with the water hose. Shorthaired, light-colored, or pink-skinned dogs and cats can get sunburned, so inspect for sunburn regularly. You can put sunblock on your cat's ears, but be aware that your cat may quickly rub it off.