ahallada
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Dec 2006
Location: California
Posts: 1867 |
Hot Weather Tips from the Doc
I figured it was a good time to get some info out there on how to keep those dogs cool in this extreme heat. I've been getting many questions on how to deal with this issue and it comes up every summer so I thought I'd share some current information on this subject. As things change I will update this post. Please feel free to add your own suggestions below. I like hearing your success stories on how you had a problem with a dog treeing in hot weather and is now kicking butt in the hunts with no issues. Together we can keep these dogs healthy and protect them from over heating and death. We can also improve performance and win more hunts.
As far as feeding dogs in the heat, we've covered this before in great detail and we are finding new things all the time. The key is feeding dogs at the right time and the highest quality, highest digestible foods at these correct times. Feeding dogs right after hunting at night is going to be the best time to feed performance dogs. Their digestive system is the most efficient during these times, within 30-60 minutes of hunting.
Ideally you want the food out of the upper digestive tract by the time you hunt them the next night, so I recommend only feeding once after hunting unless you have a dog that needs to gain weight. Hard keepers should be fed again in the morning and can be fed free choice up until about 4-6 hours prior to hunt time. You also want little stool in the colon that can lead to hind gut fermentation and heat build up. High carb / high fiber diets usually lead to more stool output and more water leaving the body and moving into the colon and eventually out of the dog. You don't want this. You want a small firm stool that doesn't remove moisture from the body. In fact you want foods that will add water/hydration to the body.
Grain free diets can be more digestible than grain fed diets as a rule, but not always. People who switch to grain free diets, many times see a difference in their dogs ability to tolerate hunting in hot weather better and treeing better. I believe this has more to do with the digestibility of the diet than the actual grains in the diet. Feeding whole foods like liver, hamburger, chicken, beef scraps, turkey, are good examples of no grain foods and add energy and high quality proteins to the diet during times of stress. These can all be added to the diets of dogs that are being pushed hard. Sled dogs are fed a combination of commercial diets and soupy beef stock meats. This also leads to the next subject.
That is the third key, add water to foods to increase hydration across the small intestines. When water is added with foods, it increases water absorption across the small intestine significantly. Canned foods that are meat based can really help when on the road and pushing dogs in competition. Canned foods are more palatable, and contain about 75% water which helps restore hydration in dogs that don't handle travel and stress very well. Look for canned foods that are meat based in the first 2 or 3 ingredients and are low carb. You can feed these canned foods by themselves or mix them to dry diets to improve the taste and increase water intake and food intake.
Adding probiotics can definitely improve intestinal health and may improve digestion in dogs during stress. There are only two products in the veterinary field that have been proven to contain beneficial bacteria, and they are Purina Forti Flora and Proviable DC. I have seen some amazing benefits from using Forti Flora in patients with stress related illness. I've also heard of good things from people who have seen performance benefits during hot weather. One packet on the the dogs diet daily is sufficient to provide high quality probiotics to dogs on a daily basis.
Sports enhancing formulas for dogs are controversial and expensive, but may add some benefits during times of stress and hot weather. Most of these formulas contain a combination of high quality proteins or amino acids, high quality fats/ MCTs, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, colostrum, joint protectants and things that really have no research to back their claims in veterinary medicine. Some of the names are Super Fuel, MVP, Bully Max. These supplements may help a dog that is being fed an inferior diet that lacks amino acid or fat support for example. It's cheaper to just get a better quality diet or add in some cheap hamburger that will add both good quality protein and fat. You can also add in your own MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) by adding a tablespoon of coconut oil, palm oil , or olive oil or a combination to the diet. Start with adding small amounts of these oils and increasing as needed over a few weeks. I think the biggest benefit seen with these formulas are the MCTs , Omega 3s, and probiotics. There are cheaper ways of adding these to a diet.
Adding glycerol based additives to diets or drinking water when pushed hard in hot weather may improve hydration in dogs. I"m still a little skeptical of this practice, until more research can confirm the safety of these products. I don't think that adding these products like Bounce Back once or twice a week while at hunts is going to affect a dogs kidney health as long as their water intake is sufficient and they are offered water along with these products on the side. I do know that some people swear by these products and have seen dramatic improvements in dogs that get hot treeing.
Lastly is making sure the dog is in good health and is in good condition. Taking a dog that is 10-20% overweight hunting on a night when temps are above 80F is a recipe for disaster and inhumane. Dogs that have lower body fat and who's muscles /heart, lungs are conditioned for extreme physical demand and output are going to handle the heat better. This should be a no brainer, but many don't get it. That is why you keep 5-7 year old dogs tuned for the hunts. They may be mentally prepared, but if they aren't hunted, they aren't physically prepared.
I've seen my share of dogs that suffered from heat stroke. It doesn't take long for the body temps to reach dangerous levels and start to cause tissue death in the brain and major organs leading to shock and death quickly. It's a good idea to keep a digital thermometer in your pocket and take the dogs temp after they are pulled from the tree if you suspect them to be overheated. If they are getting near 105F, they are in desperate need of water and cooling.
When I hunted in hot humid weather in WI this time of year, I pre sprayed the dog's bodies down with water before hunting. I thought it made a big difference in preventing them from getting hot during the hunt. If you have a dog that is prone to overheating or is having problems with the heat, take their body temp prior to hunting and then during the hunt to see if they are experiencing overheating issues. It only takes 10-15 seconds to get a temperature on a dog. Find hunting spots that have clean water during these times of the year. You will tree more coon and keep dogs in an area where they can get fresh water if they need it.
Always keep cool fresh water for them in the truck and offer it to them between drops. The use of electrolyte drinks containing sugar products is controversial in dogs. Just make sure they have good quality water available to them.
Don't leave dogs in dog boxes during extreme hot days in the sun. I don't care how good of quality the manufacturer says the box is, most of these boxes are death traps to our dogs. Pop out those side vents and front vents on the boxes. Limit each side to only one dog when hauling long distances. Spray the dogs down with water before putting them in the box if they are being hauled long distances during hot days and let them out every few hours to drink and urinate. Try to schedule your travel at night when it's dark. These may seem like common sense things, but I've seen my share of hunters that lack that gene. I've seen guys shoving multiple dogs in one side of a dog box when it's 80F plus out and their tongues are sticking out before they even leave the house. I've seen very few dogs boxes that I would consider to be dog safe in regards to ventilation. Guys don't let your dogs be victims to over heating because of poor dog box design. Take a **** sawzall to that box if you have to and open those things up in the summer months. Throw a small bag of ice in each side of the box or freeze gallon jugs of water that are cut off half way up and tie these to the doors. Pack a cooler with plenty of ice and fresh water. Keep dogs in the shade at all times when parked.
Be Smart! Stay cool!
__________________
Dr. Allen Hallada (Doc Halladay)
Current:
PKC Ch. Gr.Nt.Ch. Cat Scratch Fever
(Gr.Nt.Ch. PKC Ch. Moonlight Aftershock x Gr.Nt.Ch. PKC Ch. Moonlight Outlaw Breanna)
2016 Finished to PKC Ch. in one week!
Dual Grand Champion CHKC Ch., PKC Gold Ch. All Grand Outlaw G-Man
(Gr.Nt.Ch.Glissens JJ Jr. x Gr.Nt.Ch. Outlaw Billy Jean)
4 Generations of All Grand Nite Champions!
Timber Jack 3X and Timber Chopper over 30X
2019 Southern National Redbone Days Champion
2016 National Grand Nite Champion Redbone
2016 CHKC Redbone Days Champion
2016 PKC Super Stakes Reserve Champion
2016 CHKC Elite Shootout Winner - Texas
CHKC All Time Money Winning Redbone
Bodacious
(Gr.Nt.Ch. Gr.Ch.PKC. Gold Ch.CHKC CH. Outlaw G-Man x Gr.Nt.Ch.Gr.Ch. CHKC Ch., PKC Gold Ch. Classy Cali)
Past:
Gr.Nt.Ch.Ch. Dawns Timber Jack
1988 American Redbone Days All Red Hunt Winner
1989 UKC World Champion Redbone
1989 Purina Outstanding Redbone Coonhound
#2 Historic Redbone Sire/ Top 20 All Breeds
American Redbone Coonhound Assoc. Hall of Fame
Gr.Nt.Ch. Bussrow Bottom Brandy II
1991 American Redbone Days Champion
1992 AKC World Champion Redbone
1992 ACHA World Champion Redbone
1992 Wisconsin State Champion
1994 US Redbone Days Opposite Sex
Produced 2 Nt. Ch. , 1 Gr.Nt.Ch. out of 2 litters and two Redbone Days Winners
Gr.Nt.Ch.Gr.Ch. PKC Gold Ch. Layton's Classy Cali
2012 UKC World Champion Redbone and 7th Place Overall
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 UKC World Champion Redbone Female
2015 PKC Blue Ribbon Pro Hunt Winner - Goodsprings, AL
2015 PKC Blue Ribbon Pro Series Race - 3rd Place Overall
2016 PKC Blue Ribbon Pro Hunt Winner - New Albany, MS
2016 PKC Texas State Race Winner
2016 PKC Redbone Breed Race Winner
PKC All Time Money Winning Redbone
PKC Ch. Gr.Nt.Ch. Coffman's Smokin Red Buck
2016 UKC World Hunt 5th Place and World Champion Redbone
2016 National Redbone Days Overall Winner
Gr.Nt.Ch. Reinhart's Central Page
(Gr.Nt.Ch. Timber Jack x Gr.Nt.Ch. Brandy II)
Gr.Nt.Ch. Too the Maxx
(Gr.Nt.Ch. Timber Jack x Gr.Nt.Ch. Jenkins Crying Katie)
1992 National Redbone Days Champion
Gr.Ch.Nt.Ch. Ambraw River Rock
(Gr.Nt.Ch. Timber Jack x Gr.Ch.Nt.Ch. Hersh's Huntin Red Kate)
1992 US Redbone Days Opposite Sex
Nt.Ch. Tree Bustin Annabelle
1986 American Redbone Days All Red Hunt Winner
Nt.Ch. Timber Mace
(Gr.Nt.Ch. Timber Jack X Nt.Ch. Tree Bustin Annabelle)
Mother of Gr.Nt.Ch. Babb's Hazel
Nt. Ch. Timber Shock
(Gr.Nt.Ch.Timber Jack x Gr.Nt.Ch. Outlaw Jessie)
Gr. Ch. Nt. Ch. Squaw Mountain Goldie
(Direct Daughter of Gr.Nt.Ch.Smokey Mountain Brandy)
1990 Autumn Oaks Best of Show Winner
1988 Indiana State Champion
Last edited by ahallada on 07-18-2016 at 04:49 AM
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