Just got back from the vets, and Rosie is clean as a whistle and we estimated her age to be four years old. She is now up to date on her shots, her frontline, and her heartworm, I got her her tags from the county, and we are good to go.
Also, a reader writes in:
I’m a long time reader of your blog. I enjoy the politics but just as much I enjoy your accounts of life with Lily, Rosie and Tunch. It occurred to me
that you could do a public service by reminding pet owners about the dangers
of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. I think that cats start to have problems
when the temperature is in the 90’s and so the last few days have been
brutal. A panting cat is a cat in serious distress and needs to be cooled
down immediately.I’m not a dog owner so I’m not sure what the best advice is
for them — but probably you know.
Anyway, just thought I’d mention it — most of us aren’t used to
temperatures this awful and neither are our pets.
Good advice!
Gus
Excellent advice! My cat loves to hang out in hot places. I didn’t know that temps in the 90s could be detrimental to his health.
ellaesther
For the dogs: Shade, air, and lots and lots of water — iced, if you have the cubes. The occasional spritz with the hose isn’t a bad idea either.
Or at least that’s what I grew up doing on hot days with the dogs and no airconditioning. We never lost one, so I’m guessing it wasn’t a bad program.
ellaesther
And since it’s an Open Thread, may I remind the people that today is Ringo Starr’s seventieth birthday? http://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/cake-and-candles-for-richard-starkey/
The crow. I’m saying it’s holy.
licensed to kill time
What a lucky day it was for you and Rosie both when you found her in the road. John Cole, the Pet Rescuer, kudos!
Mnemosyne
With our cats, when it gets to be hot we set the air conditioner to 80 or 85 degrees. That way, it kicks in if it gets too hot, but the cats really don’t need it to be 75 degrees to be comfortable.
Plus, of course, we keep plenty of fresh water available for them to drink.
Chat Noir
Yay! Glad to read about Lily’s good report card from the vet. In this weather, the Wheaten Terror wants to go outside only to do his business and then get right back into the A/C. Right now, he has his nose over one of the vents in the living room.
The cats, OTOH, like to hang out upstairs where it’s like 10 degrees warmer (with all the ceiling fans going, of course, but still).
It’s so hot here, even the squirrels are stopping by the bird bath (that sits on the top of the deck) for a drink of water.
Butch
We just lost the first kitty I ever owned, but she went quietly and at home, and not unexpectedly. There are still plenty of doggies and kitties in the household but it sure does leave a hole.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
Good news for Rosie! And very good advice for heat stroke/exhaustion. It has been a learning curve with Charlie on really hot days, and I can tell he is getting stressed on our daily walks when he stops at every shady spot. And when he starts digging into the sand to cool his belly, that’s when I just carry him the rest of the way. Have shortened our distance now to not let this happen. When we go to the forest, I take iced water for both of us to drink. When he is indoors, he has claimed the spot in front of the fans, and seems to do okay with that, me not having air conditioning.
trollhattan
@ John Cole
Good news all around re. Rosie. I probably just missed it but is she really preggers or just “big boned”? Have she and Lily settled on who gets which thigh whilst watching teevee perched on Master?
Chat Noir
@Butch: I’m sorry for your loss.
Punchy
So now’s about the time for the real owners to suddenly show up and want her back….
DrDave
@ellaesther:”lots of water—iced, if you have the cubes.”
Cool water is better than ice water. Ice water fools a dog’s ability to thermoregulate. They don’t have sweat glands, they regulate their body temp. by opening and closing capillary beds. Iced water may cause the dog’s body to think that it is cold and then close it’s skin capillary beds, leading to a greater likelihood of hyperthermia.
The same goes if you have to deal with a hyperthemic crisis. Apply cool, not ice cold, towels to the neck, the arm pits, the groin and the feet. As long as the towel is wet with water substantially cooler than the dog (70 degrees is adequate), they will get the job done.
Dr. Dave
Butch
@Chat Noir: Slicky was a big, grouchy, and still really affectionate kitty. She actually got sick for the first time 2 years ago but the kitty that wouldn’t quit somehow managed to bounce back again and again. People thought I named her for Grace Slick; it was actually a nickname “assigned” to me by the guy at a local coffee shop. Thanks, Chat Noir.
Chat Noir
Did anyone happen to catch Martha Stewart’s show on Monday? All about cats. I don’t watch her but my mutha-in-law let me know about this particular episode.
60th Street
Looks like MSNBC has banned Kos after Joe Scarborough ran and told Phil Griffin that Markos was mean to him on the Twitter.
Why I am blacklisted by MSNBC
Methinks Moaning Joe’s gonna pay for that one!
wmsheppa
Most cats are actually ok up until about their skin temperature hits 126 degrees, and are ok up to 133 or so if they’re well hydrated, so unless you have no AC and leave your shades up but windows closed in 100+ degree weather, or leave them in your car, you’re probably ok.
My cat actually starts growing her winter coat when it gets below 80 or so… then again, she lived feral in the Nevada desert for a while.
dmsilev
If you take your pooch for a walk or a run in this sort of heat, bring water. I’m visiting my parents for a few days, and this morning we took their dog to the park for some playtime. Half a dozen or so other dogs, and we were the only ones who had brought any water with. A liter may have been plenty for one mid-sized dog (Bobby’s a slightly petite standard poodle), but split several ways, it didn’t last very long.
dms
General Egali Tarian Stuck
@DrDave: Makes sense. nomo iced water then. just cool.
Sentient Puddle
@ellaesther: Given the day, I must link this song. Because (a) yes, and (b) that’s quite a bit more difficult than it looks, and anyone who says he ain’t a good drummer needs to try that.
Linkmeister
There’s a lot of good advice about handling the heat in this post and the comments. The post is written by an EMT, and in the comments you find lots of shared experiences in coping, for both animals and humans.
MikeJ
For a proper dog day afternoon, walk back and forth in front of your house chanting, “Attica! Attica!”
ellaesther
@Sentient Puddle: Elsewhere on the internets I have people explaining to me what a terrible musician he is…. I’ve decided to keep my head low on that one!
Sentient Puddle
@ellaesther: Those people are morons and/or have never touched a drum set in their lives. Ask any serious drummer (say, Keith Moon if he were still alive), and they would express all kinds of admiration for Ringo.
geg6
Well, with dogs it’s panting a lot that signals some distress from heat, too.
Dogs should get lots and lots of cool water (ice causes them problems with body heat regulation…no sweat glands) and not too much exercise.
Our Henry is just too old for this stuff. He absolutely refused to step outside this morning. We have the A/C going heavily in the bedroom (we set the heat/ac by zones) and he has hunkered himself under the bed, chillin’.
Otis, OTOH, acts as if it’s just like every other day and 100F is no biggie. He has, however, taken to not lying on the hardwood floors in the living and sun rooms, as he usually does. He has suddenly evinced a new found love for the tile floor in the side entryway.
Personally, I don’t blame him. Those tiles look nice and cool.
ellaesther
@DrDave: Well that makes all kinds of sense.
WereBear
I have some tips for keeping cats cool.
And did you know cats are actually solar heated?
@Butch: So sorry about Slicky. It sounds like you made her happy, and what more can we do?
Congrats on Rosie! It boggles the mind that someone is not looking for a four year old dog who has eaten too much… sounds like the kids dumped granny’s spoiled dog.
Thank Dog for John!
ellaesther
@Sentient Puddle: Wellllll… they’re very nice people, in fact, and I have no actual working knowledge of drumming so…. Yes. I disagree with them, but I duck, I dive, I dodge! One must be lithe if one wants to avoid pointless internet fights. Or, at least, avoid SOME of them.
Chat Noir
@MikeJ: I love that movie. Pacino in one of his best roles evah.
trollhattan
Since is open thread, I share Ed’s discovery that the NRA remains tirelessly working towards raising the level of the magical gun’s status in the eyes of the law.
http://instaputz.blogspot.com/2010/07/good-news-potential-suicides.html
jeffreyw
Mmm…Mrs J has a few tips for keeping cool, too.
Butch
On a more cheerful note, for those suffering through the heat, here in Pine (Colorado) we’re hoping to warm up to 45 degrees today. Seriously.
Paul L.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Dons the Hijab…
Gus
@Chat Noir: It’s the only John Cazale movie I haven’t yet seen. I’ll put it in my neflix queue.
trollhattan
@Paul L.:
This affects the Duke lacrosse team, how?
Mnemosyne
@ellaesther:
@Sentient Puddle:
I can’t help wondering sometimes if the “terrible musician” thing comes from the fact that he’s not much of a songwriter, especially compared to the other three. Either that, or people took Starr’s self-deprecating comments a little too seriously, especially since the other Beatles seemed to think he was brilliant.
CarolDuhart
@Butch:
Please don’t torment us anymore. 45degrees in July? My computer is right now reading 92, with a high of 98 later this afternoon. I’m home because I started wheezing this morning due to the heat. My work is airconditioned, but getting there and back in the heat is a chore, so much a chore that tomorrow I’m working an earlier shift so that I can miss the worst of the heat.
As for anyone else, have you done similar drastic things in order to keep cool?
Great tips on keeping cats cool. I keep the AC on for Kirby, but I will now add some icecubes to his water. (He’s a pretty big cat-and a fat one too, 15 pounds, and he can jump onto the bathroom sink in one mighty bound)
WereBear
@Mnemosyne: Remember that SNL skit? Something like, “Pete Best, Today,” which was about the Beatles first drummer, and how he went on with his life…
Mnemosyne
@Paul L.:
Why do I have a feeling that Paul’s one of those people who thought that Jill Carroll should have allowed herself to be murdered rather than pretend to convert to Islam so her captors would be forced to let her go?
It’s always better when it’s someone else’s life at stake, isn’t it, Paul? I guess that explains why you’re not in Iraq supporting the Bestest War Ever right now.
Comrade Kevin
@Paul L.: My, what nice people you choose to associate yourself with.
Sentient Puddle
@Mnemosyne: WTF, Octopus’s Garden…
ETA: OK, maybe he wasn’t as prolific as the other Beatles. But I still say he could write.
Chat Noir
@Gus: Cazale is amazing. HBO had a documentary on him last month which said he only made five movies (I never saw “The Conversation” but I’ve seen the other four). I knew he died young but I didn’t know he only made five movies.
geg6
@Gus:
OMG, you haven’t seen “Dog Day Afternoon”????
Best Pacino film evah. Evah. And Cazale, as always, is perfect.
geg6
@Mnemosyne:
He is brilliant. My drumming friends all worship him.
Butch
@CarolDuhart: We’re at 8,600 feet; Monday was what you’d call a Chamber of Commerce Day, Tuesday was OK. Today it’s grey and foggy with thunderstorms rolling through and we’re just edging up on 50 degrees.
Mnemosyne
@WereBear:
I’ve seen both Keaton and Charlotte pant in non-weather-related situations, but I’m not sure how much to worry about it. Keaton will sometimes pant when we put him in his carrier and drive him to get his nails cut, but that seems to be because he’s stressed and freaking himself out. Charlotte will sometimes pant if we let her get too worked up over The Bestest Toy Evah! (ie the laser pointer) but we’ve figured out that once her nose goes from pale pink to hot pink, it’s time to stop for a rest.
Chat Noir
@geg6: My favorite line in the movie is where Cazale mentions “Wyoming.” I won’t give away the context since Gus hasn’t seen it but I remember LOLing so hard the first time I watched “Dog Day Afternoon.” Classic.
RedKitten
If you have a basement, this is also a good time to let the dogs or cats sleep down there — the cement tends to stay nice and cool. My MIL’s Airedales always used to make a beeline for the basement in hot weather.
PurpleGirl
@Linkmeister: You beat to linking to Making Light.
WereBear
@Mnemosyne: Panting from stress is not that big a deal, but panting from exertion can mean a heart problem, possibly. You might mention it to the vet next checkup, so they can give a special listen.
Since her nose is not turning blue, but a hotter pink, it probably means she is working herself up, just like Keaton.
stuckinred
@geg6: Have you seen the HBO Doc, I Know It Was You, about Cazale? Excellent.
Chat Noir
@stuckinred: I watched it on the DVR last week. I like HBO documentaries and their original programming.
trollhattan
@Chat Noir:
“The Conversation” should be on everybody’s must-see list. Just sayin’.
stuckinred
@Chat Noir: Yea, I had no idea about him and Streep.
asiangrrlMN
@Butch: Sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family. And, I’m jealous of your temperature.
Cole, glad Rosie is the picture of health. YAY! Happy animal family.
@RedKitten: How’s SamKitten doing? Yeah, my cats make a beeline for the basement when it gets hot.
Linda Featheringill
Panting cats:
I only had one cat, Agnes, that panted in hot weather [she is long gone now].
I found that a rub down with a wet wash cloth would irritate her but then she would feel much better. And then she might be interested in a drink.
After I did this a couple of times, she would come to me when she was panting and stare at me, panting all the while. Because I am easily trained, I would jump up and get a wet washcloth.
Agnes was a stray cat that came to live with us. She lived to the ripe old age of about 17-18.
Gus
@trollhattan: For sure. Underrated film or under-known film maybe, since critics have always given it a pretty high rating.
teejay
I may have missed the official announcement, but it sure sounds to me like Rosey is a “keeper”, no?
phoebes-in-santa fe
@Butch: Butch, sorry to hear about your cat. I’m sure she had a very good life with you and the other animals and that you enriched EACH others’ lives. Wait a few weeks and maybe adopt a new guy.
I lost my 14 year old black cat Emily two months ago when she was being operated on to remove an infected tooth. It was very much a shock – she’d been in superb shape – and both her sisters and I miss her greatly. I adopted a male black/white piebald year old from the local Humane Society last month, who’s blended in beautifully with the two “big girls”. Not as a “replacement” for Emily – she could never be “replaced” – but as an individual in his own right.
So mourn for a while, then move on…
kommrade reproductive vigor
I was late this morning because I spent 15 minutes running around outside looking for the damn deaf cat. He appears to like the heat (provided he has some shade) but it’s just too hot to risk leaving him out all day.
Of course he was indoors, fast asleep.
Butch
@phoebes-in-santa fe: Thanks to everyone for the good words. We’re softies; the household still includes Cozumel, Tom-Tom, Mooch, Spooky, Moorea (a cat we brought back from Tahiti, pronounced Moe-RAY-uh and a pretty name until you know the translation, which is “yellow lizard”), and Lugnut (found at a tire store) – all stray cats we’ve taken in – and Barley, Butkus, Pancho, and Beauregard (yellow labs and goldens).
Pennsylvanian
@DrDave: And how do you cool down a cat? I wouldn’t even know where to start. I leave my window A/C on 75 in this weather so she can get cool on the first floor and it keeps the humidity under control, and she spends quite a bit of time in the basement as well.
If she were panting, I wouldn’t know where to begin. Advice? Same as for a dog?
res ipsa loquitur
Had an adventure (as in a trip to the vet ER) with a panting cat two weeks ago. Scary. So these past few days, what with temperatures in the northeast into the high ’90s and low 100s, said cat is stashed away in a lovely room with shades drawn, the a/c humming, a big bowl of water, some crunchies, a few squeezy toys, and her litter box. She doesn’t like being confined to one room, but she’d like keeling over from the heat less (as would her humans).
licensed to kill time
@Pennsylvanian: See the link in @WereBear: ‘s comment #26
liberty60
Taking a quick break during a workday, but can anyone tell me if this is some sort of a Yes Man spoof, or is it for real?
Chicago columnist yells at little girls for giving away free lemonade because it represents liberalism.
Either way, it made my day.
geg6
@stuckinred:
Watched it. Meryl Streep’s face, when she talks about him, is heartbreaking. You can tell that he was the love of her life.
Just watched “The Deer Hunter” for the first time in eons after watching the Cazale doc. Most of the Western PA parts of the film were actually filmed here in W PA and, though most of the actors get it horribly wrong, Cazale seemed to channel a lot of people I knew back then. Cimino really got a lot of what life was like here (back when we still were very ethnic and still actually made steel) in those days.
Those parts are the only parts of that film that actually work for me.
trollhattan
@liberty60:
Jeez, I want to vote for delicious snark but after reading this, I’m not so sure.
http://www.suntimes.com/business/savage/2389052,CST-NWS-savage14.savagearticle
Is Michael Savage married?
Nethead Jay
@liberty60: Unfortunately, it’s for real. Chicago friend of mine says that sort of shit is par for the course with that columnist and has been for years.
Steeplejack
@Sentient Puddle:
Late to the thread, but I must weigh in on the Ringo issue:
When the Beatles remasters were released last September I found myself asking the people buying them at the Big Box Bookstore why they were buying which particular CDs and what their opinions were in general, etc. One middle-aged guy was a professional drummer who was there with his teenage daughter. I asked him specifically about Ringo, and he said Ringo was a great drummer, for three reasons:
1. He kept rock-solid time. In the later days, when they were stitching together songs from multiple snippets often recorded at very different times, they would find that Ringo was dead solid on the same beat.
2. He did an amazing job of developing as a drummer to meet the evolving needs of the band, from post-skiffle ba-dum-bum-bum to all the different modes the Beatles explored.
3. He did a great job of seamlessly collaborating in a group with two–probably three–of the biggest musical talents/egos of the era. When you think about it, it’s amazing they lasted together as long as they did.
Rock on, Ringo!–“the biggest fool that ever hit the big time.”
And we can’t forget his solo walkabout in A Hard Day’s Night.
DickSpudCouchPotatoDetective
Hmm. Been keeping cats in Phoenix since 1953, and I have never seen a cat in trouble from the heat. I have seen many dogs in trouble, and some die, but never a cat.
All of the cats I have been around all these years have basically loved the heat. They love to get outside, find a shady place under a thick shrub, and sleep. Many cats will just go outside and spend the day, coming in only to get a bite of food now and then, seeming to relish the heat and taking long naps. They will cry to get outside and recline, usually upside down, in 110 F weather, for hours at a time.
Had a litter of cats outside in the July heat a few years ago, and could not get any of them to come into the house all summer. Loved the heat. Loved the thunderstorms too. The mother of that litter is still spending most of her July days outdoors and snoozing in the ovenlike temperatures as we speak, comes in only for food and water. Would probably take the food and water outside if it were offered, but these are used to lure the cat into the house and not offered outdoors.