I wanted to tell you to please let your readers know about heat stroke in animals. Yesterday I received a phone call from my 14 year old that one of our beloved dogs was dead. I raced home to see if I could figure out what had happened and was convinced that she was poisoned. We took her to the vet and they did a necropsy (sp) (autopsy on animals) and determined that it was heat stroke. She was healthy, had plenty of water, and was used to being outside. The temp outside was only about 85. The vet said she got over excited and couldn’t cool herself down. Here’s the bad part, if we had known something was wrong all we had to do was hose her down to cool her off. Please let your readers know about this silent killer due to the hot summer we are expected to have.
The vet also said that heat stroke can kill in less than 20 min.
FYI (information found here):
In case of an emergency, it’s important to be able to identify the symptoms of heat stress caused by exposure to extreme temperatures. Check the animal for signs of heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, restlessness, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, and unconsciousness.
If the animal shows symptoms of heatstroke, take steps to gradually lower her body temperature immediately. Follow these tips, and it could save her life:
* Move the animal into the shade or an air-conditioned area.
* Apply ice packs or cold towels to her head, neck, and chest or immerse her in cool (not cold) water.
* Let her drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes.
* Take her directly to a veterinarian.
And probably it goes without saying, but just in case: pleasepleaseplease don’t leave your pet in a closed-up vehicle, even if you just need to run inside a store for a minute. Cars heat up far faster than you’d expect, and you don’t want to come back to your car to find a suffering or (god forbid) dead animal.
* * *
Yesterday being Father’s Day,
I the cats ordered four of
these candy bars for Fred (four because to just order one would have been silly with the price of shipping)(in retrospect, perhaps a selection of “exotic” candy bars would have been better, rather than four of the same kind? What can I say, they’re cats. This sort of thing doesn’t occur to them.). Fred gave one a try and gave me a bite of it, and I have to say – it’s weird, and not (in my opinion) a good weird.
I think he had a good Father’s Day. He got to do stuff outside, he made a trip to Lowe’s, and we had roast, mashed potatoes, and
baked squash.
Me, aside from making dinner, doing dishes, paying bills, organizing my recipe box, vacuuming, and cleaning out litter boxes, I did a whole lot of nothing. A WHOLE lot of nothing. It was exhausting, so I took a nap in the afternoon and then went back to my nothing-doing. Except for the part where I got on my hands and knees and cleaned all the hardwood floors in the downstairs portion of the house, that is.
Sundays are made for doing nothing, I think, especially when it’s the middle of the month and you’ve only
read four books the entire month.
Shameful.
(Speaking of books, I read all of
Blaze yesterday, and I loved it. LOVED IT. It has no supernatural/ horror aspects to it at all, and it’s an homage to
Of Mice and Men (also very much worth reading if you haven’t already). I highly, highly recommend it.)
* * *
Back at the beginning of the month,
Jenn left a comment saying that she had a recipe for green tomato chili and to let her know if I wanted it. Since Fred loves the hell out of chili, I asked her for it, and on Saturday I made a batch. It was a big hit not only with Fred, but also with me. It was FABULOUS, and I highly recommend it – and considering we have approximately 10,000 green tomatoes, I’m sure we’ll be having it all summer long.
Recipe is
here.
* * *
I was in Hallmark last week, and I saw this magnet.
And I stared at it, and I read it, and I read it again, and I read it yet a third time. I don’t get it at ALL. Someone explain it to me?
* * *
Mister Suspicious:
Maryanne (Fred can’t remember her name, just calls her “Blue Eyes.”)
This reminds me of George from Seinfeld, coming out after taking a nap under his desk.
Always a laydee.
“YEOW! Now, that was SOME catnip!”
* * *
Previously
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
2004: All I heard on the other end was laughter.
2003: “Motherfucker. He never told
People how he was soooooo in love with me when WE were together!”
2002: A world where smiley faces and “fuckity fuck-fuck-fuck!”s will abound. I can hardly wait!
2001: Why, just this morning I was thinking to myself
Why is Ben Affleck stalking and following me dressed like a Frenchman?
2000: No entry.]]>