My Dogs Knew I Was in Trouble

Almost everyone who has a dog will have a story about the dog being by their side. I have a recent story about Grayson and Kaiah. 

A local rescue recently had a fun run to help an owner and a dog who had to have surgery. Even though it was later in the day, it was very hot and humid. I was helping out with the event by running around, and I was in and out of the heat the whole day.

After the race got started, I decided to go home because I was so hot. I believe I had heat exhaustion; my muscles were weak and quivering, I became lightheaded, my heart rate was 140 lying down, and I almost passed out.

When I got home, I took the dogs out and went back inside to lie in front of the fan to cool off. As I lay there, Kaiah and Grayson were all over me, but not like normal. Kaiah was lying with her head on my shoulder, just looking at me. Grayson, on the other hand, kept licking my face, no matter how much I told him no. This was very unusual for Grayson. 

I figured out that he was trying to cool me down. He lay next to me the whole time I was lying there. He refused to leave my side, even after my heart rate went down and Kaiah felt it was OK to leave.

I never thought that Grayson would have those instincts with me so soon; he has only been with me for a month and a half. I have had dogs lie by my side after I have had surgery, but they had been with me for a while. 

I think our dogs' instincts are better than a lot of us realize. They give us warnings about people, places and other animals. I have found that we do not all accept these warnings so well. We usually feel we know better than our dogs, but I am not so sure anymore.

While the weather is hot, it's important to recognize and respond to the symptoms of heat-related illness. The best defense against heat stroke and heat exhaustion is prevention. Here are some tips for preventing heat-related illness from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 

• Stay indoors, especially during the afternoon, and seek out places that are air-conditioned. If you can't get to an air-conditioned place, try taking a cool bath or shower.
• Drink more fluids than usual, and don't wait until you're thirsty. Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks.
• If you must be outside, wear loose-fitting clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and use suncreen with SPF 15 or higher. Take frequent rest breaks in the shade.
• Never leave a person or animal in a parked car, even for a few minutes. 

You can find more tips for staying cool in the summer on the CDC Web site. 

And don't forget to !