Can anyone tell me if its true that two Staffs collapsed at Wales on Saturday.
I heard they both collapsed by the side of the ring from heat exhustion and one died.
I heard this at an open show on Sunday from two fellow exhibitors who were at the show and the judge who was judging my breed.

If it is true I feel really sorry for the owners, Saturday was a hot day but you never imagine a dog sitting with you is going to collapse and die. You hear of dogs dying in cars but not by the side of the ring.

It is apparently true although I also found it hard to believe. The rings were undercover (shaded) and I didn't find it exceptionally hot. My Malamute coped extremely well with the weather. If I had found it that hot I would have gone home. Do Staffies often suffer with the heat?
Two others were also left in a car to die :(

The staffie rings weren't under cover & it was very very hot there.

i have to reply to this as i was sat at the ringside no more than two dog lengths away from the dog that died.

it is true that one dog died. i had a small amount of water and an ice pack available to me which i gave up immediately on realising that the dog needed them. there was a young girl in the ring at the time also showing her dog who took the water and icepack and tried to help cool the dog down. the owner then decided to walk the dog out of the ring. less than a minute later i heard that the dog had died...

there were one or two other dogs also feeling the effects of the heat but not to the extent that the one dog did. One in particular did seem to be a bit worse for wear but was having an icepack applied to him constantly by the person in the ring with him. this dog stayed to the end of the class and was then walked out. he was then seen by the vet. up until i left the show, some 2 hours later, i had not heard of any other dog dieing. i have not heard any more about this second dog and assume that he is now OK.

hopefully it is just the facts getting muddled about 2 dogs dieing. (as stated in another thread)

The staffy rings were *NOT* under cover as is usual. Some more than others do tend to suffer a little from the heat. But with a bit of forethought, it can be overcome or avoided completely.

personally i always have a small coolbox full of various icepacks and 2 towelling doggy coats soaked in water and frozen ready to throw over my dog if need be. plus bottles of cold water ready for him to drink or soak him with as needed. unfortunately all of this was on the bench on saturday and if i had gone to get it it would have been too late anyway.

As for the two dogs that died, i find it impossible to beleive that anyone who shows dogs would be so stupid as to leave their dogs locked in a car to such an extent that they become distressed. there were several announcements made regarding dogs being left in cars and can only assume that it related to these two. i also beleive that the announcements should go along the lines of "would the owner of such & such a car, registration number blah blah please come to the secratarys tent as the RSPCA/commitee/someotherresponsibleperson has broken into your car to release your dogs" they should then be reported to the rspca, the kennel club, and banned from showing at that societys shows ever again. just my 2p`s worth on that matter

Z

I understood that the dog that died collapsed after leaving the ring and was immediately placed into a water tank/bath by the owner, where it unsurprisingly died from a heart attack from the shock.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

That is a very valid point. I have often heard that dogs should be immersed in cold water for heat stroke, but have also heard the warnings of not allowing hot dogs to jump in a cold pond or river, as this could cause a heart attack.

Which is correct advise for this situation. I have heard that applying Ice to the groin and neck, or in an emergency giving an Cold water enema are most effective??????

I have a lab who has been treated for heat stroke after 2 champ shows, not very hot days, but the heat does not agree with him.
The advice from my vet is loads of liquids but this must be warm water and gradually as the dogs temp comes down the water gets cooler. It is the same with the water you pour on the dog warm getting cooler.
If it is now a warm day I stop every hour at the services and wet the dogs down and give plenty of water. My lab who hates the heat is not shown in the summer either anymore.

When a body is in a state of hypothermia (intense cold) or heatstroke the treatment should be slow and gradual. Hypothermia is treated firstly by tepid water, heatstroke should be warm water just below the temperature of the body which can gradually get cooler.

If it had been me I would have borrowed a wet towel (I understand people were offering them), wrapped the dog in that and dashed him to the vets tent - well at least I hope that is what I would have done but possibly in actual fact I might have panicked and not done the correct thing! A cold enema might be a good thing but not something I would attempt when there was a vet in the showground. Ice in the groin or neck sounds ok because you are not drastically cooling the whole body, in the same way as humans will put something cool on their forehead or on the inside of their wrists.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

how terrible,do you know the dog?

No, just heard the story from someone else.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

I was at Leeds this year which was very hot and there were a huge number of people in my breed walking into the ring with their dogs covered in a soaking wet towel or towel cloth dog coat. It is acceptable for you to take the towel/coat off the dog whilst stacking and moving and then replacing it whilst hanging around in the ring. It is quite acceptable for the judge to go over a wet dog. I was very surprised to see many other breeds who's owners didn't appear to be taking any precautions even though a stall was selling these dog coats. I realise it may not be ideal for a dog with a longish coat to wear a soaking wet towel, my breed is shortcoated, but surely the animals welfare must come first before any show. It's no wonder that dog showing has a bad name in some peoples eyes, some exhibitors do nothing to help it at all :-(

Claire, think I read somewhere that the KC had banded the use of cooling items in the ring. Anybody else read that? Ja:)kie

Yes, they've banned the use of ice packs in the ring as apparently it gives those dogs an "unfair advantage" - obviously the advantage they have is an owner who cared enough about their welfare to bother buying and bringing ice packs!!

Every day at WKC I saw dogs in the ring wearing towelling wraps soaked in cold water. I have started using them on my show dogs this year & have been totally amazed at how it keeps them cool . I will never be without them now. If anyone wants to know where to get them (the best ones in my opinion!) let me know.

That's what we were using Sam and they're great. Harris had his on all the way back to the car. I wasn't aware they were banned and the judge certainly didn't object. Having said that I would rather be disqualified by using them than have my dog suffer the heat and potentially die :-(

For anyone who's interested mine cost £16.50 and it fits a weimaraner.

Yes Sam tell us more please, sure that Leigh will allow details of such an important item. Ja:)kie

Hi Sam uo till now I havn`t had a problem with over heated dogs, but what I have done with sick dogs to bring a temp down is soak towels in cold water & put them over the dog. Is this the same or are these wraps different? I`d love more info cos could be v useful over here thanks.
Christine2

I bought mine at Leeds Champ show. Can't remember the name of the stall but I'll see if I still have the carrier bag at home with the details on. Maybe Sam will remember and post first :-) There's bound to be more than company that does them.

The material these coats are made of is towel material and they have velcro straps. They come in numerous colours and sizes. They are just the same as using a towel really except they stay on the dog a lot easier. :-) The same stall was also selling those heat reflecting coats, I presume they are just as good but I liked the idea of soaking the towel in cool water.

I use the heat reflective sheets on the car to keep it
cool for when we return from showing.
http:www.countrymun.com (or .co.uk)
Sell these and they are great coz the double up as
a groundsheet or in the winter you reverse them and put
them under the fleecy blankets & they keep the dogs warm
by reflecting their body heat back.
They do the reflective dog coats etc and are normally at
most champ shows or game shows.
I wouldn't be without my reflective sheets!
Kind Regards
Kirstine

www.countrymun.co.uk Not that I am biased in anyway atall you understand (No cheeky comments please Phillipa!!!!) Failing that, visit the stand at Richmond next week & tell whoever is there that Sam sent you....can't guarantee a discount but you sure as heck will get good service!!!!!

You sure your not on commission Sam !! :D

I've just ordered some reflecto tabard's through them..spoke with Maureen, who was very helpful...and I should have them down by Wednesday., even with the bank holiday !!

Thanks Sam, Good service eh! what did you do frighten them to death or set Holly on 'em. Ja:)kie

You obviously read my post about Holly's bad behaviour Jackie....it doesn't take much to put 2+2 together :o

Hi Sam, if i remember right countrymun was at the Seville dog show earlier this year. I bought one of those folding chairs with a drink holder in the arm reat & its really comfy! Didn`t see any of these dog towels or reflective heat things tho.
Christine2

Hi Christine can I ask where you got your chair form I could do with one also.

Are they quite sturdy as I am a little more that a size 10.. well quite a bit more..

Pam

Pam,
Asda have the fold up chairs at the moment for only £7.77. They're really good, light and fold into a bag.They've got arms but not the drinks holders. I use them for camping.They're comfy and can hold me!! and I'm definitely not a size 10!
Dot

Hi Pamela, countrymun had a stand at one of the shows & they are very sturdy!!It fold ups, well not fold up exactly & you put it back in its cover & sling it over your shoulder its great :) And light as well
Christine2

Thanks Christine boy am I thick tonight I saw you already said where you got it..LOL

Pam :-(

No, definitely NOT at Seville show!!!!!! However I love Seville, been there many times so maybe I could persuade him we need a holiday there next year! :)

Hi Sam well it was the Seville point but it wasn`t held there it was in a place called Alcala de Guadaira! Where they in Madrid or Granada? Yes Sevilles lovely have you been to see the horses? They are brilliant.
Christine2

No, only do English /Welsh shows....definitely not in Spain.
The horses are wonderful, I was parading at the big festival some years ago (1984!) when I worked for the Soto's at their beautiful stud on the Cost del Sol. I had a wonderful time working for Juaquin, with the horses, gundogs and bulls.

This is the reason I have designed the reflective dog coats with towelling inners and a pocket on either side to place an ice pack in. They are realy easy to make, and the prototype of my coat went to Bournemouth and Builth Wells, modeled by a French Bulldog - very favourable reports about its effectiveness came back. The dogs themselves dont get wet, and you can keep fresh ice packs in your chiller, to replace when the ones being worn lose their 'chill" I am about to make a batch of them for our pugs (who at 7 & 9 weeks certainly wont be needing them till next year!) but I want to get them done while the idea is fresh in my mind. I am not yet sure about the KC situation and using them in the ring - I know Bert Easdon was challenging the ruling, and had threatened legal action is any of his Peke suffered heat problems if he is not allowed to sit them on his chill packs, I guess the dog press will keep us updated on the situation. Has anyone else heard anymore about this?
Gwen