Clevengers Corner Veterinary Care

Q: This morning while I was walking my two dogs Buddy and Benny, I spotted a strange creature on the road. I've never seen anything like it. It was moving across the road at a slow pace and its whole body was almost like fluid in motion. On closer inspection, though, it had tiny tentacle like protrusions wiggling all over its body. Its whole body was about two feet long. Sometimes its head would multiply and branch out. It was simply amazing. I've never seen anything like it. I ran back to the house and got my camera. Can you find out what this creature is? A: This might be the most interesting question I have received in the four years I have been writing this column. A “creature” like this has never come to see me in my veterinary practice, so I enlisted the identification skills of Eric Day at Virginia Tech’s Department of Entomology. He informed me that the “creature” is actually a mass migration of darkwinged fungus gnat larvae. After hatching from tiny eggs, the larvae feed on decaying organic matter and fungus. When they run out of food or need to find a suitable place to pupate, these larvae may band together for the journey. The travelling maggot party is around a half an inch thick and up to a yard long. While harmless, the wiggling ribbon is certainly a sight to see. It also leads us to our next question… Q: Why would a band of darkwinged fungus gnat larvae cross the road? A: To get to the other side. Sorry… I couldn’t resist.

Q: With all these hot summer days, I’ve been wondering, what does heat stroke look like in pets?

A: Every summer, hundreds of dogs find their way to the family veterinarian after spending just a few hours in the hot sun. It’s important to remember dogs don’t sweat like we do. Cooling themselves by panting, dogs use the moisture evaporating off their tongue as a means to lower their body’s temperature. Anything overwhelming this natural cooling system leads to heat stroke. Normally, a dog’s temperature ranges from 100 to 102.5 degrees. In cases of heat stroke, temperatures over 106 degrees are considered to be an emergency situation – temperatures over 110 degrees can be fatal in a matter of minutes. This level of hyperthermia (higher than normal body temperature) can affect every major body system and it’s imperative you get your pet to a veterinarian as soon as you safely can.Dogs who succumb to heat stroke often show the following symptoms:
• Vigorous panting
• Inability to stand, or weakness while standing
• Thick, ropy saliva, literally foaming at the mouth
• Bright red mucous membranes, although some dogs may show pale or even muddy gums.Heat stroke can affect any dog, although dogs with short faces, such as Boston, Pugs, and Bulldogs may be at higher risk due their inability to effectively pant and cool themselves. Many people believe that their pet will be fine outdoors. However, inadequate shade and/or water can affect even the most seasoned outdoor dog. Interestingly, heat stroke in cats is very rare. Most animal experts believe that cats are extremely good at finding the coolest spots to lay and also avoid the excessive, excitatory exertions that many dogs seem to thrive on.If you find your dog vigorously panting on a warm summer day, immediately move the pet out of the environment and into a cooler place. Getting the pet into a shady area with a fan running on him can be very helpful. Using cool, not cold, tap water or rubbing alcohol on the extremities and trunk can also help to effectively lower the body temperature. Do not use ice or extremely cold water. Although it seems logical, extreme cold will cause surface blood vessels to contract, forming an insulating area that traps heat in the body, delaying the cooling of the vital organs. Attempting to force your pet to drink is also not advisable. If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke, immediately load your pet carefully into a car and go to the veterinarian.

	Office Hours: 7:00am – 7:00pm Monday through Thursday 7:00am – 5:30pm Friday 8:30am – 12:00pm Saturday Doctor’s Hours: by appointment please	Online store
		Resource List
		Contact Us