Charlie P. (NY)
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2006
- Messages
- 13,022
- Reaction score
- 17,191
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
- #1
Thread Owner
This happened last weekend.
I have a Kerry Blue Terrier, Jake, who accompanies me on my walks on the back hill. Sunday at about 6:00PM in the evening I went for a quick hunt along a trail behind our house. The day had been sunny and we had been doing yard and garden work, but it wasn’t especially hot: 80º. It had been 10º warmer the day before when we had taken our kayaks to a local river. (Jake rides in mine – he has an Outward Hound life jacket even).
At one point in the trail it crosses a brushy section that Jake dislikes as the bush is at his eye level. He traverses the outside under the thorn-apple branches I hate. Works for both of us. On the back side he never appeared. After I called a bit he showed and we continued. I was using my F-75 with a DetectorPro Rattler headphone – single ear cup. I heard Jake gacking and went over to see what he’d gotten into. Didn’t bring up much but a bit of grass. I went back to detecting and a few minutes later it repeated – but this time he laid down on is belly and looked very ill or tired. Something was definitely wrong.
I got him up and checked his eyes, which were clear but unfocused, and immediately headed for home. He made it about 50 feet and then his legs went rubbery (I described it to the vet “like two drunks trying to keep each other upright”) and he fell onto his side again. This time his eyes were closed and the pupils were rolled up when I lifted the lids. He was totally unresponsive. After 15 seconds that seemed longer he came to, but did not move. He was breathing very shallow, not panting. I was afraid he’d eaten poison (we have lots of coyotes and you never know who might be setting poisoned bait). I carried him (38 lbs) the ¼ mile back to the house. Thank God for modern lightweight detectors. I got the phone and the home veterinary care handbook and tossed the book to my wife while I dialed the vet. Being Sunday at 7:00P by then . . . answering service. The vet is far enough, the covering vet was maybe an hour drive. At the rate Jake seemed to be failing I doubted he’d make it. He’s usually a coiled spring but was now unconscious again and limp. I said I’d call them back if we decided to bring him in.
As he wasn’t vomiting more, didn’t bring up much earlier and wasn’t salivating and his ears were burning up to the touch and beet red inside. I tried the heat stroke remedies. Wet towels on his torso and icepacks to either side of the head. It was like watching someone wake up in slow motion. In 15 minutes he was sitting on his belly. In 30 minutes he was wagging his tail and drinking some water. I called the service back and said we’d stabilized him enough that we would see our regular vet in the morning.
The next morning he was his ‘ol (3 years) self. The vet said we did very well. One complication was an ear infection that had probably lead to some dehydration from a slight fever (and we had been outside in the sun the day before and half that day without poor Jake getting sufficient water breaks – shame on us!) . If heat exhaustion goes too long it becomes heat stroke, which is bad news in a dog. They lack sweat glands to moderate their internal heat and brain swelling will lead to coma and death in minutes. The very hot ears were the early warning symptom. We pass two creeks on that trail – both dried up at present. Poor feller was probably trying to find water but couldn’t.
Moral – if I hadn’t heard him retch the first time I might have lost time backtracking or trying to find him. That caused me to keep an eye on him and notice the rest.. I heard him because I was wearing the Rattler and not my “Dome of Silence” Black Widows.
Product endorsement and a warning to keep an eye on your family in the heat. They may be stressing even if you aren’t.
PS – I only found a small copper washer.
I have a Kerry Blue Terrier, Jake, who accompanies me on my walks on the back hill. Sunday at about 6:00PM in the evening I went for a quick hunt along a trail behind our house. The day had been sunny and we had been doing yard and garden work, but it wasn’t especially hot: 80º. It had been 10º warmer the day before when we had taken our kayaks to a local river. (Jake rides in mine – he has an Outward Hound life jacket even).
At one point in the trail it crosses a brushy section that Jake dislikes as the bush is at his eye level. He traverses the outside under the thorn-apple branches I hate. Works for both of us. On the back side he never appeared. After I called a bit he showed and we continued. I was using my F-75 with a DetectorPro Rattler headphone – single ear cup. I heard Jake gacking and went over to see what he’d gotten into. Didn’t bring up much but a bit of grass. I went back to detecting and a few minutes later it repeated – but this time he laid down on is belly and looked very ill or tired. Something was definitely wrong.
I got him up and checked his eyes, which were clear but unfocused, and immediately headed for home. He made it about 50 feet and then his legs went rubbery (I described it to the vet “like two drunks trying to keep each other upright”) and he fell onto his side again. This time his eyes were closed and the pupils were rolled up when I lifted the lids. He was totally unresponsive. After 15 seconds that seemed longer he came to, but did not move. He was breathing very shallow, not panting. I was afraid he’d eaten poison (we have lots of coyotes and you never know who might be setting poisoned bait). I carried him (38 lbs) the ¼ mile back to the house. Thank God for modern lightweight detectors. I got the phone and the home veterinary care handbook and tossed the book to my wife while I dialed the vet. Being Sunday at 7:00P by then . . . answering service. The vet is far enough, the covering vet was maybe an hour drive. At the rate Jake seemed to be failing I doubted he’d make it. He’s usually a coiled spring but was now unconscious again and limp. I said I’d call them back if we decided to bring him in.
As he wasn’t vomiting more, didn’t bring up much earlier and wasn’t salivating and his ears were burning up to the touch and beet red inside. I tried the heat stroke remedies. Wet towels on his torso and icepacks to either side of the head. It was like watching someone wake up in slow motion. In 15 minutes he was sitting on his belly. In 30 minutes he was wagging his tail and drinking some water. I called the service back and said we’d stabilized him enough that we would see our regular vet in the morning.
The next morning he was his ‘ol (3 years) self. The vet said we did very well. One complication was an ear infection that had probably lead to some dehydration from a slight fever (and we had been outside in the sun the day before and half that day without poor Jake getting sufficient water breaks – shame on us!) . If heat exhaustion goes too long it becomes heat stroke, which is bad news in a dog. They lack sweat glands to moderate their internal heat and brain swelling will lead to coma and death in minutes. The very hot ears were the early warning symptom. We pass two creeks on that trail – both dried up at present. Poor feller was probably trying to find water but couldn’t.
Moral – if I hadn’t heard him retch the first time I might have lost time backtracking or trying to find him. That caused me to keep an eye on him and notice the rest.. I heard him because I was wearing the Rattler and not my “Dome of Silence” Black Widows.
Product endorsement and a warning to keep an eye on your family in the heat. They may be stressing even if you aren’t.
PS – I only found a small copper washer.
