Page 4 - Davis-Monthan AFB Desert Lightning News 7-10-15

4 July 10, 2015 Desert Lightning News
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Protecting man’s best friend

Commentary by Senior Airman Betty R. Chevalier

355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

On January 11, 2013, my coworker’s dog gave birth to litter of puppies. In (Courtesy photo)
March 2013, I made one of those puppies part of my family. Castiel was only 12
pounds and curious of everything. I always had dogs growing up, but raising a Castiel relaxes in the shade during a summer in Tucson, Ariz. Senior Airman Betty R. Chevalier
puppy in southern Arizona was a whole new endeavor. adopted Castiel as a puppy and adjusted to raising a dog in southern Arizona with multiple
hazards in the area.
Southern Arizona has many hazards that can harm and potentially kill a
dog. The biggest and most obvious danger to dogs here is the heat. I get dehy- there are many organizations and groups that offer avoidance training.
drated and tired being outside for small amounts of time in shorts and a t-shirt. Although training helps prevent accidents, Castiel is still a very curious pup-
I can only imagine how quickly Castiel gets exhausted, especially since he runs
around in a black fur coat. Dogs do not have the ability to sweat and they can py. He will chase lizards any chance he gets. Fortunately, he hasn’t had a run in
quickly have a heat stroke. To keep Castiel hydrated, I always make sure he has with a snake yet and hopefully his training will kick in if he ever does.
access to water and spends time outside during the cooler hours of the morn-
ing and evening. Always take care of your dog and know what you can do to help pre-
vent any injures. Now at 1-year-old and 90 pounds, Castiel is fearless. He
Aside from just the hot air, think about the ground. When we wake up at doesn’t understand it’s 110 degrees Fahrenheit outside or the animal he
5:30 a.m. the sun is already rising. Fast forward to 8 p.m., the sun is setting. sees can hurt him. Since I know the hazards Arizona possesses, I will do
That means for more than 14 hours of the day, the sun has been baking the all I can to protect him.
ground. Imagine walking on that with bare feet. Now think about your dog’s
paws. Dogs have no protection on their feet, so paws can quickly burn on con-
crete, asphalt and even dirt. Luckily, there are multiple places online and in
Tucson where you can purchase dog booties. Even with a funny name and
look, these booties are built to deal with the extreme heat and help protect
your dog from unnecessary pain.

While the weather is the major concern, many animals here including
snakes, Gila monsters, javelinas, scorpions, packs of coyotes and toads
can severely injure your four-legged friend. Besides the obvious cacti,
there are also many harmful plants in Arizona, which can make your dog
very sick if ingested.

Tucson has multiple emergency service vet hospitals in the unfortunate
event of your dog stumbling upon these hazards. From personal experience,
emergency services are extremely expensive, ranging from hundreds to thou-
sands of dollars depending on the emergency. To help prevent these events,

Harry Schlosser,
M.D.

U.S.A.F. Colonel,
Retired

Welcoming Ryan C. Teeple, M.D. Robert E. Crum, DDS, MS

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