[Dailydrool] 93rd heat wave this summer...

[Laura Tancredi]

Hello from Philadelphia's Heat Wave - 
Yesterday it was 106F thank dog it wasn't more humid otherwise I would have never made it out to the gym and Weight Watchers.  We are basically living in a cocoon in the apartment with all the shades draw to keep the heat out.  Ryu (the caribbean dog) loves the sun and his putting his head between the blinds so he can soak up the sun.  At work it's hot too because we have the worse central air and the manager won't let us raise the AC even though there is sweat dripping down our backs.  At least I lived in the caribbean for a few years and got much more tolerant of the heat.  Who knew your shins could sweat?  

As far as spine radiographs go I find them not very useful.  Frequently one shot is done of either the thoracic spine or the abdominal spine. This is not the correct way to radiograph a spine but in regular practice you often are forced to do what give the most information for the least amount of money.  I can barely get people to do one radiograph let alone 8.  When looking for disk problems you are looking for changes in soft tissue which are not seen well on radiograph.  Yes you can see abdominal organs and the heart etc but the disk you don't see.  You see the space between the vertebrae which is where the disk is.  So only if the disk is mineralized from pressure would it show up or if the disk was bulging out of the space you would see a narrowing of the spaces between the vertebrae.  Since bulging discs are super painful most likely you would have a screaming dog who couldn't walk and then you would know what the problem was.  Having said that
 since I see many dogs with minor back problems very few of those people are willing to go to the emergency hospital let alone pay $1500 for an MRI.  As long as the dog is neurological normal; can walk and put his feet in the right place, hold his bladder and feces; then anti-inflammatories and strict cage rest can go a long way.  

Flash is a long basset but I haven't been more worried than if I had a shorter basset about his back.  Weight is a major contributing factor to back problems.  Let me repeat that: WEIGHT is a major contributing factor to back problems.  Not to mention other health problems.  I have seen dogs go in for multiple disk surgeries because the owners haven't got any weight off them.  Obesity is swiftly beating cancer in the number one reason for death in dogs and in humans.  

Stay hydrated and cool! 

Laura (gets off soap box)
Flash and 
Ryu (it's so cold outside!)