For those of us with geriatric pets

I have come across a product that I wish I had purchased several years ago. I think it might just protect my old dog, Moonie, from suffering heat stroke - something that I believe she was on the verge of summer before last when we had way too much 90+ degree weather with no air conditioning. At that time, the only way I could cool her off was with the garden hose, which I used whenever she seemed dangerously overheated. But it wasn't an ideal solution because Moonie is extremely old, extremely arthritic, has difficulty standing for more than a few minutes at a time, and hates getting wet.

This spring I found a much better solution that she seems to enjoy a great deal. I bought her a doggie water bed that I finally set up for her day before yesterday when temps topped 95 here. I filled the bed with cold water, and when I put Moonie onto it, she slept soundly through the sweltering heat for the rest of the day with nary a pant. Ordinarily in this sort of heat she can't sleep because she is so hot and miserable, but not anymore. Now she's the only dog in the house who isn't panting hard enough to shake the house foundation.

As an added benefit, the water bed is both thin and very well cushioned, so her arthritic old joints are kept cool and comfy on a bed that's easy for her to move around on. It's also waterproof, which makes cleaning up her incontinent accidents a breeze. I bought her the large size so she can stretch out flat on her side with room to spare for another smaller animal or two who wants to share the coolness. I placed it in Moonie's favorite spot right in front of the livingroom couch and have found that I, too, am thoroughly enjoying cooling my bare feet on the water bed while watching TV.

I can't recommend this water bed highly enough for geriatric animals who can no longer effectively regulate their own body temp in extreme heat. This bed is going to be a lifesaver for the old Moondog. I have no doubt it would improve the lives of any dogs - particularly geriatrics - who have no other way of escaping summer heat.

Laurie





This message was edited Jun 26, 2005 11:40 AM