MSPCA-Angell: Watch Out for Dogs in Hot Weather
The following is a message from MSPCA-Angell, headquartered in Jamaica Plain: In anticipation of…warming temperatures, veterinarians at Angell Animal Medical Center are cautioning dog owners to take greater care in acclimating their pets to the heat, as the first few days of Spring bring the greatest risk of overheating. According to Dr. Kiko Bracker, a veterinarian in Angell’s Emergency & Critical Care Unit, dogs at the greatest risk of suffering heat-related illness during the Spring are older, brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds or those with existing illnesses affecting their respiratory tract or heart. Studies in humans repeatedly show that people need two to three weeks to acclimatize to warmer temperatures—and the veterinary community believes the same holds true for dogs. “It takes on average about two to three weeks for dogs to become tolerant of warmer temperatures,” said Dr. Bracker. “Now that the sun is shining and temperatures are warming it’s natural to want to head out for long walks or runs with our pets—but we must all take great care to avoid overheating our dogs, which can lead to heat stroke and, in some instances, death.” Dog owners unwittingly put their dogs at risk at this time of year by encouraging them to run, chase toys or just be with them in the sun. Dogs are always eager for this kind of activity, given their highly social nature, and they all too often will overexert themselves. Dr. Bracker offers the following tips to help dog owners acclimatize their pets to warmer temperatures while still enjoying time outside: Make sure your dog has a check-up! A Springtime check-up will reveal any heart or respiratory issues that should be addressed before pets become more active in the summer months. Ensure dogs always have ready access to shade, water and rest—parks with leafy trees and soft ground along with streams or ponds (in which dogs can cool off) offer wonderful recreational opportunities with plenty of space to rest and cool off Try to exercise dogs in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are lower Be especially cautious with dogs who have short noses, such as Pugs and Bulldogs, as these dogs are especially vulnerable to overheating Never leave pets inside a car—which can heat up to 110 degrees in 10 minutes on an 80-degree day even with the windows slightly open. For more tips on keeping pets safe during hot weather readers can click here. South End Patch
Categories: Arrests Tags: Dogs, MSPCAAngell, Watch, Weather
Things to Know in the South End Today, March 7: Messy Winter Weather
1. New Mom Meetup: Mom’s with babies who are 12 weeks old and under, for $ 10, head to A Mom is Born join in with other neighborhood new moms for a tea and coffee hour from 10 to 11:15 a.m. 2. Weather: There has been talk of a major storm today, but weather experts still aren’t sure if it will be mostly rain or snow. 3. Meditation Course: For $ 10, get a lesson in meditation from Kelsang Pawo, a Buddhist monk, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain. The guided class is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday, beginning tonight. 4. Daylight Saving: Daylight Saving Time occurs this weekend. The official time to set the clocks one hour ahead is Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. 5. Storm Tips: Though the winter weather predicted for today won’t be as bad as the Blizzard of 2013 in early February, high winds could cause power outages. NStar has some tips on what to do if your power goes out. Things you can do every day on South End Patch: Share your news with the rest of the community. Click here to add an announcement. Add your events to our events calendar. Click here to sign up for breaking news updates. Want up-to-the-minute news? Click here to follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Share your thoughts on your community in a blog. Click here to get started. South End Patch
MBTA Winter Weather Info and Resources
The MBTA adjusts the scheduling of all of its modes of transportation in real time during severe snow events, and the service provides several frequently-updated resources to check while the snow is coming down. With a potential blizzard on the way Friday into Saturday, the MBTA may put into effect its severe weather service plan, which includes a reduction of service on the subways, commuter rails, buses, boats and the RIDE. On the web: The MBTA provides a winter weather website which is active during major snow events. This site will provide detail of a reduction in service in real-time: MBTA.com/winter. MBTA.com is the homepage, which also displays updates. A way to find out find out whether a specific line is experiencing a reduction in service is to check the MBTA’s service updates page. This page is always active. Alerts: Riders can sign up to get alerts sent to their phones via text message or email as well. Social Media: The MBTA has a vibrant Twitter presence. The official MBTA twitter account is @MBTAGM, but there are several unofficial Twitter accounts which monitor transit. @MBTATransitPD is the official Twitter account for the transit police. Searching #MBTA or #MassDOT will yield several updates, alerts and unofficial Twitter accounts as well. Contacting MBTA: The MBTA has a snow and ice email address customers can use to email concerns: mbtasnowandice@mbta.com. This email address is monitored by a maintenance dispatcher who will prioritize concerns and deploy crews where needed. Also, the MBTA’s customer support phone line is 617-222-3200. Commuter Rail: The MBTA implements a winter-specific reduced service schedule on the commuter rail only if necessary. Check the MBTA winter weather website or the MBTA homepage for an update on this during the storm. What MBTA does during the storm: As the snow falls, MBTA subway personnel will work to prevent snow and ice build-up in the track beds and around switches. Crews are dispatched throughout the system to remove snow from train platforms, bus stops, and station entrances. During the overnight hours early Saturday, the MBTA will operate observation trains to prevent snow and ice build-up and look for any potential hazards such as downed trees or low hanging limbs. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch