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COPING WITH COLD WATER CALAMITIES

No matter how bad the weather is, dogs have to be walked. But we can face real dangers when the volatile weather patterns we have experienced in recent years throw extreme conditions at us.  Penny Gayler reflects on some of these hazards in her latest advice column.

I have watched with horror as a series of stories unfolded on our news bulletins. A Bournemouth woman was almost swept away after plunging into the freezing and swollen River Stour at Northbourne to rescue her spaniel. Although she got the dog to safety, she was unable to climb out herself until a passer-by and the rescue services came to her aid.

The scene was once more the River Stour, further north in Blandford. Seeing her dog apparently in trouble, she had taken off her coat and jumped into the water. She managed to grab the Labrador and get to the bank, but she slipped as she tried to climb out and was swept away. It took police divers two days to find her body. A gallant would-be rescuer spent several days in hospital recovering. The dog survived.

On the same day an ex-Marine, 48-year-old David Summerfield, seeing his whippet in trouble in a flooded stream in Devon, jumped in to save it. They were both swept down a culvert where he was briefly trapped by a grating, and eventually washed under the road and out the other side. Fortunately his neighbours had seen the drama unfold and were on hand to haul out both of them.

These two stories prompted me to carry out research on the web and come up with the following salutary facts that I hope will prevent you from ever attempting to do the same.

First of all you need to know that –

Cold water removes heat from the body 25 times faster than cold air. About half of that heat is lost through the head. Physical activity such as swimming, or simply struggling in the water, increases heat loss. Survival time can be reduced to minutes. Strong swimmers have died before covering 100 yards in cold water. In water under 40 degrees F, victims have died before swimming 100 feet.

Three things will happen when you plunge into cold water –

*There is an involuntary “gasp” reflex – if this happens under water - you will drown.

*Exposure of the head and chest to cold water causes sudden increases to the heart rate and blood pressure that may cause your heart to stop – you will drown.

*You may lose consciousness – you will drown.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents web site reports that eight people drowned after falling through ice in one year alone recently. Five of them were dog walkers.

It is completely understandable that we would want to save our best friend. However, the simple fact is that he is better placed to save himself than we are and if we go into the water we could end up the victim.

Therefore, rather than risk such an incident, it is better to avoid getting into dangerous situations.

If the river where you walk is in full flood then do the sensible thing and put Rover on a lead. If you crave a stroll along the beach with the tide roaring in and waves over your head – put him on a lead. Frozen ponds can look so picturesque but are lethal. If you must walk there – put him on a lead.

Never forget that no matter what – never ever go into the water.

Nothing gladdens my heart quite like opening the curtains on a frosty morning and seeing that my world has gone white. Quite simply it means I can get my lot out on a walk and have them come home clean. Being the mudlarks they are, it is a joy when all their favourite spots are frozen solid.

My dogs don’t wear collars in the house, and so once they are loaded into the car they each have their collar put on which gives me a chance to check that all are wearing their ID discs. If any are missing I know there are spares in the drawer.

Retrievers have naturally thick waterproof coats to keep them warm, but if you own a thinly coated breed you might like to invest in a quilted coat for the coldest of days – plenty of links on the NFDOG website.

Quick double check to make sure I have everything – dog whistle, leads, penknife, pocket full of titbits, a couple of NFDOG cards in case I get chatting to someone who might like to join, and a mobile ‘phone with all the emergency numbers already in the directory – you will find them all on the back of your membership card.

Some parts of the Forest are notorious “black spots” as far as mobile ‘phones are concerned. It’s worth checking when you are out just where you can and cannot get a signal. If you plan to go well off the beaten track make sure someone knows where you intend to walk.

Last but not least is my “thumb” stick. This is a long walking stick that I have cut to a length that suits me – you should be able comfortably to rest your thumb in the V without lifting your shoulder. Invaluable for fending off unwanted canine admirers, testing the depth of a puddle or as an extra support which hopefully will keep me on my feet when it is slippery. We’re off.

The dogs love the frost and roll on their backs, relishing the cold, or race through the heather playing chase. Hairy feet can be a problem when the ground is frosty or snowy and so it’s worth keeping the fur trimmed from between the toes and pads to stop ice balls forming. Dogs find them extremely painful. A pair of toe trimming scissors from Diamond Edge in Brighton, Tel 01273 605922 or www.diamondedgeltd is perfect for the job. Otherwise any scissors with blunt tips will do. Remember that a dog’s foot is webbed so take great care trimming between the pads and only trim what you can see.

Our walks usually last about an hour and finally even the young ones have slowed down as we make our way back to the car. I am now dreaming of a lovely mug of hot coffee and perhaps a small glass of sloe gin to warm me up. Made from sloes I picked on the Forest last year, it has been sitting in the cupboard under the stairs and should be just about ready for drinking.............mmmmmmm.

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