I see people taking their pets on hikes all the time. I saw a dog on the Mt. Whitney main trail two weekends ago, its owner said his dog made it all the way to Trail Crest.
I see dogs all the time on San Gorgonio trails and at the summit. I've even seen a dog carried down in a backpack because it was too exhausted to walk down after its owner made it walk all the way to the summit of San Gorgonio.
I'm an animal lover to the nth degree, I LOVE ANIMALS. It breaks my heart when I see animals taken to high altitudes because I think to myself, 'how does the owner know if the dog is experiencing AMS and how does an owner know if their pet's poor little feet are just plain tired and most of all, I THINK OF ALL THE LITTLE ROCKS THAT CAN GET STUCK BETWEEN THEIR TOES AND CAUSE PAIN and the cuts they can get from jagged rocks.
Does anyone on the WZ know how to tell when a dog has AMS?
Recently on the news I saw a dog being rescued on a mountain because it was too tired to go any farther. Thank goodness this pet had good owners who called for a helicopter for their pet. I know SAR uses dogs on rescues and I realize how valuable a dog can be to finding someone lost and in need of help. I just saw a photo of DUG in the photo gallery with his new rescue pet.
I think we also need to think of our pets when taking them on long hikes, especially at high altitudes. If anyone has any experience with mountain hiking pets I would love to hear if a pet needs to start hiking at a young age and how can you tell if your dog has AMS.
Thank you for listening.
Super Animal Love, Lynn-a-roo
