Page 6 - Sentinel August 2018

PET TALK WITH PILAR ability to process it and lead to se-
Pilar Starman. DVM... vere electrolyte disturbances, which
then cause heart problems.
Too Hot for Spots
If any of my pals out there are not
Hello all. I asked my mom, Pilar feeling well or your parents have
Starman, to let me write this article questions please call my mom or dad
because I wanted to share with you the risks of the heat we have at Larkspur Pet Hospital, 303-681-
been having (and I’m hoping to get you to come by and give 3980.
me treats!). My name is Frankie. I am a 1.5 year-old Australian
Cattle Dog cross.

The temperatures have been so high that my spots are melting
and I don’t like going outside as much as usual. When it is this
warm I need more water after I have been outside. Risks of WALT’S WORDS
overheating include collapse, cardiac disease, blood disorders, Walt Korinke...
and multiple system organ failure. Yikes! We pups and kit-
ties (I have one of those creatures in my home) cannot cool I really should do something with my
ourselves well. We don’t sweat like humans do so we can only life, maybe tomorrow.
try to cool ourselves by panting. I can’t reach the thermostat to
turn on the AC. CASTLE ROCK – ON – OFF – ON
AGAIN!! Several misstarts over the
If the pavement is too hot I could burn my feet. If we’re walk- past couple of years by Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply
ing in the street (I prefer to be on dirt or grass) my mom or to lease the former King
dad holds their hand to the pavement for a minute before I’m Sooper’s building in the
allowed on it so I don’t burn my dainty paws. If I had to walk Milestone Center (188
on the pavement when it is too hot, booties would help protect Founder’s Parkway) re-
my pads. If my pads are to get burned they may peel and be sulted in the store sit-
painful. ting vacant since King
Sooper moved to their
I’ve been told by some of my friends that they have been left new Promenade store
in a car while their owners run an errand. Their parents think over a year ago. Without
they’ll only be gone for a minute, but sometimes they get de- the anchor, the remaining small stores have been attempting to
layed. My puppy pals tell me they feel like they are baking! If survive in a “ghost” center with several already departing and
you must run an errand with your furry child in tow, either take the remainder generally suffering reduced sales. The problems
them with you on the errand or take another human with you included 1] King Sooper’s ownership, 2] Space too large, 3]
to stay with them to make sure they do not overheat. I’ve seen expensive repairs, conversion cost (especially replacing the an-
stories on the news about pets and even human children being tiquated hvac system which included food coolers, to a modern
cooked to death in cars. It does not take too long for us dogs to retail system, and problems with the basement space). As a
be overheated. result, a deal could not be made.

My squash-faced friends (there’s one named Lacy that is very Sale of the King Sooper store in May to Gary Dragul was at
energetic) like French and English Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers, first a bonus, but soon after he was charged with nine felo-
Shih-Tzus, Pekignese, etc suffer even more in the heat than I nies related to his conduct in the real estate industry making his
do. That’s because they do not have a long nasal passage, they ownership somewhat a negative.
tend to have a long soft palate, their nostrils are often too small,
and they may have a small trachea. These signs are called In June, the Castle Rock town council, in a 4 to 2 vote de-
Brachycephalic Syndrome and cause them to have a much more cided that the future of this center with its gateway location
difficult time breathing, so it is very hard for them to pant and was crucial to the overall success of the Town’s retail corridor
cool themselves. Brachycephalic syndrome can be surgically and voted to provide a four year, 25 percent tax break to Mur-
addressed to improve their quality of life. doch’s subject to Murdoch’s signing a 10-year lease for half
of the 70,000 square-foot store which in effect provides about
Some of my buddies like to swim, but not me because it soils $300,000 economic relief to Murdoch’s initial occupancy cost.
my lovely coat. When they are swimming they will drink a lot This represents about the first year’s net taxable revenue pay-
of water and sometimes that water can cause a fatal intoxica- able to the Castle Rock, i.e. a wise investment on the part of the
tion. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? When you’re having fun you do town. It won’t be a done deal until you see the interior work
not always realize what you’re doing can be harmful. When too commence and the store open, but it is looking a lot better now
much water is consumed the water can overwhelm the body’s
Continued on page 7
Page 6 - August 2018 Perry Park Sentinel