Pet owners should think twice before letting their pets hop into the passenger seat during the “dog days of summer,” veterinarian Debby Myers says.
Myers, who operates Four Paws Animal Rescue, said pet owners should make sure their animals aren’t in danger of overheating.
“You should never leave an animal unattended with the windows up in a vehicle,” she said. “Even for a short time, it’s just not a good idea.”
Animals left in a hot environment without air conditioning are in danger of dehydration, heat exhaustion and various other problems — even death.
That can happen even if it doesn’t seem hot outside. According to United Animal Nations, when it is 72 degrees outside, the temperature in a car can reach 116 degrees within an hour, even with windows cracked. When it is 85 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can climb to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and 120 degrees in 30 minutes.
A dog’s normal body temperature ranges from 101 to 102.5 degrees. Dogs begin to suffer when that temperature reaches 107 to 108 degrees. At that point, they may experience brain and nerve damage or heart problems and could die.
If a person encounters an animal that appears to be in distress, the UAN recommends calling the police and asking store managers to make an announcement in the store where the vehicle owner might be.
The signs of heat distress in an animal include excessive panting, excessive drooling, increased heart rate, trouble breathing, disorientation, collapse or loss of consciousness, seizure and/or respiratory arrest.
Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they do not have the advantage of evaporative cooling through their skin. Rather than sweating, they cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet.
• Contact Taylor Kuykendall at tkuykendall@gwcommonwealth.com.
