FRIENDS DON’T MAKE FRIENDS WAIT IN HOT CARS!
We all love our dogs. And in our hectic lives, our furry companions sometimes spend more time without us, than with us. So we often want to maximize our time with them, in turn by taking them long for the ride as we run errands. However this love for our dog and desire for their companionship can quickly turn deadly.
Parked cars can be deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees quickly, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 109 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
When our body temperature rises even one-tenth of a degree, we begin to perspire to cool ourselves. Dogs, however, don’t sweat like people do. The only meaningful way they have to cool themselves is by panting, which evaporates water from inside their mouths and noses. This is usually adequate, but leaves dogs at risk during prolonged exposure to high temperatures
Many people think that parking in the shade or cracking the windows keeps your pup safe. However based on multiple studies the shade and cracking the windows did do not decrease the rate at which the temperature will increase inside a vehicle.
Before you put your pet in the vehicle, ask yourself if you really need to take your pet with you?
If you see a dog left alone in a hot car, take down the car’s color, model, make, and license plate number. Have the owner paged in the nearest buildings, or call local humane authorities or police.
If you need to help a pet in distress from heat, learn the signs of heat exhaustion: restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid pulse, fever, vomiting, glazed eyes, dizziness, or lack of coordination. If the dog shows any of these symptoms, move them to the shade or air conditioning right away. Apply ice packs or cold towels to the head, neck and chest or immerse the animal in cool (not cold) water. Try to get them to drink cool water or lick ice cubes. Take them directly to a veterinarian.
