Now that the warm weather is around the corner, I will once again touch on the topic of leaving pets in cars. I know that some of you are probably saying, “Geez, how many times do we have to hear about this?” Well, since we still have dogs left in cars during warm weather, I’m going to write about it again.
While most people know that leaving their pet in a car in warm weather is dangerous, many people still think just because you leave the windows cracked two inches, the animal is safe. Not so. That may be the case when it’s 65 outside but not when it’s above 75. Keep in mind that it’s always hotter in the car than it is outside, so 75 degrees is too hot to just open the windows a crack. Nor is just parking in the shade. If you have a dark car or interior, it’s even worse. Dogs with flat faces, like bulldogs and pugs, are affected quicker. When it’s 85 outside, the inside of a car can reach 102 degrees in 10 minutes, and 120 degrees in 30 minutes, even with the windows partially down. When a dog’s temperature gets too high, they suffer organ and brain damage and even death. Left outdoors for too long in hot weather is harmful as well. Do not over exercise your dog, especially flat-faced breeds, during hot weather. Last summer, several dogs died outside.
So what if you want to take a dog for a ride? Air conditioning. Turn it on, but don’t shut the car off and run in the store, not even for 10 minutes. If you don’t have air conditioning, then don’t take your dog.
If heat does overcome your dog, soak it with cool water and get it to the vet – immediately. The sooner it’s treated, the better its chances are.