If you’ve ever sat in your car with the windows rolled up on a hot day, you know how sweltering it can be even for a few minutes. Of course, most of us don’t do that; it’s too uncomfortable. It’s hard to believe, then, that every year so many pets die needlessly because of being kept in a hot car. Temperatures inside a car can easily go over 110 degrees in a matter of minutes, even with the windows cracked. Never ever leave your pets in your car, even for a short time. It’s just not safe.
We travel with our two dogs, but we know that when the weather gets warm, they cannot be left alone in the car. We carry water with us to give them a drink, and our car has an electrical outlet so we have a fan blowing in the back, but even then we never leave them locked in the car. When we stop for lunch on a trip, we choose a restaurant that has outdoor seating, so we can eat with the dogs. There are a lot of fast food places out there that don’t mind dogs on their patio. Sometimes we pack a picnic and find a nice spot for lunch outdoors. If neither of those options are available, we get food to go and eat it in our car with the engine running and the air conditioning on.
During the hot weather, your dog can suffer even just playing outside. Some dogs just don’t know when to stop and rest, and it’s up to their owners to watch out for signs of heat exhaustion and make sure their dogs are safe.
Heatstroke can happen really fast, and can be very serious. Symptoms to watch for are heavy panting, a dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, excessive thirst, vomiting, and a dog that is listless and unsteady. If your dog gets heatstroke, get him out of the sun immediately. Not only give him water to drink, but pour cool water on a towel and wrap it around your dog to lower his temperature. You can even get the dog in a bath if one is handy, but use lukewarm water, not cold water. Call your veterinarian right away, as heatstroke can be a deadly condition.
We saw a dog locked in a car this summer at of all places, a dog show. The windows were cracked, but the temperature outside was in the 80’s, so the temp in the car must have been pretty high. We asked one of the officials at the dog show to make an announcement over the loud speaker, and we saw the owner go outside and let her dog out and give it water. I don’t know what would have happened to the dog if it had been left much longer in the car, but I’m glad we didn’t have to find out.
Just like humans, dogs can also get sunburned. For that reason, our groomers never shave a dog all the way down to the skin. If you have a short-haired dog with a risk of getting burned, you can use a sunblock with a rating of at least SPF 15 around their face and ears. Also, watch out for hot asphalt. Pads of the feet can get burned just like our bare feet do. And finally, it’s a good idea to use the early or late parts of the day for outside activities when possible. The hottest part of the day is a good time to go inside and take a nap!
Keep an eye out for overheated dogs this summer, and remember to enjoy the warm weather responsibly. The dog days of summer can be a great time for you and your pet, but only if we all stay safe.
We travel with our two dogs, but we know that when the weather gets warm, they cannot be left alone in the car. We carry water with us to give them a drink, and our car has an electrical outlet so we have a fan blowing in the back, but even then we never leave them locked in the car. When we stop for lunch on a trip, we choose a restaurant that has outdoor seating, so we can eat with the dogs. There are a lot of fast food places out there that don’t mind dogs on their patio. Sometimes we pack a picnic and find a nice spot for lunch outdoors. If neither of those options are available, we get food to go and eat it in our car with the engine running and the air conditioning on.
During the hot weather, your dog can suffer even just playing outside. Some dogs just don’t know when to stop and rest, and it’s up to their owners to watch out for signs of heat exhaustion and make sure their dogs are safe.
Heatstroke can happen really fast, and can be very serious. Symptoms to watch for are heavy panting, a dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, excessive thirst, vomiting, and a dog that is listless and unsteady. If your dog gets heatstroke, get him out of the sun immediately. Not only give him water to drink, but pour cool water on a towel and wrap it around your dog to lower his temperature. You can even get the dog in a bath if one is handy, but use lukewarm water, not cold water. Call your veterinarian right away, as heatstroke can be a deadly condition.
We saw a dog locked in a car this summer at of all places, a dog show. The windows were cracked, but the temperature outside was in the 80’s, so the temp in the car must have been pretty high. We asked one of the officials at the dog show to make an announcement over the loud speaker, and we saw the owner go outside and let her dog out and give it water. I don’t know what would have happened to the dog if it had been left much longer in the car, but I’m glad we didn’t have to find out.
Just like humans, dogs can also get sunburned. For that reason, our groomers never shave a dog all the way down to the skin. If you have a short-haired dog with a risk of getting burned, you can use a sunblock with a rating of at least SPF 15 around their face and ears. Also, watch out for hot asphalt. Pads of the feet can get burned just like our bare feet do. And finally, it’s a good idea to use the early or late parts of the day for outside activities when possible. The hottest part of the day is a good time to go inside and take a nap!
Keep an eye out for overheated dogs this summer, and remember to enjoy the warm weather responsibly. The dog days of summer can be a great time for you and your pet, but only if we all stay safe.
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