Heatstroke and your pet’s safety is something everyone needs to keep in mind, especially in extreme summer weather. This heat wave is killing people. While checking on our elderly neighbors and calling friends and family, we might remember to ask about their animals. Ask if they have noticed any unusual behavior, and make sure the dog is not left cooped up in a room with a closed door and no air, or is not taken along on errands and left in the car. Leaving the windows open in the car does not save the dog from heat stroke. While this heat should make it obvious that dogs are not to be left in cars, even when it’s in the 70′s the inside of a car can reach 100 degrees. Since dogs do not sweat except for their feet, the only way they can try to cool down is through panting and drinking water.
Here’s a quick checklist for some signs of heatstroke, many from the AVMA, others from personal observation, to pass along to everyone you know with a dog:
- Heavy panting
- Excessive salivation
- Dark or bright red gums/tongue
- Lethargy
- Staggering gait, lack of coordination
- Reluctance or inability to rise after collapsing
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of consciousness
If you come across a dog alone in a car on a hot day, call 911 to report it, then go into the store and have customer service announce the car’s description, plate, and dog. If you can’t find the owner within minutes, you will have to determine for yourself if the windows need to be broken (and minutes count). Many of us have been faced with dilemma. Check your city ordinances for good samaritan laws that preclude possible criminal charges. Chicago has one.
Have cool not cold water ready to douse the trunk, legs and feet of the dog, and if the dog can drink let him take small amounts of water with his head upright. Slow cooling is what you’re aiming for. If the dog cannot lift his head, let him lick an ice cube if you have access to them. Never force a dog to drink, you could drown him with good intentions. Get the dog to a vet immediately in your air conditioned car. Don’t point the vents directly on the dog as that could cause another problem.
You can help change the outcome for dogs with heatstroke by following pet safety guidelines and knowing what to do in an emergency. Stay cool and safe out there, and if you have any tips to share, please do!
