Hot Cars

Never, ever, EVER leave your pet in a hot car.  It can take minutes for a pet to develop and succumb to heat stroke in a car.  Most people don’t realize how hot it gets in parked cars.  On a 25C degree day, temperatures in a car can reach 32C in the shade and top 71C if parked directly in the sun!  Driving around, parking, and leaving your pet in the car for “just a minute” can be deadly.  Cars heat up fast — even with the windows cracked open.  Leave your pet at home on warm days.

Avoid Heat Stroke

If you see an animal in a vehicle on a warm/hot day, please take action and call the police or fire department – time is critical.  Signs of heat stroke include (but are not limited to): body temperatures of 104-110F degrees, excessive panting, dark or bright red tongue and gums, staggering, stupor, seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomiting, coma, death.  Brachycephalic breeds (the short-nosed breeds, such as Bulldogs and Pugs), large heavy-coated breeds, and those dogs with heart or respiratory problems are more at risk for heat stroke.
If you suspect heat stroke in your pet,  seek veterinary attention immediately!  Use cool water, not ice water, to cool your pet. (Very cold water will cause constriction of the blood vessels and impede cooling.)  Do not aid cooling below 103 F degrees – some animals can actually get HYPOthermic ie. too cold.  Offer ice cubes for the animal to lick on until you can reach your veterinarian.
Just because your animal is cooled and “appears”  \OK, do NOT assume everything is fine.  Internal organs such as liver, kidneys, brain, etc., are definitely affected by the body temperature elevation, and blood tests and veterinary examination are needed to assess this.

Hot Pavement and Surfaces

Dog’s feet and pads are tough, right?  Most people are aware that foot pads can be injured by stepping on something sharp, but what about something hot? Dangerously hot pavement and metal surfaces are hard to avoid in the heat of summer.  Walking or running on hard pavement is tough on feet, too.
Pavement, metal or tar-coated asphalt get extremely hot in the summer sun.  We wear protective footwear.  It can be harder to remember summer heat and our dog’s feet. Unlike the obvious wounds such as lacerations, foot infections (fungal, bacterial), or foreign bodies such as grass seeds), burned pads may not be apparent to the eye, at least initially.  Signs of burned pads can include: limping or refusing to walk, licking or chewing at the feet, pads darker in color, missing part of pad, and blisters or isolate heat.

Watch for Signs of Dehydration

Dogs can’t sweat.  They cool off by panting, so an overheated dog will drool excessively.  It will become lethargic, its eyes will be bloodshot, and it may appear a little pale.  If you lift its skin, it will take longer than usual for the skin to fall back into place.