How to protect your pets from severe heat
With temperatures expect to return to the 90s today, officials are reminding pet owners that their four-legged friends need protection from the heat.
One of the top concerns is leaving your dog in a vehicle.
As hard as it is to believe, Julia Willson, president and CEO of the Capital Area Humane Society says they still see dogs locked in vehicles in the extreme heat.
"You see stories of people breaking into cars, and it fascinates me," Willson said. "People don’t comprehend how quickly temperatures rise inside a parked vehicle. The hotter the temperatures are, the more quickly an animal will succumb to these temperatures. We still see cases of dogs that die in cars even left for a short time.
"Whenever it's hot, during extreme temperatures, just don’t take your animals anywhere. It's not worth the risk, and it's cruelty to animals."
Animals need plenty of fresh water when the heat rises as they will become dehydrated more quickly than usual. And, when walking your dog, Willson says to be mindful of the temperature of the asphalt.
"When you're walking your dog on a day with extreme temperatures, the asphalt gets really hot," Willson said. "As adults, we are wearing shoes and don't think about it. But we have seen paws getting burnt from extreme temps. Even later in the day, it may still be hot where it can burn their feet. Make sure the asphalt is not causing them any distress. It may burn the pads on their feet. The pads of their feet are durable but they can burn and actually slough off."
Signs that a dog might be experiencing heat stroke should be taken seriously, Willson said.
Excessive panting is the number one sign. Animals will pant normally, but if there is excessive panting and your dog is having difficulty breathing, that is a very dangerous sign. That will lead to difficulty breathing, their respiration rate will start to get faster. Usually they drool excessively and that will lead to weakness and possible collapse. They could have seizures or even die.
If you are giving them water and their breathing continues to elevate, get them to a cool spot and contact your vet immediately, Willson says. It can be a life and death situation.
If you see a dog in a car who may be in distress in extreme temperatures, you can call 911. Obviously time is of the essence, she advises. You don't want to wait 10 minutes to see if someone shows up. There is not a lot of time when temperatures are exceeding 90 or 95 degrees.
If there is a dog outside in the extreme heat, if it's a neighbor, Willson says you can call the Humane Society for advice or get an animal welfare agency involved to see if they can intervene. If you wait, it may be too late for that pet.
There are simple measures you can take to protect your pets as summertime heat continues.
- Make sure there is plenty of fresh water. Animals will have a higher requirement of water and get dehydrated more quickly.
- For pets who live outside and cannot come inside, make sure there is plenty of water and shade. Try to get them out of the elements, maybe in a garage that is cooler than outside. And make sure there is good air circulation.
- Don’t exercise your pets in extreme heat. "When the temperatures get dangerous, in the high 90s, we recommend skipping exercise," Willson said. "You can make up for it on a day when it's not so hot."
- Dogs with flatter faces such as pugs and bulldogs or dogs with a bit of a compromised breathing system are more susceptible to the heat. This is also true of Persian cats. Hot and humid weather makes it harder for them to breathe. Be super careful as they can get in trouble fast.
- Be extra cautious with with very young and very old animals, with any extreme temperatures, hot or cold. A geriatric or older dog will have trouble compensating. Their respiratory system will be even more challenged.
Contact Vickki Dozier at 517-267-1342 orvdozier@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickkiD.