Summer can be an uncomfortable—even a dangerous—time for pets and people. It’s difficult enough simply to cope with rising temperatures, but things really get tough in areas that are hit with the double blow of intense heat and storm-caused power outages. Sometimes it comes with tragic results.
You can follow the Humane Society of the United States’ tips for helping everyone in your family stay healthy and comfortable when the heat is on (and even if the power isn’t). You can start with the basics, and practice basic summer safety.
You should never leave your pets in a parked car, not even for a minute. You shouldn’t even with the car running and the air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels.
On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die.
If you see an animal in distress in a parked car, contact the nearest police by calling 9-1-1 immediately and take the following steps:
- Get the vehicle’s tag number and enter the nearest store or business to request an emergency announcement be made about a pet left in a hot car.
- Go back and wait for police at the vehicle.
Heat stress is not the only danger your pet faces when left alone in a car. Many pets are stolen each year from unattended cars. Many pets prefer to stay home, but if you must take your pet with you in your car, do so safely.
Cats should ride in pet carriers, and dogs should ride in travel crates or wear a safety harness. When a pet travels, it should wear two ID tags—one with a home address and one with a destination address.
You should limit pet exercise on hot days, and take care when exercising your pet. You should adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, which are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets, which typically have difficulty breathing.
Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws. You should walk your dog on the grass if possible.
Also, you shouldn’t rely on a fan. Pets respond differently to heat than humans do. (Dogs, for instance, sweat primarily through their feet.) And fans don’t cool off pets as effectively as they do people. You should provide ample shade and water.
Any time your pet is outside, make sure it has protection from heat and sun and plenty of fresh, cold water. In heat waves, add ice to water when possible. Tree shade and tarps are ideal because they don’t obstruct air flow. A doghouse does not provide relief from heat—in fact, it makes it worse.
You should watch for signs of heatstroke. Extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke. Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness.
Animals are at particular risk for heat stroke if they are very old, very young, overweight, not conditioned to prolonged exercise, or have heart or respiratory disease. Some breeds of dogs—like boxers, pugs, shih tzus, and other dogs and cats with short muzzles—will have a much harder time breathing in extreme heat.
Here are some times of how to treat a pet suffering from heatstroke.
- Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to its head, neck and chest or run cool (not cold) water over it.
- Let it drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Do not force your pet to drink.
- Take your pet directly to a veterinarian. It could save its life. Call ahead, if possible, to be sure your veterinarian is available.
Pet owners should also prepare for power outages. Before a summer storm takes out the power in your home, create a disaster plan to keep your pets safe from heat stroke and other temperature-related trouble.
The Animal Welfare Council is a non-profit 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed in 2006 by a group of individuals who share concern and passion for animals in the community and strive to fulfill the needs of local animals and their owners.
For more information about the Animal Welfare Council, call 814-857-5282.