Pets suffer heat stroke as mercury climbs
By David Brown
Of Mm Emerald
Imagine being locked in a sauna
wearing a fur coat while waiting for a
friend to return from the store or a
class. That situation occurs more often
than might be expected
Every spring and summer, pets left in
locked cars suffer heat stroke simply
because their owners are careless or
thoughtless, according to authorities
from the American Animal Hospital
Association.
"Many pet owners fail to realize that
the temperature inside their autos can
easily climb to 120 degrees (F),” says
Donald McCoy, Oregon area director
for the association. The midsoles melt
ed when he left a pair of Nike running
shoes in his car’s trunk once, he says
When the thermometer reaches tem
peratures over 60 degrees, a pet should
not be left in the car, McCoy says.
"At 70 degrees the temperature in
side can get up to 100."
Dogs and cats do not perspire in a
manner like people, but rather sal
ivate and pant to cool themselves This
can lead to hyperventilation and dehy
dration in any dog or cat. Excessive
heat also produces stress and muscle
contractions which further build up
body temperatures.
Pets with heart conditions, and very
young, obese, or sick pets are most
susceptible to the heat. Short-snouted
dogs are more likely to suffer heat
stroke because they have a harder time
breathing, which makes it harder to
cool off
Officers of Eugene's Tri-Agency
Animal Regulation leave a leaflet on
vehicles containing pets that do not
appear in immediate danger, says
Elaine Cole of Tri-Agency. While being
interviewed by the Emerald, Cole
received a report of a dog locked in the
cab of a pick-up and dispatched an
officer to the scene
The leaflet, titled "Your Dog May Be
Dying,” is published by the Animal
Protection Institute of Sacramento,
Calif. It explains that a closed car can
interfere with a dog's normal cooling
Photo by Erich Boekelheide
Pet owners should be careful not to leave their pets trapped in cars that can turn Into ovens during sunny days.
process, evaporation through panting.
The sheet says a dog can withstand
body temperatures four or five degrees
above normal for only a short time
before suffering brain damage or
death A dog's normal body tempera
ture is 101.5 to 102 degrees.
The signs of heat stroke are:
• Restless pacing, trembling and
twitching.
• Panting, an increased pulse rate
and an anxious or staring expression.
• Frantic pawing or scratching at
windows or doors if confined in a vehi
cle
• Pale or bluish gums.
• Sometimes frothing at the mouth or
vomiting.
• Convulsions, stupor or coma may
follow.
If your pet gets heat stroke, McCoy
advises, first try to lower its body tem
perature as fast as possible by immers
ing it in cool water, or spraying it with a ,
hose. Owners should keep the animal
in shade, preferably where there is a
breeze.
Once cooling has begun, skin mas
sage and flexing of the legs helps to
increase circulation, which in turn
helps to dissipate the heat. A pet vic
timized by heat stroke should be
checked by a veterinarian as soon as
possible, and additional treatment may
be needed.
To prevent heat stroke, never leave a
dog or cat in a closed car for any length
of time on a summer day, or even a
cloudy day, McCoy says. Heat may still
gradually build up without sun and
bright winter days can still cause sur
prising heat in a car, he says.
If no other choice exists, park the car
in a well shaded area with all the win
dows and vents opened as widely as
possible — while still preventing your
pet from escaping. Don’t forget to
check the car every 15 minutes
because shade disappears faster than
most people realize. Lastly, be sure to
provide the animal with some drinking
water.
“We understand you meant to be
kind in taking your dog with you today,’’
the leaflet says. "But you could be
risking his life.”
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