With the mercury on the rise, the Richmond Animal Protection Society (RAPS) is reminding dog owners to beware of the obvious danger of leaving your pets in the confines of your vehicle — even with the windows open a crack.
It takes just five minutes for a dog to begin overheating in a car and just ten minutes before it starts to show signs of distress and not much longer before actual damage to the dog’s health can be inflicted.
Angela Chisholm, a kennel assistant at RAPS, said many dog owners still seem unaware of the dangers and have little knowledge of how a dog actually sweats.
“They only perspire through the pads on their paws,” said Chisholm.
“They can also cool down through panting, but it’s not that effective in a car; there needs to be proper ventilation.
“And that’s why being left in a car is so dangerous for dogs and cranking the windows down a bit just isn’t enough. I don’t think that many people realize that a dog doesn’t sweat through its skin.”
According to Chisholm, an average dog’s normal temperature ranges between 37 and 39 Celsius.
“When it rises to 40-41, the dog will begin to suffer moderate heat stroke and above 41 they will start to experience severe heat stroke, such as organ damage and long-term issues,” added Chisholm.
Certain dogs are more at risk than others of heat stroke, such as young ones, which either haven’t developed internal systems yet or older ones with breathing problems.
Tips for your dog this summer:
1. Walk them early morning and later in the evening;
2. Leave them at home if going for a day out;
3. Access to fresh water;
4. Shade and ventilation for outside dogs;
5. Wrap frozen water bottles in a towel and place them under their beds;
6. Keep them well groomed
