Animal Life Savers, Inc.

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Monthly Pet Tips—for Dogs

Q. How long can a dog survive in a car in the summer?

A. Imagine you’re trapped inside a parked car. The windows are only open a crack. The temperature is rising. Now imagine you’re wearing a fur coat.

 

Did you know a dog left in a car on a warm day can collapse from heatstroke in just minutes?

 

Many people love their dogs and want to take them with them wherever they go. But when the mercury rises, it’s safest to leave Rover at home.

 

On a 78-degree day, a car parked in the sun can reach 160 degrees in minutes. 

 

Even opening windows or parking in the shade won’t prevent a dog from getting overheated. The heat is especially hard on dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting and by sweating through their paws. With only hot air to breathe, dogs and other animals can suffer irreparable brain damage and even die of heatstroke.

• Don’t take a chance—leave your dog at home on warm days. Even just a quick trip to the store can be deadly.

• Don’t carry a dog unrestrained in a pick-up truck bed. Besides being extremely dangerous (many dogs jump or fall out of trucks), the hot metal can burn dogs’ feet.

• Learn the signs of heat exhaustion—restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid pulse, fever, vomiting, glazed eyes, dizziness, or lack of coordination.

• If your dog shows any of these symptoms, get him or her to shade or air conditioning right away.

• Lower body temperature gradually by providing water to drink, applying a cold towel or ice pack to the head, neck, and chest, or immersing the dog in cool (not cold) water.

• Call your veterinarian immediately.

• If you see a dog in danger, try to have the dog’s guardian paged inside the store or call the police: They can unlock the car and get the dog out.

THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS:

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PETA LITERATURE IS NOT COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE REPRODUCED FREELY.

 

PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS

501 FRONT ST., NORFOLK, VA 23510 • 757-622-PETA

www.peta-online.org

Animal Life Savers, Inc.