Your Dog May Be dying
How long will you be gone? Running in to a store to pick up one item, you end up in a line at the registry, or bump into a friend who stikes up a converstation. What you thought was a quick errand could lead to the death of your beloved pet.
On hot - or even warm - sunny days, the inside of a car heats up very quickly. On a 85-degree day, for example, even with the windows slightly open, the temperature inside a car can climb to 102 degrees in 10 minutes, to 120 in 30 minutes. On warmer days it will go even higher.
A dog's normal body temperature is 101.5 to 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit. A dog can withstand a body temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit for only a short time before suffering irreparable brain damage - or even death. The closed car interferes with the dog's normal cooling process, that is evaporation through panting.
Even with windows cracked there is not enough ventilation. The car acts as a solar oven and the only air around the dog is hot so panting can not cool them enough.
If your dog is overcome by heat exhaustion, immediately immerse or spray him or her with cool running water and continue until the body temperature lowers, give him or her water to drink and consult with a veterinrian to determine if additional treatment is needed.
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