The weather is getting cooler, but something to keep in mind is that your four-legged children are covered in fur, and leaving them in a hot car is not a good idea.
On a day that is in the mid-70s, the temperature inside a parked car can reach from 100 and 120 degrees in a very short time, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature of a vehicle can reach as high as 160 degrees in as little as 10 minutes.
Animals left in hot cars are at risk for heat stroke and can obtain brain damage in as little as 15 minutes. Dogs have it the roughest because they are only able to keep cool by sweating through their paws and panting.
Signs of heat stroke include: heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, excessive thirst, thick saliva, lack of coordination, and restlessness. If your dog shows any of these symptoms get him/her out of the heat and into a veterinarian’s office.
If you see a dog left inside a hot car then call the authorities.
Something to also keep in mind is the hot pavement that dogs and cats walk on. They don’t wear shoes like humans so the pads on their paws are unprotected. Hot pavement can cause burns, scars, and sometimes permanent damage to an animals paws.
