hot dogs: leaving car windows open is not enough to keep your pet safe from the heat

the temperature in a parked car, even in the shade with the windows partly open, can quickly heat up enough to seriously harm or even kill your pet.

by robin roberts

jul 19 2022

5 minute read

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hot dogs: leaving car windows open not enough to keep your pet safe

if you notice excessive panting, dry mucous membranes, or a dazed look, get your pup into shade and give her cool water. getty

summertime and the living is easy… long days of warm weather make for a fun run in the sun and wheeling around on your bike. fun for you, maybe, but not always for your dog.

when you’re jogging or biking on a hot day, you’re likely to sweat. when that sweat evaporates, you’ll cool down, even more so from the breeze that’s created from the motion of running or biking. but your dog’s skin, you may have noticed, is covered in fur and therefore, cooling down doesn’t work the same way.

“dogs can overheat a lot quicker and they don’t cool down as easily when they’re running as we do,” says dr. adrian walton of dewdney animal hospital in maple ridge, b.c. “if the dog is not keeping up [with you] then you are pushing him way beyond what he’s capable of, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a hot day or cold day.”

your pooch sweats through glands in its paw pads, although not as effectively as through its nostrils and mouth. panting does a much better job at evaporating moisture through the dog’s tongue, nasal passages and the lining of its lungs.

brachycephalic breeds — the smooshed-in face dogs such as pugs, bull dogs, boston terriers, frenchies — have small nasal openings and long soft palates in the back of their mouths, which limits air flow. they also have a narrower windpipe and have to work harder to take in enough air to keep themselves cool, so walking with a harness instead of a collar will keep their airway from becoming constricted.

how to cool your dog

if you notice excessive panting, dry mucous membranes, or a dazed look, get your pup into shade and give her cool water. soak her paws, as well as her neck to cool down the blood going to the brain, and fan her, which helps with evaporation.

“i often recommend people keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol in their vehicle and spray down the paws, which will help cool dogs down [faster than water],” says walton.

if your dog is showing weakness, muscle tremors or lack of coordination, bright red gums, excessive drooling, convulsions or vomiting, get him to a vet quickly, as he is likely having full-on heat stroke and his organs are failing.

during last year’s “heat dome” in b.c., when temperatures in some areas soared past 40° c, pam and dave’s two normally active dachshunds, jake and harley, were lethargic and panting even in the shade. “i kept wetting towels with cold water and draping them over them, which seemed to help,” says pam. “we also turned on a fan so it cooled the wet towels on them, and kept the fan going all night.”

the couple also stopped taking them on their regular long hikes during the heat wave. “we had to watch their feet outside too as all the decks were super-hot, so we kept hosing them down,” she says.

more hair doesn’t mean more heat

you might think a thicker coated dog would suffer more in the heat and be tempted to shave her. but hold the shears. according to the spca, a dog’s coat captures air and acts as an insulator, trapping heat in the winter and deflecting heat in the summer.

double-coated dogs, such as labradors, huskies, shepherds and golden retrievers, have thicker hair, and the outer coat is coarser. shaving can cause uneven regrowth, patches and often follicle damage. instead, brushing the coat daily keeps it clean and fluffy which allows for better air circulation.

shaving can also lead to sunburn and skin cancer. according to the american kennel club , hairless and lighter-coated and thin-coated dogs are at highest risk. dogs that lie on a patio or concrete, especially on their backs, are also prone to sunburn.

heavier dogs, too, are more vulnerable to heat-related illness because of the increased insulation the fat cells provide, as well as the extra heat they generate from exercise. senior dogs are also more sensitive to temperature, as are puppies, that can’t regulate their body temperature as well as adult dogs.

as for sunscreens, the akc advises using products made specifically for dogs that don’t contain zinc oxide or paba, which are toxic if ingested. look for waterproof, unscented sunscreen with an spf of 30. test a small area to make sure your pup is not allergic, then, if safe, apply to the areas most exposed, such as the bridge of the nose (away from eyes), ear tips, groin and inner thighs and wait 20 minutes to ensure it’s been absorbed.

never leave your pooch in the car, even for a minute

despite repeated public messaging, the spca gets thousands of calls every year about dogs left in hot cars. according to the society , the temperature in a parked car, even in the shade with the windows partly open, can quickly heat up enough to seriously harm or kill your pet. when it’s 26°c outside, it’s 43°c inside after 20 minutes. walton says, above 30 degrees, a dog cannot cool itself down, not even through evaporative panting.

“oftentimes, a dog’s response is not to go down into the well of the vehicle and try to stay cool. some will become anxious and start to vocalize, try to escape, and that generates more heat.”

he says even if you think it’s going to be a quick stop at the gas station or store, you can’t predict a slow customer in front of you or a machine malfunction. before you know it, those few minutes have turned into 10, and turned deadly for your dog.

if you see a dog in a hot car, the spca warns against breaking the window, since you could harm yourself or the animal. instead, record the information of the vehicle, take a picture with your cellphone, and ask nearby businesses to page the customer. if the dog looks in distress, call local animal control, spca or law enforcement.

keep your dog cool

on hot days, keep your home cool and your canine inside with access to plenty of cold water. having a turtle pool in the backyard for your dog can be fun as well as cooling. “i do it, and my dog destroys one each and every year,” says walton with a laugh.

cooling vests and pads are an option, but experts warn against applying ice, as it will constrict blood flow and interfere with cooling. walk or play with your dog in the early morning and late evening, and carry the ball home so her panting is unrestricted.

“make sure you have a bottle of water available at all times to keep your dog hydrated,” says walton. “and if you can’t put your hand onto the cement or sand without burning yourself, don’t let your dogs do that.”

have fun in the sun with your pup, but be aware if she is showing signs of overheating. don’t let the dog days of summer be her last.

robin roberts is a vancouver-based writer.

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robin roberts

hot dogs: leaving car windows open is not enough to keep your pet safe from the heat