With hot temperatures predicted this summer, the Moose Jaw Humane Society reminds pet owners to leave their dogs at home and not bring them along during grocery or shopping trips.
People should keep their furry friends in a nice cool environment at home because outside temperatures of even 21 degrees Celsius can feel like 32 degrees Celsius in a vehicle after just 10 minutes, executive director Dana Haukaas said.
Residents who think they’ll be in the store for only a few minutes might encounter long line-ups or run into a friend, making that stop longer and leading to dogs experiencing heatstroke, she continued. The results of heat strokes are sobering: 50 per cent of animals will die. Not even having the windows open a few centimetres will alleviate the heat.
Signs of heatstroke in a dog include a racing heart, high body temperature, brain seizures, glass eyes, fearful expression, heaving panting, excessive drooling, red or purple gums and tongue, vomiting, and eventual collapse or staggered gait.
If pet owners are worried that their dog has heatstroke, they should move the animal somewhere cool, offer smaller amounts of tepid water, soak the coat with cool — but never cold — running water, direct a fan onto the animal, and contact a veterinarian.
Some ways to keep dogs cool include restricting exercise to the morning or late at night when it’s cooler, skipping walks altogether for several days, never leaving animals in a hot car or room, ensuring water and a cool, shaded spot is available, and spraying with cool water.
“My dog actually has a cooling vest, which I think when people see me out walking him, would wonder why he’s wearing a jacket in a hot temperature,” Haukaas said, pointing out the vest is made of neoprene fabric and can be soaked in cold water.
“My dog is also black and he attracts the heat, and his little vest is a light blue, so it keeps the sun from beating down on his back too. But the water evaporates out of the soaked material, and it keeps him about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than if he wasn’t wearing it.”
Pet shops and similar businesses sell these types of vests, along with cooling mats that can also be soaked in cold water, she continued. Some of the best ways to keep dogs cool, though, is to ensure they have shaded spots in the yard when outside or keep them inside where there is air conditioning.
The humane society has seen a decrease in calls during the last 10 years of dogs in locked vehicles because of its messaging on this issue via social media, said Haukaas. She noted that unless residents drive a vehicle with air conditioning, pets should stay home in a cool environment.
If people see dogs locked in vehicles at a store, they should go into the business and have customer service page the owner to take the animal home, she added. People might be embarrassed, but they will at least protect the animal’s health.
