How often should my dog be bathed?
September 15, 2017
Unfortunately every year we hear stories on the news about people leaving children and pets inside of a hot car during the summertime. This is something that should not happen and one person or pet dying because of this is not only one too many but it is completely avoidable. The good news is that in recent years these cases have been getting more national attention and have even lead to criminal prosecutions.
Seconds turn to minutes very fast!
Now, we have all been there. Out and about and we just need to stop at the store to get one quick item so there is no need to unstrap the baby or put the dog on a leash, after all the store might not even allow pets. You’ll be quick anyway and you’ll crack a window.
Why is this dangerous for your pets? Your pets do not sweat the way that we do. They pant instead to cool down and when confined in a hot space all they are doing is recycling hot air. They get no relief from panting which can lead to heat stroke quickly. A change in only a few degrees in their internal temperature can bring on heat stroke, organ damage, a coma, brain damage and death.
70 to 100 degrees in 30 short minutes.
Inside of a hot car it does not take long for it to warm up. You see your car is like a greenhouse. It is easy for the sun’s rays to get in but difficult for the heat they produce to get out. On a 70 degree day, in the sun the temperature inside the car can rise by almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes and by almost 50% in 30 minutes. In half an hour the inside of your car on a 70 degree day is over 100 degrees! On a hot 95 degree day in that time it can reach almost 130 degrees inside. Oh, one other thing, cracking a window does not offer any negligible help.
So, ask yourself would you like to sit in that? Hopefully you answered no to that. Your pet does not want to either. It can take as little as ten minutes for heat stroke to set in. When their internal temperature goes over 104 your pet’s internal mechanisms for cooling themselves become overwhelmed and stop working. At the same time many of their other systems like their neurologic, urinary and circulatory systems also begin to fail. At this point the chances of recovery are slim.
Think about your pet's safety on those really hot days.
Is grabbing that bottle of milk worth your pet’s life? Is getting your prescription filled more important than your pet? Your pet is a member of your family just like your spouse and children. All it takes is ten minutes and that could change. While going for a ride in the car makes them happy if you know you have stops to make it is better to just leave them at home.
https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/heat-stroke-in-dogs-what-is-heat-stroke-and-when-does-it-happen
“If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” — Will Rogers
