We lost our sweet baby boy on May 12, 2014. His name was Porter – he was 9 months old. I left him in a running car with the AC on while I ran inside to make some copies. When I returned, the car was off and our perfect little boy had passed. I grieve to this day, and I’m sharing this to further my commitment to save others from this tragedy.
While the circumstances of Porter’s death were unique, heat stroke claims thousands of animals per year. And it’s not just the careless who lose their furry friends: It has happened to veterinarians, professional dog show handlers, breeders, dog trainers… anyone. Between 1,800 and 2,000 dogs are lost annually due to car-related heat stroke.
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When it comes to heat stroke, the horror, atrocity, and shame for the owner pales in comparison to the panic and suffering endured by the dog. So I drafted a brief list of ‘myths and facts’ so future pups and their owners can avoid such pain.
Myth: It has to be hot outside for your car to be unsafe. A Stanford University study found that, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour.
See more : Help! My dog has been hit by a car!
Myth: “If I’m gone for ‘just a minute’, I’ll be back before it gets too hot.” San Francisco State University found that 80-degreee heat causes the temperature inside your car to reach 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes. And since dogs don’t have efficient ways to cool themselves, your furry companion can die in less than 15 minutes.
Myth: Opening windows allows the hot air inside your car to escape: Cars with cracked, or open windows can still reach deadly temperatures quickly. In fact, a study done by the Animal Protection Agency revealed that cracked windows reduce inside temperature by only a few degrees. In the study, 80-degree temperatures still yielded deadly conditions within a car with the windows cracked.
Myth: Parking in the shade keeps the car cool. Go outside and follow the shadow of a tree for a day. In an hour, the shadow can spin, grow, shrink or change shape. So while you may think your car’s in the shade, the shadow may have moved an your car could be back in direct sunlight
Myth: Leaving your car on, with the A/C running is safe for your dog. As the temperature rises, cars stall at greater rates. Google “car stalls while idling” and you’ll find a litany of reasons why your car can crap out – many of these sites are devoted exclusively to stalls on warm days. The truth is, days which are most dangerous to your dog, are also most dangerous to your car.
See more : Dogs In Hot Cars and Other Summer Dangers | ASPCA
When a dog dies in a hot car, it’s quick, but not painless. First, he pants hard, and his saliva runs thick. When his only cooling method fails he becomes desperate, searching for shade within the car or scratching at windows, seats or floors to get out. Desperation turns to panic as he bloodies himself in an effort to survive.
Soon after come vomiting, diarrhea and unconsciousness. Organs disintegrate – brain tissue, liver, and kidneys fail. Within minutes, he’s gone.
As pet owners, we are advocates for those without a voice and protectors of those who cannot protect themselves. When we take on these furry creatures, we vow to keep them safe, happy and healthy for as long as they grace us with their lives. For them and for you, please, please, please, follow this one simple rule:
When you’re not in the car, they’re not in the car.
Source: https://arcy.info
Category: Dog Care
