Saturday, September 9, 2017 is Responsible Dog Ownership Day. On this day, the American Kennel Club hosts events at the NC State Fairgrounds from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You and your dog are invited to enjoy a free day of games, giveaways, demonstrations, meet the breeds, and more.

In the spirit of this day, Walk & Wag team member and professional dog trainer Chris O’Connor shares information about your dog and heat. Unlike humans, dogs do not have an efficient, built-in cooling system, and taking your dog out when it’s too hot can cause serious health problems, or even death. Most importantly, Chris discusses the dangers of leaving your dog in a car, even for just a few minutes, and recommends an excellent resource for learning more.

How Hot is Too Hot?

The summer may be winding down, but in North Carolina, there will likely still be some hot days ahead. The summer months are a time to be outside, go to farmers’ markets, ride bikes, and get some exercise to shed a few of those pesky winter pounds! And all that is perfectly fine, until you decide it would be nice to bring Fido along.

There are three things that I have witnessed in the summertime that drove me completely nuts:

1. pulling into the parking lot of Lowes Foods and hearing an unattended dog barking from inside a car (the pooch had been left alone while the owner ran in for just a few quick things – it’s always just a few quick things!);
2. driving on Poythress Road in Chapel Hill around 11:00 a.m. on a typical summer day, when the temperature was already at 82 degrees and climbing with tons of humidity, and seeing a woman jogging with her 20-pound dog, who was running dutifully beside her with his tongue hanging out, which was now the size of Ohio (a sure sign that it’s too hot out for your dog); and
3. seeing a man riding his bike in Anderson Park in Carrboro with his dog, who was trying to keep up and running on asphalt, which considering the temperature was about 85 degrees that day, must have been pretty hot on the dog’s poor little pads!

So now that I have vented my frustrations, it’s time to ask that all-important question: How hot is too hot?

When it’s too hot for your dog, this is point when she can no longer function normally and when her body and organs begin to suffer. Your dog’s normal temperature is around 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit. When this temperature reaches 107, your pooch is in trouble.

Humans sweat when we get too hot, and we can sweat a lot. It’s the evaporation of our sweat that provides us with a cooling effect. This helps our body keep our internal temperature in check. Dogs sweat, too, but they don’t do it nearly as well as we do. Basically, your dog sweats through her tongue, the pads of her feet, and a little bit by her nose. This small amount doesn’t have the same effect of releasing heat and keeping the body temperature regulated as when we sweat.

If you are ever considering leaving your dog alone in a car on a hot (or even slightly warm) day for any amount of time, I highly recommend you visit mydogiscool.com.

The temperature inside your car will rise significantly even with the window cracked, even with all four windows cracked, even if you park in the shade, even if it doesn’t feel all that hot out to you. A temperature as low as 70 degrees can reach 90 within ten minutes and 104 within 30 minutes.

Once your dog’s internal temperature goes up to about 106-107 degrees, her organs are going to be affected, including the possibility for brain damage. If she’s left for too long, she will have convulsions and eventually die.

Vets who have done autopsies on dogs who have died in hot cars say that their organs look like they have melted. Depending on the humidity and the temperature, this can happen in a matter of minutes. I personally know someone who left their dog in a car for “just a few minutes” and then got distracted by something and didn’t return to their dog quickly enough. The dog died a very painful, and completely preventable, death. And this person will have to live with that choice forever.

So please take a few minutes and visit mydogiscool.com. Educate yourself on the dangers of leaving your dog in a car. This is an outstanding website that will help you become an informed guardian for your pets. I also encourage all responsible pet owners to order some of their Hot Car Flyers (or make your own!) to put on any car that has a dog left unattended inside. It’s possible the owner is not aware of the possible perils of picking up just a few quick things while their dog waits.

Check out mydogiscool.com and share it with your friends on Facebook and other social media. Help spread the word to create more responsible dog owners and keep more dogs safe during the summer months and all year round!

Chris O’Connor

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