A dog rids its body of excess heat by panting. On a hot day, a dog must take in more air to keep its temperature constant. For this reason, a hot, enclosed space with little air circulation, such as the inside of a car, is a dangerous place for a dog. On a summer day when the outside temperature is 85 degrees, the interior of your car can reach 120 degrees in just 30 minutes, even with the windows partially open. Because a dog's normal body temperature is about 102 degrees Fahrenheit, the dog will suffer brain damage or death if its body temperature rises to 107 degrees. High humidity can make the situation worse by reducing a dog's tolerance to heat even at relatively low temperatures.

Animals locked inside a car, even for just a few minutes, are at extreme risk of heatstroke -- even with the car windows open. Dogs in poorly ventilated garages and very young, old and obese dogs left outside on hot days are susceptible to heatstroke as well.

To prevent heatstroke, limit your pet's physical activity to the evening or early morning, while the day is cool. Never force a dog to exert itself in the heat; you may not notice that the dog is overheated until it is too late. Remember that Goldens have a strong drive to be with humans. If you're having fun in the sun, make sure that your dog doesn't spend all day laying beside you out of loyalty. Provide shade or take the dog inside when he's had enough.

Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting and salivation, elevated temperature, an anxious expression, warm foot pads, vomiting and diarrhea. If you notice these symptoms, act quickly by pouring cool water over your dog or put ice packs on the animal's head. Get him to a veterinarian right away.

Heatstroke Kills
A Case History by a YGRR member/veterinary technician

I had the unfortunate opportunity to witness the effects of heat stroke. One particularly hot day, two men carried a seventy-pound male Golden into our veterinary office. He was unconscious, panting and dripping wet. A couple from Massachusetts had come to Connecticut to spend the weekend sight-seeing and shopping. They apparently thought nothing of leaving their family dog in the truck as they shopped. After all, the windows were partially down. "The dog was only in the truck for an hour and a half," they said. (Witnesses later recounted that the dog was in there for three hours with the windows cracked.) Attempts by witnesses to locate the owners in the mall were futile.

Even with moderate temperatures, cars can create a greenhouse effect and build up heat quickly. Temperatures that day were in the high nineties. Following is a partial account from the dog's chart.

2:15 p.m. (T=109) Alcohol bath, cold packs, tub table, intravenous started. Unconscious, panting.

2:35 p.m. (T=102.7) Empty tub table, remove ice packs and cold towel, normal pulse rate

2:45 p.m. Semiconscious, sat up, barking

6:00 p.m. Stuporous, thrashing periodically, pupils dilated

Next day

8:30 a.m. (T=103.2) Responsive, panting and weak, passing bloody urine. Drinking okay, can stand on his own, mucous membranes moist, pink. Fine muscle tremors, normal pulse rate, lungs OK, shifting leg lameness. Improved. (At this point, the owners elected to leave the dog with our hospital rather than transport him back to their own vet in Massachusetts. They returned home.)

5:15 p.m. (T=106) Semiconscious, mucous membrane tacky, eyes sunken back in head, panting.

6:00 p.m. Bloody urine, barking, crying, thrashing.

6:50 p.m. Tufts University reports having seen many such cases and not having saved any, stated prognosis to be zero.

7:00 p.m. Tried to call owner, left message on tape.

7:15 p.m. Called again, left another message. The dog is suffering, deteriorating, prognosis zero. Dog has not regained consciousness, continues to groan.

7:35 p.m. Euthanized.

8:15 p.m. Called owner, no answer, message left.

The real tragedy in all this is that the owners had no idea that this could happen. Even though they appeared to be educated, intelligent people, they just didn't know. Instead of just assuming that people know the dangers of heat stroke, I will be sure to tell others about it, whether they want to hear it or not.

Note: Dogs can get heatstroke anywhere -- not just in a hot car. Do not exercise your dog on hot days and make sure he has access to shade and water if he is kept outdoors.



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This information is made available to you by the efforts of YGRR volunteers. To join them in helping our homeless Goldens, please consider becoming a member or making a donation.

Thank you.

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