The weather is warming up and I want to share tips with you because last summer we took a great number of calls regarding pets with heat stress or heat stroke. Sadly, some didn’t make it. Most pets were living in cars with their homeless parent where the temperature can rise very quickly.

The American Kennel Club has a great article that I want to share a few excerpts from with you or you can read the full article here.

"It doesn’t have to be super hot outside for your car to heat up. The inside of a vehicle parked in 70-degree weather can reach 100 degrees in just 20 minutes. On very hot days, temperatures inside parked cars can climb to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in less than one hour.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), studies have shown that cracking a window changes these figures very little. A parked car with the windows cracked heats up at almost the exact same rate as a car with the windows rolled up, putting pets in serious danger.

All dogs are susceptible to heat stroke. Heat intolerant brachycephalic breeds (dogs that have a relatively broad, short skull), such as Pugs and Bulldogs, however, could suffer negative effects sooner than other breeds. If you know you’ll be on the road with your dog, make plans to travel with another adult who can remain in the vehicle with him while the air conditioner is running."

I hope you found this information educational and helpful. Keep your pets safe and cool this summer.