'Dog Days Of Summer' Kill Dogs

Leaving pets inside of unattended cars in the fall, winter or spring is one thing. Leaving them inside of vehicles during 'dog days,' such as today, puts them at risk for dying, and leaves owners with the risk of citations from police.

Minutes count when pets face heat strokes. Muggy, parked cars have been compared to placing pets into "solar-powered Easy Bake ovens." No one thinks a problem will happen to their animal while they take care of a quick errand, but rising temperatures can threaten an animal in as quickly as 2 to 5 minutes.

Mid-day prompt/reminder of dangers:  Today, after a meeting, I walked out of the Barnes & Noble in Crestwood at approximately noon. I was shocked to see a Maltese dog left unattended in the car next to mine. I waited a bit, but no dog owner came. I shook my head and drove away, but the fear of something unnecessary and awful happening to that dog willed me to return to the parking lot. The dog was still panting, sitting alone in the driver's seat. The front two windows were cracked, but not the back two. The car was not in the shade of a tree, either. I took photos, which accompany this article, between 12:16 p.m. to 12:19 p.m. My vehicle's thermometer read 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Still no owner to relieve the dog! Another customer pulled up, and also could not believe someone left their dog in this heat. Ironically, he said he knew someone who left their dog unattended this weekend during Fourth of July activities. That dog got heat stroke and died. Now we both were worried about the Maltese helplessly in front of us. He went inside the bookstore to see if a manager would page customers and ask whoever's dog it was to go out and take care of it. I decided to write and share this article as a positive step, and contacted the police to see what guidelines are in place.

Why heat is problematic for dogs

Dogs do not have sweat glands, so the way they cool down is through panting. From watching dogs pant, it obviously is not the most effective cooling mechanism.

Once a dog's body temperature reaches more than about 106 degrees—normal temperature is around 101—the result is "everything from nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, systemic organ failure, and it happens fast," said George Damon, DVM, .

Damon said heat literally can fry dog's brains.

Dog industry statistics indicate on a summer's day of only 85 degrees even keeping parked vehicle windows slightly open won't stop the inside temperature from climbing to 102 degrees in 10 minutes, and to 120 degrees in 20 minutes. That's enough to cause brain damage in dogs, if not death.

A step some people take is to carry preprinted "Don't Leave Me in Here—It's Hot" fliers in their vehicles. Placing them under windshield wipers when spotting unattended, distressed dogs reminds others of the peril that could be minutes away from mankind's best friend.

"Sometimes we can't reverse the effects of heat on animals, which from being in cars, can cause blood clotting and dementia," he said.

Damon said excessive panting of dogs inside hot vehicles can flip the pH of their bodies, leading to mental depression and other life-threatening problems, depending on the breed.

However, he said to absolutely not cool down dogs quickly after they've been subjected to heat in cars. "Don't throw them into iced water, or they will shock out."

He said to first get the affected dog in front of a fan; then wet down one side and then the other after 20 minutes. Many dogs require treatment plans at a veterinary office, he said.

Leaving dogs in heat is unlawful

Another option is to let police officers or animal control representatives know about unattended dogs in hot vehicles. Kathy Hencken, precinct aide with the , said Wildwood has an ordinance regarding "animal neglect due to failing to provide appropriate or adequate controls for animals."

Hencken said this circumstance can be considered animal abuse, and citations can be written.

She also said officers can use whatever force they believe necessary to rescue a dog or animal from such unattended vehicles.

Pet advocates can call the non-emergency hotline of St. Louis County Police at 314-889-2341 to report any concerns about unattended pets in hot, parked vehicles.