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  Summer Safety for Our Four Legged Friends

Aug 19, 2015 12:48 ET

If you're feeling hot, your pet probably is too. As temperatures soar, DPRS would like to remind the public to take precautions against the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke when it comes to our pets.

Every year, dog owners make the mistake of leaving their companions in a parked car while they run an errand. On a normal summer day, the temperature inside a parked vehicle can soar to between 37 to 48 degrees Celsius. On a very hot, humid day, temperatures can climb to around 71 degrees Celsius after just 10 minutes.

Parked cars are death traps for dogs. Even if you leave the windows open, it can become extremely hot in short amount of time. This in turn will cause overheating, which can be deadly or result in permanent internal injury to your pet.

Heat stroke can occur when heat gain exceeds the body's ability to dissipate heat. Temperatures can become very high and can cause extreme strain on the heart, as well as cause blood clotting and death to the tissue. The liver, brain and intestinal cells are usually the first areas to be affected.

Here are some warning signs of overheating:

Excessive panting or difficulty breathing
Increased heart and respiratory rate
Bloody diarrhea and vomit
Elevated temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius

Dog breeds with flat faces, like pugs and bulldogs, are more susceptible to heat stroke. Why? They cannot pant as effectively. These breeds should be kept in cool, air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

What do I do if I see a pet in a parked vehicle?

Take down the vehicles colour, make, and licence plate number.
Get the nearest buildings to page the owner.
Call police and/or local animal services authorities.

Durham Regional Police
Local: (905) 579-1520 or Toll Free: 1-888-579-1520

Local Animal Services
Ajax (905) 683-8275
Clarington (905) 623-7651
Pickering (905) 683-7575
Oshawa (905) 436-3311
Scugog (905)985 9547
Whitby (905) 655-0283

Remember to keep your four legged friends safe and cool!

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Going for a Swim (JPG file, 157.1K bytes)