KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — Summer kicked off with a heatwave impacted every region of the United States. Even the Heartland saw triple-digit heat indices.
While the heat is dangerous to humans, the high temperatures can pose an even bigger threat for our pets.
Dogs are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses than us because of their higher body temperatures. A normal range of body temperatures in a human is 97.6-99.6 degrees Fahrenheit, but a dog or cat’s normal body temperature is between 101 and 102.5 degrees.
Dr. Brie Helton with Kirksville Small Animal Hospital told KTVO how you can prevent heat illnesses in dogs.
“Always make sure they have plenty of water and plenty of shade. Somewhere that they can easily access to get out direct sunlight is the biggest part. If you can limit the times that they walk in the middle of the day and instead aim for early mornings and later at night, that can go a long way.”
It’s important to recognize the signs. Common symptoms of heat-related illness in dogs include:
- Panting and seeking a cool environment
- Fast heart rate and breathing rate
- Increased breathing noises (may be raspy)
- Wobbly, confused, having seizures
- Excessive thirst
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Bruising on the abdomen (evidence of organ damage)
A quick way dogs can overheat is by taking walks or exercising during the hottest parts of the day. Concrete and asphalt can heat up quickly in sunlight, which can burn dogs’ paw pads. Even hot grass or dirt can cause discomfort.
When walking your dog, a good indicator is using your bare hand or foot to test the ground. If it’s too hot for you, it’s definitely too hot for your dog.
If your dog becomes overheated, Dr. Helton told KTVO how you can cool them down safely.
“Oftentimes the gut reaction is to fill a pool with cold water and submerge your dog. That’s actually kind of dangerous. It can send them into shock if their body temperature is too high. Instead, you can wet a paper towel or a cloth towel in rubbing alcohol or cool-to-lukewarm water and cover their paw pads and belly. That’s a really good way to help dissipate that heat.”
One of the most dangerous things people consistently do is leave their dogs unattended in a hot car.
Even if it’s only 70 degrees outside, temperatures in a car can reach triple digits within an hour.
As it gets hotter outside, that time frame greatly decreases.
It’s also illegal to do so.
A Kirksville Police official told KTVO it would likely fall under animal neglect, which means the following punishments could be enforced:
- First time offense: Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 15 days in jail and/or up to a $700 fine
- Second and subsequent cases: Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or up to a $1,000 fine.
Egregious or clearly intentional cases could be charged as animal abuse, which means the following punishments could be enforced:
- First time offense: Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or up to $2,000 in fines.
- Second or subsequent cases: Class E felony, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or up to $10,000 in fines.
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