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Posted: August 25, 2006
 Three dogs left outdoors in a small crate in the full sun with no water. It’s not a pleasant thought. One had already died from the intense heat when Plano’s Animal Services team arrived on the scene. One barely survived after receiving medical attention at the shelter and since has found a new home. The third dog is currently healthy and up for adoption.
The death of pets from heat-related stress is becoming too familiar in Plano, with approximately 11 dogs dying from the heat over the past several weeks. More often than not something as simple as providing access to shade and water would have saved them.
There are a multitude of heat-related “near misses” as well. Animal Services was recently dispatched to a business to find a dog left in a sweltering vehicle for nearly 35 minutes. It survived. Another pet had been placed in a car trunk after eating an anti-depressant, then becoming aggressive towards its owner. When Animal Services arrived the dog’s temperature was 108 degrees. Medical aid was rendered and it survived. Three small dogs were found in a home without air conditioning and proper care. One was already dead, but the other two pulled through after prompt first aid from Animal Services.
Stories such as this are being repeated across our city and North Texas region as our blistering heat continues. Plano’s Animal Services Division reminds owners of pets, especially outdoor pets, that summer heat can become lethal in a matter of hours, and in parked vehicles, even in minutes.
If you observe outdoor pets that may be the victim of neglect in extreme heat, contact Plano’s Animal Services Department at 972-769-4360.
Always leave your pet outside with an accessible source of shade, such as a dog house or a lean-to, preferably under a treed area. If you must tie your dog, ensure direct sunlight does not reach that area and be very aware that a source of shade is necessary. Ensure an adequate and accessible water supply, checking it frequently.
Don’t be tempted to take your pet to outdoor activities such as outdoor concerts, sporting events, flea markets, etc., on hot, sunny days, especially on concrete or asphalt surfaces. That tongue-lolling grin may well be a warning of impending heat stroke. If you’re hot and trying to keep cool, then imagine yourself wearing a fur coat and crawling through the crowd away from a breeze.
If it’s an exceptionally hot day, keep your indoor dog or cat in the house with you. Leave them outside only for brief periods and monitor them while they are outdoors. Indoor pets have a lesser ability to handle the heat.
If you have a full-time outdoor pet don’t let the children play with it during the heat of day. They can come inside and cool off. It cannot. Even grassy ground can heat up quickly and in temperatures over 90 degrees, shade provides only protection from direct sunlight, not from the heat itself. Ensure your outdoor pet has plenty of fresh, cool water and is not tied up or housed near an air conditioning unit which blows out hot air.
Try a summer dog spa – many persons leave a half-filled wading pool for their pets to cool off in and try some frozen ice cubes in a bowl, or frozen bullion cubes (beef or chicken) for a special treat.
Schedule your daily walk for the cooler evening hours and keep it short. If you walk your animal during the day, monitor its actions and especially the amount of panting it is doing, which can be an early signal of heat stroke.
Needless to say, never keep your pet in a car while you “run in” to do a quick errand. The temperature will become lethal almost immediately.
Don’t put your dog in the garage to keep it from the sun. While a garage will provide shelter in the extreme winter cold, it will superheat in the hot summer.
Carefully monitor your outdoor pets throughout the day. Keep them calm and quiet.
For a related planocitynews.com article on heat stress in pets, click here.
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