As the temperature soars, your four-legged friends are also suffering.
Dogs cannot sweat to cool down like humans; they sweat slightly through their paw pads, but mostly through panting.
Wayne Parcelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States , sat down with FOX 5 Morning News to discuss precautions owners need to take in order to ensure pet health safety in the summer heat.
Pet owners can pick up warning signs of heat stress in animals and also take general precautions to protect against heat emergencies.
General Safety Tips:
-Never leave your pets in a parked car.
On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85 degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die. If you see an animal in distress in a parked car, contact the nearest animal shelter or police.
-Shade and water are a must.
Anytime your pet is outside, make sure he or she has protection from heat and sun (a doghouse does not provide relief from heat) and plenty of fresh, cool water. Heat stroke can be fatal for pets as well as people.
-Limit exercise/walking on hot days.
Take care when exercising your pet. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, which are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets who, because of their short noses, typically have difficulty breathing. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet's paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible.
In case of an emergency, it's important to be able to identify the symptoms of heat stress caused by exposure to extreme temperatures.
Some signs of heatstroke are: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, restlessness, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue and unconsciousness.
If the animal shows symptoms of heatstroke, take the following steps immediately to gradually lower it’s body temperature and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Move the animal into the shade or an air-conditioned area, and apply ice packs or cold towels to her head, neck and chest or run cool (not cold) water over her.
Let her drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes and take her directly to a veterinarian.