Protect the dog from heat

FOUR PAWS warns: Never leave your dog alone in the car – protect paws from burns

Hamburg. While humans can protect themselves, dogs rely on their humans for protection. FOUR PAWS pet expert and qualified biologist Dr. Sabrina Karl gives tips on how to behave properly in hot weather and warns urgently against leaving dogs alone in the car.

Just a quick trip to the supermarket while the dog waits in the car? This can be particularly dangerous now. Especially when a car is left in the sun, the temperatures inside can quickly double. But parking in the shade is not a solution either. If it is just 20 degrees outside, the temperature in the car quickly rises to 36 degrees within half an hour. When the outside temperature is 28 degrees in summer, it's already 44 degrees in the car after 30 minutes. And when the outside temperature is 36 degrees, the car heats up to 52 degrees after just 30 minutes.

“After a few minutes, the car can become a danger for dogs: The temperature in the car can rise by up to seven degrees after just 10 minutes. When the temperature reaches 28 degrees, the dog has difficulty cooling itself down naturally by panting, and the risk of heat stroke increases. Since the normal body temperature of dogs is around 38 degrees, a very warm car, in which a temperature of around 44 degrees is measured, can cause the dog to suffer from heat stroke suffers and dies from multiple organ failure.

Dogs are helpless against the heat in a closed car and cannot compensate for it by panting alone. Very important: Neither parking in the shade nor leaving a gap in the window can reliably prevent heat build-up,” says Dr. Sabrina Karl, pet expert at FOUR PAWS.

Dog in distress:
Life comes before material possessions
If you notice a dog in a locked, obviously overheated car, you can intervene as an observer and free the animal from its dangerous situation. “Anyone who discovers an animal in such an emergency situation should first check whether the owner is somewhere nearby. If this is unsuccessful, you should call the police or fire department. However, in particularly hot weather or if the dog has been trapped in the car for a long time, every minute counts: Then you should not hesitate and break the window. It is best to briefly document the situation beforehand, take pictures or a video and, ideally, bring in other eyewitnesses,” advises the FOUR PAWS pet expert. As soon as the dog is freed, you should – depending on the animal's condition – take it to the shade and cool it carefully and slowly or consult a veterinarian immediately.

Protect paws from burns on asphalt
In warm weather, it is particularly important that your four-legged friend has access to fresh water and a cool place to lie down at all times. Even walks when the temperature is high can quickly turn the dog walk into torture: routes on asphalt should be avoided because it heats up quickly, even on mild summer days. “It's easy to test whether the surface is too hot for the dog's paws: simply hold the flat of your hand on the ground for a few seconds – if that's hard to bear, it's too hot for a walk,” explains Dr. Sabrina Karl. In order to avoid possible burns on the paws and overheating, you should now generally postpone your walks to the early morning and evening hours and take them on paths in the shade or in the forest.

A dog’s “air conditioning” is located in its nose
Particular consideration should be given to short-nosed breeds such as pugs or French bulldogs. “A dog's body's own air conditioning system is located in its nose. Dogs generally try to compensate for the heat by panting more heavily. Short-nosed breeds are less able to do this for anatomical reasons,” says Dr. Charles. “High temperatures and physical exertion can quickly become life-threatening for short-nosed breeds.”

If your dog is particularly sensitive to heat, you can offer him a special cooling mat or vest at home under supervision. And of course animals should always have access to fresh water – not just in summer.