Imagine you are in a car. It is 85 degrees outside. The windows are cracked but you have no air conditioning, no keys to start the car, and no way out of the car. You are also wearing a fur coat and cannot sweat to cool yourself off. All you can do is pant, look out the window, and hope that someone comes back quickly. Soon you become distressed and restless. You start to drool excessively and, before you know it you are very dizzy, and eventually pass out.

This is heat stroke. It can happen to any dog or cat in a very short period of time. Within one hour, a car’s temperature can increase 40 degrees above the outside temperature. That means in this scenario, the temperature inside the car could potentially be 125 degrees.

Heat stroke in pets is a common occurrence in the summer months. It most often occurs when animals are left in the car even for a short period of time. It can also occur if an animal is left outside in hot, humid conditions without shade and cool water, or exercised in hot, humid conditions.

If heat stroke unfortunately happens to your pet you should:

1. Get your pet to a cool, shaded environment.
2. Direct a fan on him/her.
3. Take his/her rectal temperature and record it (anything over 105? F is an emergency)
4. Place cool wet towels in the armpits, groin, and neck areas.
5. Transport your pet to the nearest emergency facility or veterinarian’s office.

 DO NOT:

1. Use ice water, submerge your pet in an ice bath, or use ice cubes or ice packs to cool them. Believe it or not, using these methods will actually cause your pet to retain heat on the inside of their body – exactly what you do not want to do.
2. Overcool your pet – Get them to a temperature of 102.5? -103? F.
3. Force water in your pet’s mouth – Provide water for them and allow them to drink when they are ready.
4. Leave your pet unattended for any length of time.