Hot cars deadly for man's best friend

With summer temperatures creeping toward 100, dog owners should leave pets at home while they run errands instead of risking their lives in a hot car.

"We get two or three calls a day of animals locked in cars, mostly at shopping malls," said Carson City Animal Control Supervisor Pat Wiggins.

On Sunday, while animal control officers were responding to a call of a dog left in a car at Costco, Carson City deputies were called out to a report of two dogs in a car at Smith's.

The dispatch log for the Smith's call reports the temperature was 98 degrees.

"Upon arrival, both dogs were panting, drooling," the log states, "no water in vehicle."

Wiggins said so far this summer 10 citations have been issued to people who have left their dog in a vehicle. All of the animals were rescued and have since recovered, said Wiggins.

When it is 85 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and 120 degrees in 30 minutes. A dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death, according to United Animal Nations.

Cracking the windows does not help; it doesn't prevent the temperature in the car from rising.

Dogs can succumb to heatstroke in just 15 minutes.

Some recent cases of dogs dying after being left in hot vehicles:

• On June 30, a British police officer left his two German shepherds in the patrol vehicle in 82-degree temperatures while he went into the office. When he returned, the animals were dead. The internal temperature was 116 degrees.

• On July 14, in Denver, a man left his terrier in the car in 90-degree heat while his girlfriend waited in line to audition for "American Idol." When he checked on the dog hours later, it was dead.

• On July 9, a Mount Holly, N.J., Police Department bomb-sniffing K9 died at the veterinarian's office after succumbing to the heat in his handler's vehicle.

The ASPCA offers the following tips on keeping your animals safe in hot weather:

• A parked car, truck or van can quickly become a furnace. Parking in shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day. When traveling, carry a gallon thermos filled with fresh, cold water for your pet.

• Do not force your animal to exercise after a meal in hot weather. Always exercise him in the cool of the early morning or evening.

• Always provide plenty of shade for an animal staying outside. A properly constructed doghouse serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day and let it rest in a cool part of your house. Always provide plenty of cool, clean water for your animal.

• Snub-nosed dogs, especially bulldogs, pugs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus, and those with heart or lung diseases should be kept indoors in air conditioning as much as possible.

• Shaving your dog's hair to a one-inch length will help prevent overheating. Do not shave a dog's hair down to the skin; this robs it of protection from the sun.

• Never take an animal to the beach unless you can provide a shaded spot and plenty of fresh water for it to drink. Rinse it off after it has been in salt water.

• Never leave your dog standing on hot asphalt. Its body can heat up quickly and its sensitive paw pads can burn.

"It's too hot to have your dog in a car. You're going to make your animal suffer," said Wiggins. "And if there's no permanent damage, you'll never know about it because when you show back up to your car he's just going to wag his tail 'cause he loves you."