Two dogs dead after being left in hot car

SOUTH DEERFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - It may not be an official heat wave yet, but the record breaking temperatures created a pet owner's worst nightmare in South Deerfield on Wednesday.

Inside the South Deerfield animal hospital's Intensive Care Unit, veterinarians see two to three dozen cases of heat stroke every summer.

On Wednesday, the season got off to a deadly start.

A well-meaning pet owner left two dogs in the back of a covered pickup with fresh water and the windows open. But the heat quickly took its toll.

“It just gets too hot when there's no ventilation,” explained Dr. Erika Mueller, the hospital’s co-owner and Critical Care Specialist. “One presented dead and the other one died shortly afterward just from the high temperatures.”

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society Director Candy Lash told 22News many pet owners tragically underestimate the dangers of leaving a dog in a car for even a few moments.

“Even on a 70 degree day, parked in the shade with windows cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes,” said Lash.

That’s why veterinarians are warning pet owners: there’s no safe way to ever leave an animal in a car during warm weather.

The rising temperatures can also pose other risks to pets. According to Dr. Mueller,dogs with light fur are even more susceptible to sunburn. Shaving your pet down can help keep it cooler, but you should leave at least one inch of fur to prevent severe sunburns.

In the “dog days of summer,” any outside walks should be taken in the morning or evening hours, when temperatures are cooler.  

That walk should be in the morning or evening hours when temperatures are cooler.

“You should kneel down and feel the pavement and see how hot that is,” said Dr. Mueller, “and you have to realize they're so much closer to the ground than you. That'll maybe give you a little bit of an idea of what's a danger zone of when you shouldn't go outside.”

Early symptoms of heat stroke include panting, tiredness and slowing down. Certain breeds of dogs and cats with flat faces, like pugs, bulldogs and Persians, can’t pant as effectively due to the layout of their airways, so they’re especially at risk of overheating quickly. Overweight and elderly pets are considered high risk as well.

A dog's temperature's normally around 100 degrees. If it hits 102, it's time to get to the vet.

Just like in humans, heat stroke in pets can be fatal.

Your furry family members are counting on you to look out for them when the mercury rises.