The safe temperature to leave your dog in your car is not the same as the temperature outside. In the summer, temperatures can reach as high as 30C, which is very dangerous. Heat stroke can occur within five to ten minutes. Even if you roll down the windows, they will not make much of a difference. This is because vehicles conduct heat, making even a 25C day feel like 41C inside. A vehicle’s temperature can increase by ten degrees every ten minutes, making it lethal within half an hour.
Illegal temperature to leave the dog in the car
A dog’s body temperature is very sensitive, and it is dangerous for it to be left in a car with a heat source. A dog will suffer from hyperthermia and even heat stroke in a car that is hot. Even a car with cracked windows can become 102 degrees inside a few minutes. Veterinary professionals recommend that owners never leave a dog in a car alone.
A dog can die from heatstroke if it is left in a hot car. The temperature can climb to dangerous levels in minutes, and even the smallest animal can suffer severe illnesses or even die. Some warning signs of distress include excessive panting, drooling, clawing at the window, restlessness, and anxiety. Other symptoms of distress include vomiting and foaming at the mouth.
Too hot
Leaving your dog in a hot car can be dangerous for both you and the pet. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that hundreds of pets die every year from overheating in parked cars. In many cases, the pets were left in the car while their owners ran errands or visited friends. In these cases, the owner didn’t realize the risk to their pet’s life.
The temperature inside a 95degF car can reach 114degF within ten minutes and 129degF within 30 minutes. The heat can be particularly dangerous for dogs as they cannot get enough fresh air and will easily succumb to heatstroke. Even dogs that enjoy the cold can be susceptible to hypothermia, so it is crucial to keep a dog cool while in the car.
No safe temperature
Leaving your dog in a hot car can be deadly. Depending on the weather, temperatures inside your vehicle can rise by as much as 40 degrees in just ten minutes. Even cracking the windows won’t help. A study in San Francisco found that a car’s interior temperature reached 93 degrees in just 10 minutes, and by 20 minutes, it was 107 degrees. After 30 minutes, it was 110 degrees, and after 60 minutes, it reached 119 degrees. Those are scary numbers!
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to keep your dog warm. Most veterinarians and animal welfare organizations recommend leaving your dog in the car only for short periods of time. In extreme cases, your dog may succumb to hypothermia or even frostbite.
