Consider summer heat safety for your dog — yes, even in Alaska

Leaving your dog, or any other animal, in a parked vehicle during the summer months can cause heatstroke for your beloved pet. This can happen even in Alaska, where the temperatures are a great deal cooler than in many other places in the Lower 48. Temperatures can skyrocket in just a few minutes, so no length of time is really safe. Parking in the shade, and leaving windows open a bit, are not adequate solutions for this problem.

Hot air gets trapped inside your car, made worse by light that is collected through the windows. On a hot, sunny day, a car parked in direct sunlight, can have a temperature increase of 30 degrees in one minute. This can certainly present a danger to your dog. Dogs are not very efficient at cooling themselves and they cannot turn on the air conditioning or open a window when they become overheated.

A dog’s body is built to conserve heat and panting helps to cool them down, but if all they have to breathe is hot air, they can quickly become brain or organ damaged. Symptoms of over heating include heavy panting, restlessness, excessive thirst, glazed eyes, lethargy, fever, lack of coordination, salivation, vomiting, an intense red or purple tongue, and then unconsciousness. To help an animal suffering from heatstroke, move him to a cool spot, apply cold towels or immerse in cool water, offer small amounts of cool water, and then take him to a veterinarian.

Some things you can do to help:

• Keep your dog at home if you are going to a place that doesn’t welcome dogs.

• If you see a pet in a parked car, and he/she appears to be in danger of overheating, find the owner. If you can’t find him/her, call the police or Animal Control. Call 911!

• Educate others by leaving brochures on windshields. These can be ordered from mydogiscool.com.

Angie Lewis is vice president for

Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue.