How to keep pets safe when it’s doggone hot outside

Are you feeling hot, hot, hot? With temperatures expected to rise above 100º F in some areas of the county, you’re probably answering, yes, yes, yes!

Your furry friends feel the same.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, high summer temps can be as uncomfortable — and dangerous — for pets as it can be for their humans. Among the top threats for both: heatstroke.

Heatstroke in pets can lead to organ damage and death. And pets that are old, very young, overweight, not used to exercise, or that have chronic disease are at greater risk for heatstroke. Additionally, pets with short noses — including boxer, pug, bulldog and shih tzu dogs; and Persian, Himalayan and Scottish fold cats — have a more difficult time breathing and staying cool in extreme heat.

Signs of heatstroke in pets include:

• Heavy panting

• Glazed eyes

• Rapid heartbeat

• Difficulty breathing

• Excessive thirst

• Lethargy

• Fever

• Dizziness

• Lack of coordination

• Profuse salivation

• Vomiting

• Deep red or purple tongue

• Seizures

• Unconsciousness

If you think your pet might have heatstroke, the Humane Society says to take them immediately to a veterinarian. While on the way to the vet or as you prepare to take them, move your pet into a shaded or air-conditioned area; apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, neck and chest; run cool — not cold — water over them; and help them drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes.

Preventing pet heatstroke

In anticipation of a continued heat wave, it’s important to be prepared. Have a plan in case power goes out during extreme heat. Keep ice in a cooler to keep their water supply cold and in case of heat illness. Keep pets indoors or wherever you feel most comfortable. If you feel hot, they do too. And research air-conditioned boarding facilities or hotels that accept pets to turn to when power will be out for long periods of time.

On hot days, the Humane Society also advises you:

How to help pets in danger

In California, it’s illegal to “leave or confine an animal in any unattended motor vehicle under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of an animal due to heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, lack of food or water, or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability or death.”

If you see an animal locked in a car on a hot day, the Humane Society recommends you:

• Take down the car's make, model and license plate number.

• If there are businesses nearby, notify their managers or security guards and ask them to make an announcement to find the car's owner.

• If the owner can't be found, call the nonemergency number of the local police or animal control and wait by the car for them to arrive.

“Good Samaritans” can legally remove animals from cars in California if they, in good faith, believe forcible entry into the vehicle is necessary because the animal is in imminent danger. They must first contact a local law enforcement agency, fire department or animal control before forcibly entering the vehicle. No more force than necessary should be used to enter the vehicle and remove the animal.

Learn more about pet safety from the Humane Society of the United States.