Excessive heat warning
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for almost all of East Central Illinois except for Ford and Iroquois counties. The warning is in effect from 7 a.m. Sunday through 7 p.m. Friday. Included are Champaign, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion counties.
MoreThank you, areader and Yatiri. One would think people wouldn't need such reminders, but incredibly, every year we hear of both children and animals left to agonize and die in hot cars, especially K-9 dogs "forgotten" by their professional partners. Mindboggling, these people who "forget."
"Nobody keeps statistics on dog deaths from being left in cars, but about 30 to 40 children die in parked cars each year. Considering that dogs aren't allowed in most places children are, and that dogs overheat more quickly than children, it's likely that hundreds of dogs die in closed cars every year." http://www.petside.com/article/how-keep-your-dog-safe-summer
Humane Society of the United States says:
* A dog's normal temperature is about 101F - at 105F it can suffer moderate heatstroke; at 108F dog heatstroke is severe if not deadly.
* Your dog is designed to conserve heat and only has sweat glands on paw pads and nose. He regulates temperature by panting - expelling warm air and inhaling cool air. In hot sun, shed or car, he will be breathing in hot air, fighting a losing battle.
* Even when it's only 72F outside, your car can heat up to 105F (heatstroke temp) within 30 minutes.
* When 85F outside, a car's inside can hit 102F in 10 mins; 20 mins later, 120F; after an hour, about 133 degrees.
* Leaving car windows partly open has little effect on inside temp or how fast car heats up.
* Even if you get dog out of car and cool him down, he may have suffered long term damage to brain and internal organs.
Similar conditions can apply to shed and garage enclosures.
Signs of heat exhaustion include glazed eyes, rapid pulse, heavy panting, deep red or purple tongue, vomiting and staggering gait.
What to do if a dog becomes overheated:
* Quickly move pet to shade and apply cool, NOT COLD, water over its body to gradually lower core temperature.
* Apply cold towels or ice packs to its HEAD, NECK and CHEST only.
* Let pet drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes.
* Take immediately to a veterinarian.
Besides rapid overheating from the sun, light-skinned cats and dogs can also get sunburn and skin cancer. But good luck keeping the sunscreen on their noses and ears!
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