Heat trap car - dogs suffer torment in a car that is too hot

Again and again we read the headlines in these hot summer days:

The owner was just out for a quick coffee or bun and a dog had to be rescued from an overheated car. In many cases, any help comes too late.

Never leave your dog alone in the car when it's warm. Even if you park in the shade and open the windows a crack, your dog can very quickly suffer from heat stroke, which often leads to death or permanent damage. The car becomes a heat trap for many dogs in summer. In a matter of minutes, the heat in the car can rise to unbelievable temperatures of over 60 degrees. The dog suffers agony from an internal temperature of 30 degrees.

In contrast to humans, a dog can hardly sweat. It can only regulate its body temperature by drinking water and panting. Dogs therefore prefer shady places from 22-25 degrees, prefer to stay indoors and reduce their physical activities to a minimum. Apart from that, the heat in some dog breeds builds up to an unbearable level just through the fur alone. Dogs that have restricted airways (brachycephaly) also suffer from the heat all the more, since even panting can hardly provide any relief due to the restricted air supply.

React quickly: How to help a dog in the car and maybe save his life

If you see a dog in the car on a warm day, please help him!

1. Find out who owns the car.

  • call out
  • Organize loudspeaker announcements in shops

2. Can't find the car or dog owner?

  • Call the police! The police are obliged to free the dog.

3. You can break the car window!

This is property damage, but if the dog's life is in acute danger,
you probably don't have to fear any claims for damages. *

*Important: Document your actions with photos or look for witnesses.

4. Signs that there is danger to life:

  • Very quick panting and apathy, but also partly nervousness.
  • If the dog is panting, staggering, vomiting very quickly, has a very red tongue and a glazed look, it may already have suffered from heat stroke and be in acute danger of death.

5. First Aid

If you rescued the dog from a hot car, he must

  • Quickly get in the shade and drink water.
  • His body should be moistened with lukewarm or slightly cool water.
  • Even the urgently needed drinking water must not be ice cold !

6. Even if the animal seems to be doing better after the first aid measure, it must be examined professionally and given medical care

Note:

Even if the parked car is not initially in direct sunlight, from 25 °C onwards, mere panting is no longer enough to regulate the dog's body temperature