Pets at risk during extreme heat

With a scorching week ahead of us, it is important to keep not only ourselves, but also our animals, safe from the heat.

As the forecast calls for temperatures hitting 104 degrees this week, we should keep in mind that we are not the only ones who will need shielding from the sun.

A cautious eye should be kept on our furry friends throughout this week to prevent heat stroke in our animals.

Marc Olvera, animal care supervisor at Valley Oak SPCA mentioned that heat stroke in animals throughout the Central Valley is “fairly common, and it's due to negligence and sometimes it's unexpected.”

A number of signs can be seen in your dog's appearance and behavior that can give you clues to just how much they are being affected by the heat.

Some heat stroke signs include excessive drooling, heavy panting, red or purple gums and tongue, a racing heart, and glassy eyes.

The Porterville Animal Shelter Facebook page offers the following tips on how to keep your animals cool when the days are too hot: Never leave your animal in a hot car Do your walking in the cooler parts of the days Always make sure your animals have enough drinking water If the temperatures are just too much for your pet, spray them down with some cool water Olvera suggests that if you believe your pet is suffering from a heat stroke, “Start cooling them off as soon as possible with cold water and see if they are drinking, because heat stroke is bad.”

He recommends to begin with the paws because that is where they release a lot of their heat, then move to the belly where the skin is.

It only takes 15 minutes for a dog to die from heat stroke and only 50 precent of dogs diagnosed will survive. It is crucial to give animals a little bit of extra attention during heat waves to keep them healthy, happy and cool.

For additional information about heat safety for animals, visit The Porterville Animal Shelter Facebook page.