How to keep your pets safe in the heat

DAYTON — The weather can be dangerous for people, but it can also be dangerous for pets.

Owners need to be more aware of their pet’s health than usual when the temperatures are this high.

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“They need to be in open-air shade. They need to have water,” said Miranda Williams, who works in the urgent care unit at MedVet.

Williams said leaving a dog out in the heat and especially in a car for too long can be fatal.

“It’s not just that they’re too hot. It’s actually damaging to their internal body organs,” Williams said. “It causes changes in the body organs because of the elevated temperature.”

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At MedVet they are anticipating anywhere from five to ten dogs being brought in this week for showing signs of being overheated.

“Excessive, panting, really thick, like Roby drool, a really red or purple tongue, any kind of like loss of responsiveness,” Williams said.

To keep that from happening Williams said owners can think of the heat wave as a chance to bond with their dogs.

“Basically, as long as you interact with your pet on a daily basis, they they’re just happy to hang out with their person,” Williams said.

We will continue updating this story.

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