The Honest Veterinarian

This is a no judgement zone...ok! So I was on my way to my mom's house and I was bringing my two dachshunds with me to have a play-date with their cousins ;) on the way I decided I wanted to stop and get donuts for the family. It was 8am, about 70 degrees outside. I parked close to the entrance, rolled down the windows and ran in as fast as possible. When I got back in the car Maggie (my IVDD survivor) had pooped in my seat and both pups were waiting there looking just as I had left them. Is this ok? I asked myself this the whole time I was in the store. Are they ok? Will someone see them and call the cops? I have been in here how long? Is that too long? OMG...its a tough one. No, we didn't need the donuts but I didn't feel as if I was risking my dogs' lives for those donuts. Data I have seen based on temperature outside the car and minutes it takes the temperature to rise inside the car may think differently of my decision. Have I left my dog in the car before this, yes I have. Did I think twice about it, yes every time. What are we to do though. Ultimately here are the facts from a couple different websites. The American Veterinary Medical Association shows that the temperature inside of a car can rise 20 degrees in just 10 minutes and comparing this with windows down or cracked Preventative Vet found the temperature rise was only 2 degrees cooler. These numbers are so frightening and really hard to wrap our heads around; seeing as I think,"I will be so quick, surely they will get a breeze." but this is not the case.

Here is a table from the AVMA comparing outside starting temps versus time lapsed:

Estimated Vehicle Interior Air Temperature v. Elapsed Time

Elapsed time	Outside Air Temperature (F)
	70	75	80	85	90	95
0 minutes	70	75	80	85	90	95
10 minutes	89	94	99	104	109	114
20 minutes	99	104	109	114	119	124
30 minutes	104	109	114	119	124	129
40 minutes	108	113	118	123	128	133
50 minutes	111	116	121	126	131	136
60 minutes	113	118	123	128	133	138
> 1 hour	115	120	125	130	135	140

Courtesy Jan Null, CCM; Department of Geosciences, San Francisco State University

I am so glad I looked into this, these numbers are mind blowing! I know being from Texas I couldn't stand the heat so how can I imagine my animals being able to handle it with all that fur and less surface area to heat up. Be aware, be careful and in some states leaving your animal in the car is breaking the law! I will now be on the look out and doing whatever I can to avoid leaving my animals in the car.

If you see an animal in the car and you see them panting, pacing, ADR (ain't doin right) call your local animal control and if need be I would be that person to bust out that car window because that pet may be in need of emergency veterinary care!

Pawsitively yours,

Gabrielle P.