SPCA: Remember Pets On Hot Days - Riverhead, NY Patch

With temperatures spiking, pets, like humans, can feel the heat.

According to Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, hot weather can be dangerous for pets, who can suffer from dehydation and heat stroke.

Gross said it's critical to remember never to leave pets unattended inside a parked car, even with the windows open, where temperatures can reach levels of 120 degrees in just minutes. An animal's temperature can climb in just 15 minutes, Gross said.

?"Your pet can quickly suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke when trapped in these high temperatures," Gross said, adding that dogs can only cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paw pads.

Pets, he said, can also become dehydrated quickly, so it's imporant to give them fresh water and provide shady areas so they can stay out of the sun.

Warning signs that indicate a pet is in danger include?difficulty breathing with excessive panting, weakness and possible seizures.

If a pet exhibits any unusual symptoms, take the animal directly to a veterinarian, he said.

Gross also urged anyone who sees a pet inside a vehicle on a hot day should take down the car's make, model, color and plate number, then call the police or the Suffolk County SPCA, who have the authority to rescue the pet.

Horses, Gross noted, should also be considered -- they feel the heat, too, and need to be kept hydrated and out of the sun.

corned beef and cabbage diners drive ins and dives jeff who lives at home 49ers news saint louis university leprechaun night at the museum