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Old 08-05-2018, 10:21 AM   #7
drjjj
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 429
M.O.C. #5757
Pet owners always need to remember how pets cool themselves. They do not sweat like we do-panting is their most efficient method. As long as they are not in direct sun, have adequate water, AND air is moving most breeds of cats and dogs (English Bulldogs and long haired cats excepted) can handle heat better than most of us. Problem would occur if AC went off while the humans were gone and the trailer was completely closed up. We are currently in a high end campground on the Texas Gulf Coast for 33 days. Two weeks ago while I was shaving at about 8:30 a.m. all power to the rig went dark. When I called the office they told me "didn't you get the email? We have to cut power today to replace some old electrical lines". We had planned a day trip that day for about 6-8 hours (our cat and dog do fine with up to 8 hours), so thank God I had not left yet. What was supposed to be 4 hours max without power turned in to 10 hours. I had no choice but to load them in the truck in their crates and go for a drive. Temp inside the trailer (with windows closed) did go up in a hurry (I made repeated return trips back to our site during the day to see if repairs were done). With the windows open and door open (screen door in place) temp peaked at about 90 but the outside temp never got over 85. We won't travel again without a monitoring system of some kind.
FWIW I am a retired veterinarian who practiced for 42 years in South Texas and I saw more than my share of pets with heat stroke over the years. Without prompt, aggressive medical treatment most pets don't survive, at least not long term. I cannot think of a single instance of a pet getting heat stroke that did not occur from human idiocy.
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