EXCLUSIVE: What You Gotta Know About Driving Around With Your Pet

Filed Under: Pets Exclusives! Health Tips Dr. Patrick Mahaney

EXCLUSIVE: What You Must Know About Driving Around With Your Pet

Love taking your pooch EVERYWHERE?

You never want to be without your pet (we totes get that), but did you know running errands with your can be dangerous?

Our fav Hollywood vet, Dr. Patrick Mahaney, warns his celeb clientele (and now you) that bringing along companion animals when heading out and about can exposes your pet to a variety of health stressors, including potentially lethal hot temperatures. Yikes!

The Dr. says:

Never leave your dog unattended in a car, even on a day that feels relatively cool.

A Stanford University Medical Center study determined that the temperature within a vehicle can increase by an average of 40 degrees Fahrenheit in within 60 minutes, regardless of the outside temperature. (crazy right?)

Your dog’s body temperature can rapidly increase and cause hyperthermia — and only a few minutes of hyperthermia are required for your dog to suffer the severe effects of heat related illness, including death.

The Dr. says even if you plan to only be away from the car for a few minutes, unforeseeable circumstances could keep you occupied for longer and your pooch could fry (or die).

Contact him via his website OR click HERE to tweet the celeb vet your questions!

See some of Dr. Patrick's canine pals showing their big tongues as they expel heat via panting.

[Image via WENN.]

Tags: animal health, animals, danger, dangerous, death, dog, hollywood, illness, outside, question, study, vet, yikes