While most Baton Rouge residents choose to wear shorts and a T-shirt during this summer’s excessive heat, some continue to wear a fur coat, even through the most grueling days of summer.Mark Acierno, veterinary clinical science professor, said extreme heat affects pets more than people, and even simple exercises such as throwing a Frisbee or running can be dangerous in high temperatures.”Pet owners have to remember dogs are wearing a fur coat,” he said. “On top of that, dogs don’t sweat, so they have a harder time getting rid of excess heat.”Common signs of dogs overheating are excess panting, change in behavior, lethargy, mental abnormality and collapsing, Acierno said. However, he said most dogs rarely exhibit warning signs.Acierno said when dogs show signs of overheating, owners should hose them down and immediately seek medical attention. When dogs get overheated, they start to form blood clots, and their bodies start breaking down, causing most dogs to die quickly, he said.”Many times, dogs go into shock and have seizures,” said Sam Hasse, veterinarian at Jefferson Animal Hospital. “Sometimes it can cause permanent damage, such as kidney damage.”Hasse said leaving pets in a locked car is extremely dangerous because the car’s temperature can reach more than 100 degrees in a matter of minutes. He said some owners come back after only 45 minutes to find their dog dead in the car.While Louisiana summers always pose a threat to pets, this summer has been unusual in terms of heat.Jay Grymes, WAFB chief meteorologist, said this year is the longest run of days at 98 degrees or above, dating back to at least the 1930s.”The high temperatures themselves are not rare,” Grymes said. “The prolonged run of days with high temperatures is what’s rare.”Grymes said the extreme heat felt in late June to early July was caused by a persistent range of high pressures in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere, centered over the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley.Grymes said this occurrence is “rare, but not unusual.””When this happens, it not only inhibits the chance for rain to occur, but also reduces cloud cover,” he said. “It causes the air to heat up because there are more sunny days than normal, and the earth doesn’t have a chance to cool down.”Hasse said when dogs pant, they are blowing out and sucking in hot air, so their body temperatures remain pretty close to environmental temperatures.  Brett Berryhill, veterinarian at Staring Plaza Veterinary Center, said a dog’s normal body temperature is between 100 and 102.5 degrees.”When a dog is overheated, it’s best to hose it down to cool it off before bringing it in,” he said. “Otherwise, the dog is still overheating on the way to the vet, and it could start to fry the brain.”Tannesha Gant, local dog owner, said her dog is drinking more water and sleeping a lot more than normal since temperatures started heating up.”She’s not wanting to play as much, and we can only go outside late in the evenings,” she said. “Lately, she’s usually still sleeping when I leave in the mornings.”Carson Bourgeois, biology sophomore, said his dog, Hooch, doesn’t want to go outside much during the summer.”We’re going on shorter walks now since temperatures have been higher,” he said. “Now when we go to the dog park, he’s ready to go after 20 minutes.”Acierno said dogs with shorter noses, such as pugs and bulldogs, will have a difficult time maintaining temperatures because of natural breathing trouble.Josh Chapman, mechanical engineering senior, said Zeke, his short-nosed dog, recently experienced a minor overheating.”His eyes were swollen, and he couldn’t catch his breath,” he said. “Luckily, it didn’t take long for him to cool down, and he was fine.”Chapman said Zeke used to stay outside for 30 minutes to an hour, but now stays out only 10 to 15 minutes.”He only likes to come out to the dog park around dusk,” he said. “During the winter and spring, we could leave him out all day. Now he stays inside.”Acierno said if possible, dogs should be kept inside when outdoor temperatures are high, though if put outside, dogs should have adequate shade and water. He said the best time for exercise is after sundown, when temperatures become bearable.”If they are displaying signs of overheating, seek vet care immediately,” he said. “However, it’s extremely important to focus on prevention.”  —–Contact Steven Powell at [email protected]