If you have a dog, chances are they love to stick their head out the window of your car as you drive.
Allowing them to do so, however, puts them at risk, according to a veterinarian. In an interview, Dr. Lindsey Wendt described what could go wrong if you let your dog stick their heads into the wind.
“This is a fact,” she said in the interview published on TikTok.
“Please don’t hate me, I know that dogs love it, but there are multiple reasons why this is dangerous.”
Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Debris
Debris on the road can pose a major danger to dogs that stick their heads out of car windows.
Small particles like dirt or gravel, or even larger objects such as sticks and road debris can strike your dog at high speeds, leading to serious injuries to their eyes, ears or face.
These objects, which are often kicked up by other vehicles or scattered on the road, can cause cuts or bruises, or more severe injuries like corneal abrasions or even permanent eye damage.
“Imagine the amount of times that something just hits your windshield or makes a little noise,” Wendt said.
“If that were to hit your dog—the surface of their eye or their face—that can cause injury.
Jumping
A bigger concern for Wendt, however, was the possibility that a pet might jump or fall out of the vehicle while it is moving.
If a dog sees something that catches their interest, like another animal or object, they may impulsively leap out of the window, leading to severe injuries or even death.
The force of landing on hard pavement at high speed can result in broken bones, internal injuries or traumatic brain injuries. Even at lower speeds, the sudden fall can cause substantial harm.
“I have seen animals that have gone through this, ones that will jump out of windows,” Wendt said.
“Let’s say they see something that’s exciting, or you stop suddenly and they’re catapulted out the window. They could be seriously injured or killed.”
Solutions
Wendt recommends that you secure your animal in a harness or a carrier if they are small. That not only protects the dog, but it also protects the driver and passengers.
“What people fail to remember is when you’re in a car accident, if your dog is not secured, they will literally act as a projectile in the car,” Wendt said.
“They can injure humans and themselves.”
If you want to give your dog some air, Wendt said cracking the windows allows your dog to get the smells they enjoy without the risk of severe injury.
And, of course, never leave your dog in a hot car.
“I’ve had friends that are veterinarians that have broken into people’s cars because they will wait x-amount of time,” she said.
“And you do it because otherwise the dogs are going to succumb to heat stroke.”
Newsweek reached out to Wendt via her website on Monday requesting further comment.