--- title: "Dog Heatstroke UK" description: "Dog heatstroke is a UK emergency. Tepid-water first aid, signs, at-risk breeds, hot cars, and when to skip walks — plus our temperature checker." url: "https://pethealth.org.uk/health/dog-heatstroke-uk" canonical: "https://pethealth.org.uk/health/dog-heatstroke-uk" date_published: "2026-06-01" date_modified: "2026-08-13" source: "PETHEALTH+" --- # Dog Heatstroke UK **Heatstroke is an emergency.** Move your dog to shade, cool with tepid water and wet towels, offer small drinks, and phone your vet immediately while you keep cooling. **Do not ice-bath**. If your practice is closed, use the PETHEALTH+ out-of-hours directory. Prevention: no hot cars, no midday walks — check is it too hot to walk? first. ## How heatstroke happens Dogs cool mainly by panting. They have few sweat glands. When heat from air, sun, hot ground and exercise exceeds what panting can dump, core temperature rises. UK veterinary charities treat this as a **minutes-not-hours** problem in cars and after ball games on hot days. Common UK triggers: - Being left in a car — even with windows cracked, even on a cloudy day - Midday walks on tarmac - Overexertion — fetch, running beside a bike, agility in sun - No shade or water in a garden or conservatory - Humidity, which makes panting less effective This page is first aid and when to go. For walk timing and the pavement test see [can I walk my dog in hot weather?](/health/can-i-walk-my-dog-in-hot-weather-uk) and the [walk temperature checker](/dog-walk-temperature). Heavy panting on a cool day is a different problem — see [why is my dog panting heavily?](/health/why-is-my-dog-panting-heavily). ## Who is at higher risk? Any dog can overheat. Risk is higher in: | Group | Why | |-------|-----| | Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds | Narrow airways limit cooling | | Overweight dogs | Extra insulation, harder work to move | | Thick coats | Heat stays in the coat | | Puppies and seniors | Less efficient temperature control | | Heart or airway disease | Less reserve when panting | Do not wait for a “tough” breed to look distressed. They will often keep walking until they cannot. ## First aid — then a vet, fast Start cooling with **tepid (not ice-cold) water**. Never plunge a dog into an ice bath or pack them in ice. Sudden chilling can worsen shock. 1. **Move** to shade or an air-conditioned room 2. **Pour cool water** over the body, belly, inner thighs, paws and neck — not ice 3. **Wet towels** — replace them as they warm; do not wrap tightly and trap heat 4. **Fan** if you can 5. **Small sips of water** if they are conscious and can swallow 6. **Phone the vet** — keep cooling during the call 7. Out of hours: [out-of-hours vets](/vets/filter/out-of-hours) or the [Vets Now finder](https://www.vets-now.com/find-an-emergency-vet/) Even if they seem better, internal damage (gut, kidneys, brain, clotting) can still be underway. **Always get a vet to assess** after a true heatstroke episode. Do not “see how they are after a nap”. If they collapse, have a seizure, or cannot stand, treat it as [emergency vet](/health/when-to-see-emergency-vet-uk) care — cool on the way, do not delay the car journey to finish home first aid. ## Cars According to the BVA, car interiors reach dangerous temperatures within minutes. A “two-minute shop” is enough. Windows on a crack do not make it safe. If you see a dog in distress in a vehicle, call **999**. The same rule applies to caravans, conservatories and parked vans. ## Prevention - Walk at dawn or dusk in warm weather - Five-second hand test on tarmac before you go - Shade and several water bowls - Never leave a dog in a car - Swap fetch for indoor sniffing games on heatwave days - Watch flat-faced breeds from the high teens °C, not only in “record” heat Use the [too-hot-to-walk checker](/dog-walk-temperature) before a planned outing. It is a sense-check against UK summer advice, not a thermometer for your dog. ## What the vet may do Expect an exam, temperature check, blood tests and often intravenous fluids. Some dogs need oxygen, anti-sickness drugs, or clotting support if heatstroke has triggered a cascade. “They cooled down in the car” does not cancel the visit — gut lining and kidneys can fail hours later. Recovery at home, if the vet sends you home, usually means rest, small meals, watching for vomiting, diarrhoea, dark urine or wobbliness, and a booked recheck. If signs return, go back the same day. Species other than dogs have their own summer risks — rabbits and flystrike, guinea pigs, birds, reptiles — on [hot weather pet safety](/health/hot-weather-pet-safety-uk). ## FAQs ### What are the signs of heatstroke in dogs? Heavy panting that does not settle, excessive drooling, bright red or very pale gums, vomiting, diarrhoea, wobbliness, collapse or seizures. It can develop within minutes in a hot car or after exercise in heat. ### Should I use ice on an overheating dog? No. Use cool (not ice-cold) water on the body, wet towels and fanning. Offer small drinks if they are conscious. Phone your vet while cooling. Ice baths can worsen shock. ### Which dogs are most at risk? Flat-faced breeds, overweight dogs, thick-coated breeds, puppies, elderly dogs, and those with heart or airway disease. Any dog can overheat in a hot car or after strenuous exercise in heat. ### When is it too hot to walk a dog in the UK? Many UK vets cut exercise for sensitive dogs from around 20°C and skip normal walks in the mid-20s. Always do the five-second pavement test. Use the PETHEALTH+ walk-temperature checker as a sense-check, then watch your dog. ## Sources - [PDSA — Heatstroke in dogs](https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub) - [RSPCA — Summer advice](https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/seasonal/summer) - [BVA — Hot weather guidance](https://www.bva.co.uk) - [Vets Now — Find an emergency vet](https://www.vets-now.com/find-an-emergency-vet/) Canonical HTML: https://pethealth.org.uk/health/dog-heatstroke-uk Last modified: 2026-08-13