My dog has heatstroke: what to do in the first 10 minutes

Heatstroke kills dogs every summer. By the time signs are obvious, internal organ damage may already have started. Survival depends on starting cooling immediately and getting to a vet — not one, then the other, but both at once.

Brachycephalic breeds (Bulldogs, Pugs, French Bulldogs, Boxers, Cavaliers) and double-coated breeds (Huskies, Malamutes, Akitas) are at highest risk. Senior dogs, overweight dogs, dogs with heart disease, and puppies are all more vulnerable. Most cases happen during exercise on hot days or in cars — even at 25°C / 77°F a parked car becomes lethal in minutes.

The single most important rule: **start cooling immediately, with cool (not ice-cold) water, on the way to the vet.** Hot dogs cool fastest when soaked with cool water and placed in front of a fan. Ice or ice baths cause peripheral blood vessels to constrict and trap heat inside — this is now understood to be worse than cool water.

How to recognise it

• Excessive panting that doesn't slow with rest
• Bright red gums or tongue (early), pale or muddy gums (late)
• Drooling, often thick and sticky
• Weakness, stumbling, or collapse
• Vomiting or diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
• Disorientation, glazed expression, or unresponsiveness
• Body temperature above 40°C / 104°F (normal is 38.3–39.2 / 101–102.5)
• Seizures (severe heatstroke)

First aid — step by step

1. Move the dog to shade or air-conditioning immediately

   Out of direct sun. Onto cool grass or tile, not hot concrete or asphalt.

2. Start cooling with cool (not cold) water

   Soak the dog with cool tap water — coat, belly, paws, armpits, groin. A garden hose, a bucket, a wet towel pressed and replaced every 30 seconds. The goal is to evaporate heat, not shock the system.

3. Use a fan or moving air

   Wet coat + moving air is the most effective cooling combination. Open a car window, use a phone fan, drive with windows down.

4. Offer small amounts of cool water if conscious

   A few licks at a time. Do not force water on an unresponsive or seizuring dog — risk of aspiration.

5. Call the vet now, transport while cooling

   Do not delay transport to keep cooling at home. Even dogs whose temperature normalises need vet evaluation — internal organ injury can manifest hours later.

6. Check rectal temperature if you have a thermometer

   Stop active cooling when temperature drops to 39.4°C / 103°F — over-cooling causes hypothermia and shock.

What NOT to do

• Do not use ice or ice-water baths — they constrict blood vessels and trap heat.
• Do not wrap the dog in wet towels and leave them; trapped moisture insulates.
• Do not force water down an unresponsive dog's throat.
• Do not assume the dog is fine just because temperature came down — get to a vet.
• Do not exercise a recovering dog the same day.
• Do not delay transport — cooling and driving happen at the same time.

Safe transport to the vet

• Air-conditioned car if possible; windows open if not.
• Wet towels under the dog and over the legs.
• Phone the vet en route so they have IV fluids and oxygen ready.
• If the dog is collapsed, lay on the side, head slightly lower than body.
• For brachycephalic breeds, keep the head and neck extended so the airway is open.

How to prevent it next time

• Walk early morning or late evening in summer; not when the pavement is too hot for your hand.
• Never leave a dog in a parked car, even briefly, even with the window cracked, even on a mild day.
• Provide constant shade and fresh water outdoors.
• Bring water on every walk; carry a collapsible bowl.
• Use cooling vests or wet bandanas for high-risk breeds in heat.
• Avoid intense play in heat; flat-faced breeds need exercise restriction at 25°C / 77°F+.
• Air-conditioning is not a luxury for vulnerable dogs in hot climates — it is health care.

Frequently asked questions