Summer heat: how to protect your dog from overheating

Summer heat poses a far greater danger to dogs than we tend to think. While we cool ourselves by sweating across our whole body, dogs rely almost entirely on panting and on the minimal heat they can release through their paw pads. This means their bodies shed excess heat much more slowly — and they get into trouble on a hot day far sooner than we do.

Hot tarmac is one of the most common yet most underestimated dangers. On a 30°C day, a sun-baked pavement can reach 55–60°C, hot enough to burn a paw pad within minutes. A simple test: press the back of your hand to the surface for seven seconds. If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for your dog. On days like these, walk your dog in the early morning or late evening instead, and choose grassy, shaded routes.

Hydration is crucial. Always carry fresh water and offer it often — a collapsible silicone bowl weighs only a few grams in your bag. At home, keep water bowls available in several spots and provide a cool, shaded, well-ventilated place to rest. A damp towel or a cooling mat can help a great deal during the hottest hours.

Some dogs are especially at risk. Flat-faced, so-called brachycephalic breeds (pugs, French and English bulldogs, boxers) already have laboured breathing, so they cool themselves far less effectively. Elderly, overweight dogs, those living with heart or respiratory conditions, and dogs with very thick, dark coats also overheat more quickly.

The most important rule: NEVER leave your dog in a locked car, not even for a few minutes and not even with the window cracked open. On a 22°C day, the inside of a car can climb above 35°C within ten minutes and above 50°C within an hour. This can cause life-threatening, irreversible heatstroke within minutes.

Learn to recognise the signs of heatstroke: heavy, rapid panting, thick drooling, bright red gums and tongue, an unsteady, staggering gait, vomiting or diarrhoea, and finally collapse. If you see these, act at once: move your dog into the shade, offer lukewarm (NOT ice-cold) water, wet its body — especially the belly and the paws — and head to a vet immediately. Heatstroke is a veterinary emergency.

Prevention, however, is always simpler than dealing with a crisis. Plan exercise for the cooler hours, take breaks in the shade, and watch your dog's signals — if it slows down, seeks out shade or pants a lot, it is time to rest.

If you need an urgent vet in summer, the MEDOX app helps you find the nearest practice — including 24-hour emergency clinics — in just a few seconds, and lets you call them with a single tap. Discover MEDOX, and keep everything important about your dog in one place.