How to Tell if Your Dog is Overheating and What to Do if They Are

The summer heat is no joke this year, especially in the southern portions of the United States. When the weather is hot, it’s important to keep yourself and your pets safe.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious threats for dogs left out in the summer heat. In order to prevent these things from happening, you must be able to identify the signs of overheating and what to do if you see them.

Get our free mobile app

Signs of Overheating

Excessive panting or rapid breathing
Excessive drooling
Elevated or irregular heartbeat
Lethargic behavior or collapse
Disorientation
Vomiting or diarrhea

What to Do

Take your dog to a cooler area
Wet their belly with cool water. Not COLD water to avoid rapid cooling
Set a fan to blow on them and dry them off
Give them cool water. Not cold or iced to avoid rapid cooling
Check their temperature every few minutes until at 103 degrees
Stop wetting them when their temperature cools and take them to the vet for monitoring

How to Prevent Overheating

Never leave you dog in a parked car
Provide shaded or and cooled areas for them to lounge
Don’t walk them when it’s too hot outside
Make sure they have enough water

Now that you know how to recognize overheating, what to do if you see your dog overheating, and how to prevent it from happening in the first place, let’s all keep our dogs safe this summer. For more information, visit the official AKC website.