Book now

Dog care blog

Heat stroke in dogs: signs and what to do.

NOVEMBER 7, 2026 · 3 MINUTE READ

Heat stroke is an emergency. A dog's normal temperature is about 101 to 102.5 degrees. Once it climbs past 104 degrees, vets call it heat stroke, and organs can start to fail.

Dogs barely sweat. They cool off by panting, and in a West Valley summer that is often not enough. Here is what to watch for and what to do.

Signs of heat stroke.

  • Heavy, frantic panting
  • Bright red gums and tongue
  • Thick drool
  • A fast heartbeat
  • Vomiting or diarrhea
  • Weak legs, stumbling or a glazed look
  • Collapse or seizures

Early on, a hot dog pants hard and looks for shade and water. If it starts to stumble, act fast.

What to do right now.

  1. Get out of the heat. Move your dog into shade or air conditioning.
  2. Cool with cool water. Pour cool water over the belly, armpits, groin and paws. Use cool water, not ice water.
  3. Keep air moving. Use a fan, or run the car's air conditioning.
  4. Offer small sips of water if your dog is awake and able to drink.
  5. Call your vet and go. Keep cooling on the way. Vets say cooling before the drive raises a dog's chance of living. If you have a thermometer, stop active cooling around 103 degrees.

Even if your dog seems better, see a vet. Heat stroke can hurt organs in ways you cannot see right away.

Heat exhaustion comes first.

Vets describe heat illness in stages: heat stress, then heat exhaustion, then heat stroke. A dog with heat exhaustion pants hard, slows down, looks for shade and drinks a lot. Its temperature sits between about 102.5 and 104 degrees.

Stop all play at that point. Get your dog into shade or inside, offer water and cool it down. Heat exhaustion can turn into heat stroke fast if your dog keeps going.

What the vet does.

At the clinic, the team keeps cooling your dog and checks its temperature often. Most dogs get fluids through an IV. Vets also watch the kidneys, liver, gut and blood clotting, since damage can show up hours or days later. That is why a dog that seems fine after cooling still needs a checkup.

Dogs most at risk.

  • Flat faced breeds like bulldogs, pugs and boxers
  • Overweight dogs
  • Puppies and senior dogs
  • Dogs with thick or long coats
  • Giant breeds

Any dog can get heat stroke, though. A healthy lab on a long hike in June is at risk too.

Hot pavement and burned paws.

In summer, sidewalks, asphalt and artificial turf get much hotter than the air. Paw pads can burn in seconds.

Use the 7 second test. Press the back of your hand on the ground for 7 seconds. If you cannot hold it there, it is too hot for your dog's paws. Walk on grass or dirt when you can, and hose down turf before your dog goes out on a hot afternoon.

Summer walks in the West Valley.

  • Walk before sunrise, or late at night after the ground cools.
  • Keep walks short from May through September.
  • Bring water for your dog on every walk.
  • Skip hikes and long runs on hot days.
  • Never leave your dog in a parked car, even for a minute.

Make your yard a cool place.

Give your dog shade all day, plus more than one water bowl in the shade. A shallow kiddie pool helps on hot afternoons. Bring your dog inside during the hottest hours.

Heat also makes poop smell worse and draws flies. A clean yard is a nicer place for your dog to cool off. We scoop yards across Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park and Citrus Park every week. See our prices or find your town on our service areas page.

Sources.

Questions.

What temperature is too hot to walk a dog in Arizona?

There is no single number. Hold the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds. If it is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for paws. In summer, walk before sunrise or late at night.

Should I use ice water to cool my dog?

No. Use cool water and keep air moving. Then call your vet and drive there.

Can a dog recover from heat stroke?

Many dogs recover with fast cooling and vet care. The sooner cooling starts, the better the chances.

Start your free month