How do I tell if my dog is overheated?
Karine Stark
2025-06-21 22:42:13
Count answers: 14
Excessive panting is a dog’s primary way of cooling down, but if your pup is panting more than usual, it could be a sign they’re too hot. Keep an eye out for heavy, constant panting that doesn’t seem to subside. Excessive drooling can indicate an overheated dog. If your dog is leaving more slobber trails than usual, it’s time to take action. Check your dog’s gums, if they’re bright red or unusually pale, it could be a sign of heat stress. Healthy gums should be a nice pink color. Elevated body temperature, this one probably goes without saying, but if your furry friend feels noticeably warm, it’s time to get them to a cool place indoors. Feel your dog’s chest, if their heartbeat is rapid and irregular, it could be a sign your dog is overheating. Disorientation, stumbling, or weakness, if your dog seems confused, disoriented, or has trouble walking, they could be suffering from heatstroke. Vomiting, heat can upset your dog’s stomach, which can lead to vomiting.
Adolphus Kulas
2025-06-21 22:02:33
Count answers: 11
Dogs cannot verbally communicate when they're hot, and they often push themselves to keep up with us.
As responsible pet owners, we need to recognize the physical cues indicating heat distress:
Excessive panting
Bright red tongue, gums, and inside of ears
Slowing down or stopping during walks/runs
Drooling or salivating
Signs of general discomfort
Rapid heart rate
Wide, stressed eyes
Anxiety
Seeking shade or water sources, like puddles.
As heat exhaustion progresses to heat stroke, you may observe more severe symptoms, including:
Pale gums
Mental dullness
Loss of consciousness
Vomiting
Diarrhea (which may appear black)
Dark or red urine
Seizures
Uncoordinated movement (stumbling, dizziness)
Collapse.
Elwyn Yundt
2025-06-21 21:32:24
Count answers: 10
Panting is an indicator that your dog feels the need to cool down and it can be an early warning sign. If the length and width of the tongue grow, it’s a sign their body temperature is rising. Forceful or heavy panting: As a dog owner, you’re familiar with your dog’s breathing, so when their panting starts to be more pronounced than usual, it’s time to cease all activity and get your dog to a cool place with plenty of water. Depression: As a dog tires, they may become less animated, and their facial expression may show signs of concern or apprehension. Slowed pace/motor skills: An ill or stressed-out dog may slow their pace or cover less ground. Lowered tail: Lower tail carriage and less tail action are also indicators of a dog not feeling well. Rapid heartbeat: As dogs overheat, they begin to get dehydrated and the amount of blood volume decreases.
Melvin Grimes
2025-06-21 21:30:43
Count answers: 7
One of the first signs you will see when your dog is getting too hot is excessive panting. If your dog is breathing as if they are from an intense run, yet they are just taking a stroll then most likely they are overheating. Excessive Drooling is also a sign, as the thicker and stickier saliva helps the dog dissipate heat more efficiently when panting. A fast heartbeat means that your dog is pumping overheated blood away from the vital organs to the extremities. Your dog may switch from excessive panting to deep, noisy and rapid breathing, indicating that they are trying to get oxygen into their system for cooling relief from overheating. Excessive heat can cause lethargy in pets, and you may notice your dog napping more or having trouble standing up and walking. In addition to lethargy, your pet may stumble when walking or be unaware of their surroundings and may for instance bump into furniture. Intense overheating may cause your dog to collapse, and there may be other signs of neurological distress such as convulsions.
Sheila Casper
2025-06-21 20:42:45
Count answers: 9
Heavy panting and difficulty breathing are warning signs of heatstroke. The dog appears lethargic, drowsy or uncoordinated. Collapsed or vomiting are also signs of heatstroke. Excessively drooling is another sign to look out for. Dogs that have lost consciousness will stop panting, despite still having a very high temperature. Some types of dogs are more prone to heatstroke, like very old or young dogs, dogs with thick, heavy coats or dogs with very short flat faces like pugs and bulldog types. Dogs with certain diseases or on some types of medication are also more at risk.
Read also
- How do I cool my dog down asap?
- How can I treat my overheated dog at home?
- How to cool down a hot dog fast?
- What shouldn't you do with a dog that is overheated?
- How can I bring my dog's temperature down?
- What can I give my dog if he feels hot?
- What to do if a dog is panting a lot?
- How do I bring my dogs temperature down?
- What can I give my dog to cool down?