Travel and weather
What should I do if my dog is overheating?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Get the dog out of direct sun and heat immediately, into shade, an air conditioned room, or a cool car with the engine running. Offer small sips of cool water and use airflow from a fan plus damp towels on the belly, armpits, and paws while you head to a vet. Never plunge an overheating dog into ice water, and never leave it to rest it off alone in a hot spot.
The first two minutes
Stop whatever activity caused the overheating and move the dog somewhere noticeably cooler right away, even if that just means the shaded side of a building or a car with air conditioning running. Speed matters more than finding the perfect spot, so do not waste time searching for an ideal location when a nearby patch of shade is available now.
Cooling without overcorrecting
Wet the dog's fur with cool tap water, focusing on the belly, inner thighs, armpits, and paw pads where blood vessels sit close to the skin, and point a fan or the car's air vents at the damp fur to speed evaporation. Offer small amounts of cool water to drink rather than a large bowlful, since gulping a lot at once can trigger vomiting in an already stressed dog. Avoid ice packs pressed directly on the skin and avoid full ice water immersion, both of which can cool the surface too fast while the core stays dangerously hot.
Getting to veterinary care
Continue cooling on the way rather than waiting until the dog looks fully recovered before leaving, since internal temperature can stay dangerously high even after panting eases. A vet can check for organ strain that is not visible from the outside, which is why any dog that showed real overheating signs, not just normal warm-weather panting, needs a professional check even if it seems to bounce back in the car.
Key takeaways
- Move the dog to shade or air conditioning immediately, before anything else.
- Wet the belly, armpits, and paws and add airflow rather than using ice water.
- Offer small sips of cool water rather than a large bowlful at once.
- Head to a vet even if the dog seems to be recovering, since internal effects can lag behind.