Heat-related illness (including heatstroke) in Dogs

Category: Metabolic
Breeds documented: 32
Published sources: 10

Overview

Heat-related illness develops when a dog gains more heat than the body can lose. It ranges from heat exhaustion to heatstroke, which can damage the brain and other organs. Hot, humid surroundings and strenuous exercise can both trigger dangerous overheating. Any dog can be affected, but older dogs and those with short muzzles, excess weight, or breathing problems may have more difficulty keeping cool.

Signs to watch for

Heavy panting or unusually noisy breathing
Drooling
Reluctance to play or continue activity
Vomiting or diarrhea
Confusion or wobbling
Seizures or collapse

Can occur at any age after heat exposure or exercise; older dogs are at greater risk.

Emergency Go to an emergency vet now if your dog becomes confused after heat exposure.

Diagnosis and tests

Vets assess the history of heat exposure or exercise, body temperature, and changes in alertness or coordination. Blood and urine tests help look for damage to organs such as the kidneys and liver. Tests of blood clotting can identify another serious complication, where normal clotting is disrupted.

Breeds with documented risk

32 breeds

By breed size

1 Toy
8 Small
10 Medium
10 Large
3 Giant

All 32 breeds, A to Z

Airedale Terrier Source onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Source onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Belgian Laekenois Source pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Belgian Malinois Source pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Belgian Sheepdog Source pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Belgian Tervuren Source pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Border Collie Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Boston Terrier Source vet.cornell.edu
Boxer Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Bull Terrier Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Bulldog Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Chow Chow Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dogue De Bordeaux Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

English Springer Spaniel Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

French Bulldog Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

German Spitz
Golden Retriever Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Greyhound Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Italian Greyhound Source onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Keeshond

Labrador Retriever Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Lhasa Apso Source govinfo.gov

Maremma Sheepdog Source onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Neapolitan Mastiff Source govinfo.gov
Newfoundland Source bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Pekingese Source govinfo.gov
Pomeranian Source bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Pug Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Samoyed Source onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Source bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Weimaraner Source pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Inheritance

Not yet known
None of the sources we use states how this is inherited in dogs yet.

We've gathered what published sources say about this condition, so you can talk it through with your vet. It isn't veterinary advice: you and your vet know your dog best.