Heatstroke and cold: first aid for dogs

This guide is general information only. First aid doesn't replace veterinary care. In an emergency, ring your vet (or your out-of-hours vet) straight away.

Out-of-hours emergencies in Liverpool: Medivet 24 Hour Alder, 410 Eaton Road, West Derby, L12 3HG, says it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 0151 220 4668 (Medivet, checked 18 Oct 2026). Vets Now Liverpool, based in the PDSA Pet Hospital on Woolfall Heath Avenue, Huyton, L36 3YD, opens from 6pm on weeknights, from noon on Saturdays, and all day on Sundays and bank holidays. Call 0151 271 5727 (Vets Now, checked 18 Oct 2026). Always ring before you set off, and ask your own vet which service covers their out-of-hours calls.

Heatstroke can kill a dog quickly, and the advice on cooling has changed in recent years. Cold can be dangerous too, especially for small, old or wet dogs. Here's what UK vets and charities say now.

See a dog in a hot car showing signs of heatstroke? The RSPCA says dial 999 immediately and stay with the dog until help arrives (RSPCA).

Heatstroke: the signs

The Royal Veterinary College lists these early signs (Royal Veterinary College):

• panting, which can turn into distressed or noisy breathing
• restlessness, pacing, or looking for shade or water
• drooling
• red gums or tongue
• a faster heart rate
• vomiting or diarrhoea

Later signs include lethargy, confusion, weakness or collapse, and seizures (Royal Veterinary College). PDSA's list of severe signs also includes unconsciousness, and vomiting or diarrhoea with blood (PDSA).

Dogs most at risk

Any dog can get heatstroke. Flat-faced breeds, overweight dogs, giant breeds, thick-coated dogs, and very young or old dogs are most at risk (PDSA; Royal Veterinary College). PDSA says British Bulldogs are 14 times more likely to get heatstroke than Labradors, and Pugs six times more likely (PDSA). Most cases happen during exercise. Dogs can also overheat when trapped somewhere hot, such as a car or a conservatory (PDSA).

Cool first, transport second

The current advice from the Royal Veterinary College and the RSPCA is to cool first, transport second. Start cooling your dog straight away, then take them to the vet (Royal Veterinary College; RSPCA). The longer a dog's temperature stays high, the more damage it can do (Royal Veterinary College).

An RVC study found that fewer than a quarter of dogs taken to UK vets with heatstroke had been cooled before the journey (Royal Veterinary College). The RVC says the old advice to cool "slowly" with only "lukewarm or tepid" water is a myth (Royal Veterinary College).

Step by step

1. Stop further heating. Stop exercise, get your dog out of hot cars or buildings, and move them into shade or a cool room (RSPCA; PDSA).
2. Cool them with water. Use any water that's cooler than your dog. Pour it over their body, focusing on the neck, tummy and thighs (RSPCA). PDSA says water from the cold tap is fine (PDSA).
3. Get air moving. Use a fan or air conditioning, or open doors and windows (Royal Veterinary College; PDSA).
4. Offer small sips of water, but don't force your dog to drink (Royal Veterinary College; PDSA).
5. Call your vet once you've started cooling, and tell them you're coming (Royal Veterinary College; RSPCA).
6. Travel in a cool car, with the air conditioning on or the windows open. Keep the air moving over your dog on the way (Royal Veterinary College; RSPCA). If you can, take someone with you to keep cooling your dog during the journey (PDSA).

Where the advice differs

The charities agree on cooling fast with water, but they differ on some details:

• Putting your dog in water. The RVC says cold-water immersion is effective for young, healthy dogs who are conscious. It recommends pouring water over older or unwell dogs and keeping air moving over them instead (Royal Veterinary College; Royal Veterinary College). The RSPCA says not to put an unconscious, elderly or unwell dog in water, and to spray them with room-temperature water instead (RSPCA).
• How cold the water should be. The RVC's leaflet says cold is better, but to use whatever water you can get quickly, as long as it's cooler than your dog (Royal Veterinary College). Its fact file warns against ice-cold water when hosing a dog down, because it can reduce blood flow to the skin (Royal Veterinary College). The RSPCA says cold water rarely causes shock in an overheating dog (RSPCA). PDSA suggests an ice pack or frozen veg, wrapped in a towel, between the thighs (PDSA).
• The head. The RSPCA says to avoid pouring water over the head, because your dog is already struggling to breathe (RSPCA). PDSA says to avoid the nose and mouth, and to take extra care with an unconscious dog so they don't breathe in water (PDSA).

Don't cover them with wet towels

A damp towel laid over a dog can trap heat and make things worse. You can put a wet towel underneath them instead (RSPCA; PDSA). The RVC found that more than half of the dogs cooled before reaching the vet had been cooled with wet towels. That's better than nothing, but much less effective than putting them in water or soaking them with air moving over them (Royal Veterinary College). Don't cuddle your dog either, as this will make them hotter (PDSA).

Preventing heatstroke

• Walk early in the morning or in the evening, and skip exercise on hot days if your dog is unfit, old, young, overweight, unwell or has breathing problems (PDSA).
• Make sure they always have shade and water, and take water on walks (PDSA; Royal Veterinary College).
• Never leave your dog in a car on a warm day, not even for a few minutes, with the windows open or in the shade (PDSA).
• Check the ground. If you can't hold the palm of your hand on it comfortably for 7 seconds, it's too hot for paws (PDSA).
• Use a harness rather than a collar, so it's easier for your dog to pant (PDSA).

Our Liverpool parks page can help you find a shady walk.

Hypothermia: when a dog gets too cold

Hypothermia is when a dog's body temperature drops dangerously low. If it isn't treated quickly, it can be fatal (PDSA). It can be caused by the cold, by staying wet and cold (especially if your dog stops moving around), by blood loss, or by some illnesses (PDSA).

Signs to look out for

Early signs that your dog is feeling the cold include shivering, whining, lifting their paws, tucking their tail and not wanting to go outside (Vets Now). PDSA lists these signs of hypothermia (PDSA):

• shivering (a very cold dog may stop shivering completely)
• drowsiness, confusion and clumsiness
• pale gums
• collapse, unconsciousness and coma

First aid for a cold dog

1. Dry them off with a towel if they're wet (PDSA).
2. Warm them up with blankets underneath and over them (PDSA).
3. If they're awake and able to drink, offer some lukewarm (not hot) water (PDSA).
4. Slowly raise the temperature around them, for example by putting the heating on at home or in the car. Don't warm them too quickly, and be careful not to burn them with anything hot, such as a hot water bottle (PDSA).
5. Take them to the vet to be checked, even if you think they're OK (PDSA).

Dogs most at risk

Very young, small, elderly, thin and poorly dogs are at the highest risk (PDSA). Slim, short-haired dogs such as Greyhounds, Whippets and Chihuahuas feel the cold more (Vets Now).

Winter walks

• Carry a towel on walks, dry your dog if they get wet and cold, and never leave them somewhere cold like the car afterwards (PDSA). A car cools quickly once the heating is off (PDSA).
• Vets Now says temperatures between 1°C and -4°C can be unsafe for short-haired dogs, small dogs, puppies and older dogs, so keep walks short and watch for signs of hypothermia (Vets Now).
• Check paws for balls of ice between the toes, which can cause frostbite. Wipe paws with a cloth and warm water when you get home (Vets Now).
• Grit and antifreeze are winter poisoning risks (RSPCA; Vets Now). Our poisoning guide explains what to do.

Find a vet in Liverpool

It's worth saving your own vet's number, and their out-of-hours number, in your phone before you ever need them (PDSA). Our Liverpool vets directory lists practices across the city.

In an emergency: Liverpool's two out-of-hours emergency vets, Medivet 24 Hour Alder (0151 220 4668) and Vets Now Liverpool (0151 271 5727), are listed with their addresses and opening times in the box at the top of this page (checked 18 Oct 2026).

More in our dog first aid series:

• Dog first aid: the basics
• Poisoning: what to do
• Cuts, bites, wounds and ticks
• Stings, burns and eye injuries
• Choking, seizures and collapse
• Your dog first aid kit

See all our dog health and first aid guides

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