How heatstroke kills dogs rapidly, the high-risk situations to avoid and the emergency response that saves lives when it occurs.
Heatstroke in dogs is almost entirely preventable and causes extreme suffering when it occurs. The progression from panting and distress to collapse, seizure and death can occur within minutes. The vast majority of vehicle-related heatstroke deaths result from owner underestimation of how rapidly fatal car temperatures become. Welfare-aware dog ownership in warm weather means never leaving a dog in a vehicle, exercising only at cool times of day and recognising that high-drive dogs will run themselves to heatstroke without owner intervention to stop them.