Heat-related illness in dogs is a preventable and often fatal welfare emergency that kills hundreds of UK dogs annually, with climate change increasing risk.
Heatstroke causes acute and severe suffering followed by multi-organ failure that is often fatal despite treatment. The condition is almost entirely preventable through owner education and behavior change. Brachycephalic breeds including Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boxers face catastrophic risk from even moderate heat due to airway obstruction limiting cooling. Dogs in hot cars represent the highest acute risk scenario, with car temperatures exceeding safe thresholds within minutes of parking. Exercise during hot periods causes significant numbers of preventable deaths annually. Immediate cooling with cool (not cold) water applied to the body surface before veterinary transport is the critical first aid intervention. Climate change is making heatstroke risk more frequent and severe in the UK.