{"id":306897,"date":"2026-06-14T04:39:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T04:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/306897\/"},"modified":"2026-06-14T04:39:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T04:39:26","slug":"floridas-excessive-heat-is-deadly-to-dogs-how-to-keep-them-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/306897\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida’s excessive heat is deadly to dogs. How to keep them safe"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s getting hot out<\/a>. Florida hot, which is that special kind of hot that feels like opening the front door and walking directly into an oven.<\/p>\n

And if you’re hot, your dog is even hotter.<\/p>\n

Dogs cool off by sweating through their paws and panting. That gets difficult on a burning sidewalk when the air itself is scorching. (Granted, some breeds love the heat<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Some dogs more susceptible to heat than others<\/p>\n

All dogs can suffer from heatstroke, but some are more at risk. Dogs that don’t handle heat well are:<\/p>\n

Dogs that are flat-faced (pugs, boxers, bulldogs, Boston Terriers, French bulldogs, pit bulls)<\/p>\n

Dogs with longer or thicker fur<\/p>\n

According to the American Kennel Club<\/a> (AKC), white or fine-coated breeds, such as Bull Terriers and Greyhounds, are particularly susceptible to sunburn. Black coats on dogs absorb heat, making overheating even more likely.<\/p>\n

Dogs in hot cars: Is it legal in Florida to break a car window to rescue a dog?<\/a><\/p>\n

Keep your dog cool<\/p>\n

There are some basic rules for keeping your dog cool and healthy. Keep water nearby, whatever you’re doing. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Stay inside during the hottest parts of the day. If you can’t put the back of your hand on a sidewalk, driveway, street, or beach for seven seconds without pain, your dog should not be walking on it.<\/p>\n

Some tips for specific circumstances include:<\/p>\n

Outside<\/p>\n

Keep a shady place where your dog can lie down out of the sun<\/p>\n

Give them a kiddie pool to splash in, or use the hose on them<\/p>\n

Walk them with leashes or leads clipped to a harness, rather than a collar, so that pulling won’t restrict their breathing<\/p>\n

In the car<\/p>\n

Never leave your dog in the car by themselves<\/p>\n

Make regular stops to check on them<\/p>\n

Carry water with you and a way to give it to the dog<\/p>\n

Keep windows open or the air conditioner on<\/p>\n

Use window shades to keep direct sunlight off the dog<\/p>\n

Make sure wherever you’re going won’t make you leave the dog outside<\/p>\n

In the house<\/p>\n

Add ice cubes to water bowls<\/p>\n

Freeze a dog toy for them to chew on<\/p>\n

Put down damp towels or a cooling blanket to lie on<\/p>\n

Keep your dog’s bed or cage out of direct sunlight<\/p>\n

Use fans or air conditioning<\/p>\n

Signs of heatstroke in dogs<\/p>\n

According to the AKC, signs of heatstroke in dogs can include:<\/p>\n

Unusual breathing (rapid and loud)<\/p>\n

High rectal temperature (103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)<\/p>\n

Dark or bright red tongue and gums<\/p>\n

Skin around the muzzle or neck doesn\u2019t snap back when pinched, which can be a sign of dehydration<\/p>\n

If you see your dogs experiencing these symptoms, immediately take them to a cooler area and separate their fur with your finger so cool air can get in. You can also pour cool water over their head and body, hose a gentle stream of water over them, or put them in a tub of cool water.<\/p>\n

Notify your vet even if your dog seems OK, in case they need to be evaluated or treated for heatstroke. If your dog is in serious condition or unconscious, call your vet immediately.<\/p>\n

C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida\u2019s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida heat waves can kill dogs and some are more at risk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It’s getting hot out. Florida hot, which is that special kind of hot that feels like opening the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":306898,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[128239,28,30,29,128237,128238],"class_list":["post-306897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-energetic-dogs","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-heatstroke-in-dogs","tag-overweight-dogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=306897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306897\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/306898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=306897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=306897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=306897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}