Fortunately, if owners recognize heat exhaustion, they can prevent the dog from entering heat stroke. Gaughan says that people can easily recognize when the heat gets to them because they become lightheaded and fail to sweat. For dogs, the signs of heat exhaustion may include failure to salivate and a dry mouth. Gaughan explains that heat exhaustion may also include a dog lying down and looking tired, losing its appetite, and becoming unresponsive to owners. If heat exhaustion progresses into heat stroke, Gaughan says that the dog will be hot to touch and may have seizures.
Many dogs also have internal blood clotting that causes damage to their organs.
If you think it's heat stroke, call your veterinarian if you're close to a phone. If not, get the dog out of the sun and cool the dog down with cool water baths. It's important to use cool water as opposed to ice water. While these steps may help dogs already under heat stress, Gaughan says that the best treatment is prevention. In order to prevent overheating, some owners may opt to shave their dogs.