Warm Weather Safety for Dogs and Cats, What the AVMA Says

Warm weather is risky for pets even on days that do not feel hot to you. That is the AVMA's starting point. Its warm-weather page (read October 2026) lists water, shade, cooler hours, and emergency care when a pet shows signs of heat stress.

The ASPCA's separate hot-weather page adds a few details, noted below. The AVMA tells owners to talk with their own veterinarian about warm-weather risks.

1. The basics the AVMA lists

Before warm weather arrives, the AVMA suggests talking with your veterinarian about the risks and about how to recognize heat stress. Then set up the home and yard:

• Give your pet unlimited access to fresh water, and shade whenever it is outside.
• Keep fleas, ticks, and heartworm under control, since these parasites are more common in warm months.
• If you go out, leave your pet at home when you can.
• Offer different temperature zones inside the house so your pet can choose a cooler spot.

The AVMA also reminds owners that if it is hot outside for you, it is even hotter for your pet.

2. Walks, runs, and hot ground

Take walks, hikes, and runs during the cooler hours of the day, and skip the hottest parts of the day and particularly warm days altogether. The AVMA's exercise advice is short:

1. Check with your veterinarian before starting any exercise program for your dog.
2. Take frequent breaks.
3. Bring enough water for both of you.

Two groups carry higher risk. The AVMA names overweight pets and short-nosed dog breeds as more likely to have problems with warm-weather exercise. The AVMA's first step for any exercise program is to consult your veterinarian.

Surfaces matter too. Asphalt can burn paws, so avoid hot pavement. Your veterinarian can also tell you whether a warm-weather haircut or other protection would help your particular pet. The ASPCA adds that trimming long hair is fine but you should never shave a dog, because the layers of the coat protect against overheating and sunburn, and that brushing cats more often than usual can help with heat.

3. Yard and garden hazards

Heat is not the only seasonal issue. The AVMA lists several yard rules:

• Check that the plants in your garden and yard are safe for pets.
• Store lawn fertilizer and insecticides out of reach.
• Follow label instructions on lawn and garden products, especially how long pets must stay out of treated areas.
• If a lawn service visits, tell them you have pets.
• Avoid cocoa bean mulch, which contains the same toxin found in chocolate.

4. Signs of heat stress

The AVMA says to seek emergency veterinary care if you see any of these signs:

• Anxiousness
• Excessive panting
• Restlessness
• Excessive drooling
• Unsteadiness
• Abnormal gum and tongue color
• Collapse

The AVMA page lists no home treatment steps. The ASPCA's list of overheating signs overlaps (panting or difficulty breathing, drooling, weakness, stupor, collapse) and adds seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomit, and a body temperature over 104 degrees. If you see these signs, the AVMA says to seek emergency veterinary care.

5. Cars are a separate, serious hazard

The AVMA says a vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts a pet at risk of serious illness or death, even on a day that does not seem that hot, even in the shade, and cracking the windows makes no difference. Its advice is to never leave a pet alone in a parked vehicle, no matter the outdoor temperature or how long you expect to be gone.

The ASPCA also names flat-faced pets such as Pugs and Persian cats, the elderly, the overweight, and pets with heart or lung disease as more vulnerable, and says to keep them in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

6. A simple warm-day routine

Putting the AVMA's points into one routine looks like this:

1. Fill the water bowls before you leave and check that shade is available.
2. Schedule outdoor exercise for the coolest part of the day.
3. Avoid hot surfaces such as asphalt, which can burn paws.
4. Leave your pet at home rather than in the car.
5. Ask your veterinarian how to recognize signs of heat stress before the weather turns warm.

7. Key takeaways

• The AVMA says warm weather is risky for pets even on days that do not seem hot to you.
• Provide fresh water and shade, and walk during cooler hours.
• Overweight pets and short-nosed dog breeds are at higher risk during warm-weather exercise.
• Seek emergency veterinary care for excessive panting, drooling, unsteadiness, odd gum or tongue color, or collapse.
• Never leave a pet alone in a parked car, regardless of temperature or duration.