What Should I Do if My English Bulldog Overheats?

English bulldogs and other short-nosed or brachycephalic breeds are prone to heat-related conditions, such as heatstroke. Younger, older, overweight, immunocompromised, and unwell dogs are also at a much higher risk. We think it’s about time that we set out the best ways to deal with the situation when your English bulldog overheats, compiled from experts all across the globe.

(Especially with all the hot weather we’ve had lately!)

So, let’s start with the signs of overheating in bullies and other dogs, then move into what you should – and shouldn’t – do about it.

Signs of overheating in English bulldogs

The very first sign that your bully is overheating is panting. This is one of the few ways that dogs reduce body temperature. Panting will grow more intense if overheating is ignored, which can lead to breathing difficulties, particularly with brachycephalic breeds.

Alongside panting the following are signs of overheating in English bulldogs:

• Breathing changes – sound, quantity, consistency
• Drooling much more than usual
• Staggering about
• Drowsy or more sleepy
• Falling
• Collapsing
• Disorientation
• Vomiting
• Eating or drinking changes
• Lack of interest in toys, treats, activities, etc.

What shouldn’t I do if my English bulldog overheats?

If your English bulldog overheats, the last thing you’ll want to do is accidentally make things worse, right? There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet, some of which could even prove fatal to pets if followed.

Let’s break down the things you definitely shouldn’t do if your English bulldog overheats first.

Never Ignore Overheating

If your English bulldog overheats, do not under any circumstances ignore it. This could lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heart issues, and potentially even death.

Heatstroke can become deadly quickly with flat-faced breeds, which is why it is important to cool those dogs immediately, then make an urgent appointment with your veterinarian.

“Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting.” – PETA

The heat is not something to play around with when you’re a bulldog pet parent.

Don’t Panic

Your dog can sense when you’re panicking, even when you think you’re hiding it really, really well. As a result, they will panic – and that’s the absolute last thing either of you need when your pet has overheated or is overheating.

Panicking is the quickest way to do the wrong thing.

Cool heads prevail, as the expression goes.

Avoid the hosepipe

It might seem like common sense to grab the garden hosepipe and spray your bulldog with as much cool water as you can, but this can surprise, startle, and/or shock them.

What happens when you’re surprised, startled or shocked? That’s right: your heart speeds up from adrenaline. Your dog’s body and heart are no different. Once again, the absolute LAST thing you’ll need is a fast-paced heartrate getting even more fast-paced. You could exasperate already existing medical conditions.

The result of an overheating bulldog becoming shocked (etc.) could be a heart attack – or worse.

Never submerge your dog’s face!

When using paddling pools, baths, showers, or similar, make sure that your bulldog’s head – and particularly the face – are above water. They should never be submerged.

Do not pour water around your dog’s head or neck, as this could cause one of many things, including:

• Panicking your dog
• Breathing changes
• Choking on accidentally swallowed or inhaled water
• Drowning

No ice, ice packs, or frozen bottles (unless…)

Ice packs and other ice-cooling items should be thoroughly wrapped in a towel or something similar before allowing your pet to lie on them (etc.) The freezing pack can burn your pup’s skin, cause blood vessel constriction, and might cause rapid cooling to the affected area.

Freezer packs, frozen bottles of water, and even sealable bags of ice are all great for cooling hot doggos, but only when they’re wrapped!

Ice cubes are dangerous for overheating bulldogs, so you should not, under any circumstances, offer them. You can learn more about the whys and why nots right here: Can I Give My Bulldog Ice Cubes?

Don’t leave your bulldog in the sun

If your bully is in the garden or even inside, in full sun beams, move them to a different area – one that is shaded and cooler.

If outside shade is cooler than inside shade (as is the case with my house sometimes,) move your bulldog to the coolest spot outside, in the shade.

Never wrap your dog in towels

Putting cold, wet towels on top of your dog will not cool them down when they are overheating. Instead, the material will act to keep heat trapped in, making your pup’s situation much worse.

They will be incapable of cooling down and will, more than likely, get hotter.

Avoid the crate or cage if your English bulldog overheats

It might seem like a smart idea to pop your bully in the crate or cage when it’s hot, for them to rest and calm down – but this might be counterproductive. Airflow is restricted in a small cage, and especially if the cage is in a corner or tucked-away part of the room.

If your bully won’t calm down in hot weather, limit them to one smaller room with a fan instead of the cage. This gives them more airflow, more breathing space, more cooling opportunity, and more comfort.

No Food

Do not give your overheating English bulldog (or any other breed of dog) food, whether that’s a snippet of your dinner, their own dinner, treats, or anything else.

Overheating leads to panting and breathing difficulties in flat-nosed breeds. When food is thrown into the mix, you run the risk of your bully choking, aspirating food (going down the “wrong hole,”) or vomiting.

Avoid rapid cooling

Your bulldog can and might go into shock when their body temperature goes from super-hot to super-cold. Rapid cooling can also lead to blood vessel constriction, which in turn can lead to life-threatening blood clots or cardiac arrest.

This is why you shouldn’t submerge in ice cold water, let them drink ice cold water, or eat ice when your English bulldog overheats.

Never over-water your bully

I know that you probably want to see your bulldog drink gallons of water when they’re overheating. The situation can look quite terrifying, and it makes sense that a hot dog would need cool water – and lots of it.

There is such a thing as too much water, though. When your bulldog ingests a lot of water in a short period of time, and definitely more than normal, they can develop a medical condition called bloat. This is known medically as either gastric torsion or GDV (gastric dilatation-volvulus,) and it happens when there is so much gas or material in the dog’s stomach that it twists on itself.

As Blue Cross UK states:

“Bloat in dogs is life-threatening and can become fatal within hours with no treatment.”

What should I do if my English bulldog overheats?

Now that you know what not to do when your English bulldog overheats, it’s time to take a closer look at the things you should do.

These tips will help save your best friend’s life in an emergency, and we recommend that you know the information before you’re faced with a situation in which you need to use said information.

Stay cool, calm, and collected

Panicking fills your mind with things that aren’t helpful or relevant in the midst of a crisis. Take a deep breath, mentally work through the things you need to do to save your English bulldog’s life, then get to work.

Your vet is there for emergencies just like this one, so never be afraid to call for help and advice. If you don’t know what to do, your vet will.

Cold towels on floor

Although it’s not wise to put wet towels on top of your dog, you CAN put wet towels on the floor, then let your bulldog lie on top of it. This approach doesn’t trap heat and is safe to use for bulldogs and all other dog breeds.

Use a fan

Move your English bulldog to the coolest room of the house, then add an electric fan to that room. The more cool-air circulation you can move around, the quicker your poorly pup will cool down.

Frank the Bulldog doesn’t like being directly in front of the fan, so we put it on rotate, then let it blow cold air all around the space. It cools without irritating him… mostly.

Pop them on a cooling mat

Cooling mats and vests are great tools to use when your English bulldog overheats or gets close to it. They can also help to prevent overheating in hot weather.

If you don’t have a cooling mat, tiled and stone floors can work in the same cooling way for a short time. All-tiled bathrooms, for example, tend to be much cooler than other rooms in the home.

If neither of those options are available, freezer packs or frozen water in bottles can be wrapped in towels, then placed underneath your dog’s bed.

Cool your dog in a paddling pool

Is there a paddling pool in your garden shed? Grab it, fill it with cool water, then get your bulldog to stand in it. Using a jug or similar, pour the cool water over your doggo’s body, paying particular attention to their neck. (Always avoid the face and head.)

Make sure the water in the paddling pool is safe for your pet to drink, and encourage them to do so – but only in small amounts. Too much water too quickly could make your English bulldog start vomiting.

Make sure that the paddling pool isn’t in direct sunlight; otherwise, all of your hard work will be for nothing. The pool should be in the shade, offering cooling and protection.

In very hot weather, outdoor time should be limited for bulldogs, so make sure that they aren’t left in the pool outside for long periods of time.

Use the bath or shower

If you don’t have a paddling pool to had, use the bath or shower – but only if your pup doesn’t mind it. Obviously, you don’t want to stress them out even further, so don’t make them do something that they don’t want to do.

In the same way that you shouldn’t “attack” your pets with a hosepipe, you shouldn’t shower them down with the showerhead, but using a jug to gently wet your dog can help to cool them down.

Soothe your bulldog

Our voices soothe our pets more than any of us could ever realise, so make sure that you’re using it to calm and soothe your dog when they’re overheating and probably feeling a little panicky.

Tell your English bulldog what you’re doing, as you’re doing it, keeping yourself and your voice calm. Use affirmative language such as “good boy/girl,” and other praise, along with a praising voice.

Fuss your bully, offer scratches, and touch them in ways that you know they like. Don’t over-fuss, though; it might overheat your pup further.

Constantly monitor your doggo

It is vital that you monitor brachycephalic breeds more during hot weather because they are some of the most vulnerable to temperature changes. This means French bulldogs, American bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, Shih tzus, boxers, and more alongside English bulldogs. They are all at risk during hot weather.

Overheating bulldogs need constant monitoring to ensure they get getter, or you can get them veterinary treatment if they do not. Do not leave your bully unattended. Disasters can happen in quite literally the blink of an eye.

Stop before your dog shivers

Cooling methods such as paddling pools or cool water in the bath can over-cool your dog when used for too long. Keep cooling your bulldog until their breathing becomes more regulated and panting has stopped, then stop.

You run the risk of shocking them by going from too hot to too cold, too quickly.

Always seek veterinary advice

If your English bulldog overheats (or gets close to that point,) you should get them checked out by a vet. This is the case even if they look fine, have returned to normal behaviour, and seem to have no further problems.

Overheating and/or cooling can lead to a whole host of complications, many of which we’ve already talked about. Just because you can’t see something ‘wrong’ with your bully, doesn’t mean that they’re completely fine.

It is always better to be safe, rather than sorry.

How to safely transport your overheating bulldog to the vet

Do you have someone else in the house to help you when? Perhaps a partner, friend, sibling, or child? If so, get them to unlock your vehicle, turn the AC on, and let it cool down for a few minutes.

Do not put your overheating English bulldog in a car without AC, or in a hot car that hasn’t had the AC running. We’ve all seen the media stories of people leaving their dogs in hot cars on high-temperature days. Don’t be one of those people.

If your car doesn’t have AC, call someone who does have a car with AC, or even a taxi company.

Keep the AC on and turn it up.

Make sure that your dog has access to clean, fresh drinking water throughout the journey.

Use a spray bottle to mist your pet during the journey. Yes, this might cause a little damage to the inside of your vehicle… but isn’t that better than the alternative?!

You can also place wet towels on the chairs (using plastic bin bags or sheeting as protection,) but as previously discussed, never put the towels on top of your overheating pet.

As a reminder, the RSPCA states:

“When it’s 22 degrees Celsius outside, the car could reach an unbearable 47 degrees within an hour.”

How to help yourself BEFORE your English bulldog overheats

To be the absolute best pet parent you must be educated and prepared. Arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible will help you to stay calm and know exactly what to do.

This is what we here at Planet Bulldog believe you can do to be as prepared as possible for events just like heatstroke and hot weather.

• Don’t leave learning bulldog care until something bad happens
• Learn the signs of overheating
• Keep your bulldog cool (prevention)
• Know how to TREAT overheating (cure)
• Have vet details saved in your phone and easily accessible
• Investing in cooling vests, mats, or other items specifically for dogs
• Learn doggy CPR
• Have dog-cooling techniques and items in place BEFORE hot weather hits
• If in doubt, always seek advice from a veterinarian

What to do when your English bulldog overheats: final tips and thoughts

It can take thirty minutes to an hour to cool your overheating English bulldog down. In many cases it can take longer than that, and longer to cool them than it took your bully to overheat.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: seek vet advice if you have ANY concerns over your beloved bulldog. If your specific or favourite vet isn’t available, there are emergency online vets for immediately advice, available any time.