Do Dogs Sweat? Vet’s 2025 Guide to Canine Cooling, Sweat & Heat Safety 🐶🌡️ 

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Hello—I’m Dr Duncan Houston BVSc, veterinarian and Ask A Vet founder. While dogs don't sweat like humans, they do have sweat glands—in their paws and noses. This vet‑approved guide unpacks:

• How and where dogs sweat
• Their primary cooling strategies
• What paw‑sweat means
• Signs of overheating or heatstroke
• Paw‑care & summer safety tips
• Ask A Vet tools for tracking heat‑risk and paw health

1. How Do Dogs Sweat?

• Merocrine glands are located in the paw pads (and nose); they release sweat when dogs are hot or stressed—sometimes leaving damp paw prints.
• Apocrine glands are distributed across the skin and secrete pheromones—not used for cooling.

2. Primary Cooling Methods

• Panting: Dogs breathe rapidly with an open mouth to evaporate moisture from their nasal passages, tongue, and lungs—this is their main cooling mechanism.
• Vasodilation: Your dog’s blood vessels (especially in ears, face) expand, bringing heat to the surface to dissipate.
• Paw sweat: A minor cooling method and traction aid, not a major thermoregulator.

3. What Paw‑Sweat Tells You

• Heat stress: Damp paw pads + panting or warm ears often mean overheating.
• Stress or anxiety: Moist paws can signal nervousness, such as at the vet.
• No odor: The “corn chip” smell often comes from bacteria, not sweat.

4. Overheating & Heatstroke Signs

• Heavy panting, drooling, red gums/skin, weakness or collapse.
• Warm to touch, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, seizures—medical emergency.
• High‑risk breeds: brachycephalic (pugs, bulldogs), seniors, dark‑coated, obese dogs.

5. Paw‑Care & Heat‑Safety Tips

• Check paws after walks; if wet, gently dry—watch for hot pavement.
• Provide shade, fresh water, and avoid midday exercise in summer.
• Support healthy coat—don’t shave double‑coated dogs; grooming helps.
• Spritz or use fans/cooling vests to assist cooling.
• Never leave your dog in a hot car—even briefly.

6. Ask A Vet Support Tools

• Heat‑sign tracker (panting, paw dampness, behavior changes)
• Paw‑care logs for drying/inspection habits
• Alerts for heat‑danger thresholds and care reminders
• Guidance templates for cooling plans and activity timing

📌 Final Thoughts from a Vet

Dogs do sweat, but only through their paw pads and noses—and it's a minor part of their cooling system. Panting and vasodilation are their main strategies. Paw‑sweat can signal heat stress or anxiety. With smart heat‑management, paw care, and Ask A Vet tools, you can help your pup stay safe, comfortable, and cool—especially during summer fun. 🐾❤️