Section 6 of 10 · about 2 min read
Cool first, transport fast — and how to keep a seizing dog safe.
This course is for learning and does not replace your vet. In an emergency, call your vet or nearest emergency vet straight away.
Lesson 1
Heatstroke can develop rapidly and is life-threatening. Causes include hot weather, over-exercise, poor ventilation, being left in a vehicle and flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds. Even 20°C can be dangerous with humidity. Early signs: heavy panting, restlessness, excessive drooling, red gums and a temperature above 39.5°C. Advanced signs: vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, collapse, seizures, and pale or dark red gums.
Lesson 2
Cool first, then transport, and keep cooling on the way — don’t delay. Move to shade immediately. Use the coldest water you have quickly to hand: colder is better, but any water cooler than your dog helps, and waiting to find “not too cold” water wastes precious minutes. A healthy dog who is awake can be put in cold water (a paddling pool, stream or bath). Otherwise pour water continuously over the body, focusing on the belly, inner thighs and paws, and keep air moving with a fan or a breeze. Stop active cooling at 39°C. Transport to the vet immediately. Don’t cover your dog with wet towels (they trap heat) and never delay vet care — complications can appear later, so bloodwork is recommended even if your dog seems fine. (Checked against the Royal Veterinary College’s VetCompass guidance, October 2026.)
Lesson 3
Signs include collapse, paddling, stiffness, jaw chomping, drooling and loss of bladder control. Keep your hands away from the mouth — dogs don’t swallow their tongue but may bite by accident. Time it with your phone. Make the area safe: move furniture, block stairs, keep pets and children back, dim lights. Don’t restrain your dog. If it goes beyond a couple of minutes, use gentle airflow — but don’t pour water on a seizing dog.
Lesson 4
Afterwards, keep your dog somewhere quiet, dim and warm, and only offer water once they’re fully alert. Call the vet or go immediately if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, there are two or more in 24 hours, your dog doesn’t fully recover between seizures, it’s their first ever seizure, they may have eaten a toxin, or they’re injured. If safe, film it and note the start and end time to help your vet.
Put ORLAGH’S cooling steps in order.
Your dog is having a seizure. Put the steps in order.
You should look for lukewarm water rather than cold water to cool an overheated dog.
Covering a hot dog with wet towels can trap heat.
Dogs can swallow their tongue during a seizure, so you should hold it.
A first-ever seizure needs a call to the vet.
Heatstroke can only happen above 30°C.
You should keep cooling your dog even below 39°C, to be safe.
Score 70% or more to pass this section.
Question 1 of 8
