Spain’s long, intense summers are one of the biggest seasonal dangers your dog or cat will face. Heatstroke can develop within minutes and it can be fatal — but it is almost entirely preventable. This guide explains why the Spanish heat is so dangerous for pets, who is most at risk, the warning signs to watch for, exactly what to do in an emergency, and how pet insurance covers the vet bill when things go wrong.
If you have moved to Spain with a dog or cat, or adopted one after arriving, the summer climate is something to take seriously. Across much of the mainland — and especially on the southern and eastern costas — daytime temperatures routinely sit in the mid-thirties Celsius for weeks at a time, and heatwaves can push them well above 40°C. Spain’s state weather agency, AEMET, runs a national high-temperature health-warning system every summer, issuing yellow, orange and red alerts as the risk rises. Those warnings are aimed at people, but the same heat is every bit as dangerous — arguably more so — for the animals living alongside us.
The core problem is that dogs and cats cannot cool themselves the way we do. Humans sweat across almost the entire surface of the skin, which is a highly efficient way of shedding heat. Dogs have very few sweat glands — mostly in their paw pads — so they rely overwhelmingly on panting to regulate their temperature, moving air over the moist surfaces of the mouth, tongue and airway to lose heat through evaporation. Cats pant far less and tend to cool themselves by grooming and seeking shade. When the surrounding air is very hot and humid, panting simply cannot keep up, the body’s core temperature climbs, and heatstroke sets in.
A dog’s normal body temperature is higher than ours — around 38–39°C — and serious trouble begins once it climbs above roughly 40°C. At that point the body’s systems start to fail: proteins denature, the gut lining and blood-clotting mechanisms are damaged, and organs such as the kidneys, liver and brain can be injured. This is why heatstroke is not simply “feeling too hot”; it is a genuine, rapidly progressing medical emergency that can kill within minutes if it is not addressed. The exact figures vary from pet to pet, so treat any of the warning signs below as urgent rather than waiting for a thermometer.
Spain’s summer heat-health warning system is run by AEMET, the state meteorological agency: Prevention of the effects of high temperatures (AEMET).
Any dog or cat can suffer heatstroke in the wrong conditions, but some are far more vulnerable than others. If your pet falls into one of the groups below, you need to be especially cautious through the Spanish summer.
None of this means a fit, lean, medium-coated dog is safe to run around at 2pm in July — it is not. It simply means the pets above have almost no margin for error, and their owners should be planning the day around avoiding the heat entirely.
Risk factors summarised from the Royal Veterinary College fact file: Heatstroke in dogs and cats (RVC), and the RSPCA heatstroke guidance.
Recognising heatstroke early gives your pet the best possible chance. The signs tend to escalate quickly, so if you notice several of these on a hot day — or even one or two after exercise or time in a hot environment — act immediately rather than waiting to “see if it passes.”
Cats show heatstroke less obviously than dogs, which makes it easy to miss. Open-mouth panting in a cat is never normal and should always be treated as a red flag — alongside drooling, lethargy, restlessness, bright-red gums and stumbling. If you see any of these, get your cat somewhere cool and contact a vet straight away.
Veterinary and animal-welfare bodies summarise the priority in three words: cool first, transport second. Beginning to cool your pet before and during the journey to the vet has been shown to improve the chances of survival, so do not simply bundle them into a hot car and drive. The steps below are general first-aid information to help you act in the first vital minutes; they are not a substitute for professional care, and you should contact an emergency vet at the same time.
First-aid steps based on RSPCA — recognising and treating heatstroke in dogs.
Heatstroke is a frightening emergency, but the good news is that it is very largely preventable. A few sensible habits through the summer months dramatically reduce the risk.
For cats, prevention is mostly about giving them cool places to retreat to: shaded rooms, tiled floors, access to fresh water in more than one spot, and never shutting a cat into a hot conservatory, greenhouse, shed or car. Indoor cats in a top-floor Spanish apartment can overheat too, so keep rooms ventilated and shaded during the hottest hours.
One danger that catches out many newcomers to Spain is the ground itself. Pavements, tarmac, sand and pool surrounds absorb heat all day and can become hot enough to burn a dog’s paw pads long after the air has started to cool. Because your dog walks barefoot, a surface that feels merely warm to you in shoes can cause painful burns to them.
The simple check recommended by the Royal Kennel Club is the seven-second hand test: place the back of your hand on the pavement and hold it there for seven seconds. If it is too hot for you to keep your hand there comfortably, it is too hot for your dog’s paws, and you should not walk them on it. Signs that a dog has burned its pads include limping, licking or chewing at the feet, and redness, blistering or missing skin on the pads.
Hand-test and paw-burn guidance: The danger of hot pavements (Royal Kennel Club).
Leaving a dog or cat in a parked car — even for “just a couple of minutes”, even in the shade, even with the windows cracked — is one of the fastest and most preventable ways for a pet to die of heatstroke. A parked car behaves like a greenhouse, and the temperature inside climbs terrifyingly fast.
The RSPCA warns that when it is a mild 22°C outside, the inside of a car can reach an unbearable 47°C within an hour. In a Spanish summer, where outside temperatures are far higher to begin with, a car interior can become lethal in a fraction of that time. Cracking a window or parking in shade makes very little difference. The only safe rule is simple: if you cannot take your pet with you, leave them at home.
Hot-car temperature facts and advice: RSPCA — dogs die in hot cars and Blue Cross — why you should never leave a dog in a hot car.
When you arrive at the clinic, a vet will move quickly to stabilise your pet. Treatment for heatstroke is intensive and typically involves controlled cooling, intravenous fluids to support circulation and the kidneys, oxygen, and close monitoring of temperature, heart rhythm and blood values. Because heatstroke can damage internal organs and blood clotting, many pets need to be hospitalised for a day or more, with blood tests, medication and continuous care to manage complications. Severe cases can require several days of intensive treatment.
All of that adds up. Emergency and out-of-hours care, hospitalisation, diagnostics and follow-up visits are exactly the kind of large, unexpected bills that arrive with no warning — usually at the worst possible moment. Spain has excellent private vets, but private veterinary care is paid for by the owner, and a serious heatstroke episode can run to a substantial sum. This is precisely the situation pet insurance is designed for.
Sanitas Salud Mascotas is a pet insurance policy for companion dogs and cats. It reimburses 80% of eligible veterinary costs, up to €2,500 per year, subject to the policy terms, limits and exclusions. It offers free choice of veterinarian (libre elección de veterinario), so you are not tied to a fixed clinic, includes an annual preventive consultation, and provides cover across Spain with emergency cover in the EU subject to policy terms. Because it is reimbursement-based, you pay your vet for treatment such as an emergency heatstroke admission and then claim back the eligible portion.
Having cover in place before an emergency happens means the decision at the clinic can be about your pet’s health rather than the cost. You can read more about pet insurance in Spain, or the specifics of dog insurance and cat insurance. As with any policy, always check the current terms, limits and any exclusions or waiting periods before you buy — our English-speaking advisers are happy to talk it through.
Heatstroke tends to be the headline risk each summer, but living in Spain brings other seasonal dangers for pets that are worth knowing about, so you can protect your dog or cat year-round.
From late winter into spring, the pine processionary caterpillar poses a serious — sometimes fatal — threat to dogs, causing severe damage to the mouth and tongue on contact. If you walk your dog anywhere near pine trees, it is well worth understanding the risk. We cover it in detail in our guide to processionary caterpillars and dogs in Spain.
Leishmaniasis is a disease spread by the bite of infected sandflies, which are most active in the warmer months across much of Spain. It is a significant concern for dogs in particular, and vets recommend preventive measures such as sandfly-repellent collars or spot-on treatments, and in some cases vaccination. Speak to your vet about the right prevention for where you live — sandfly activity is higher on the coast and in the evenings through spring, summer and autumn.
Warm weather also increases activity of ticks and other parasites, and simple dehydration is a constant summer risk. Keep parasite prevention up to date, always carry water on outings, and watch for the early signs of overheating covered above.
An emergency like heatstroke is exactly what cover is for. Tell us about your dog or cat and an English-speaking adviser will find a plan that reimburses your vet bills.
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