Heat and pavement safety for dogs in Phoenix and Scottsdale

Surfaces here get hot enough to burn a paw in about a minute, and heatstroke can follow an ordinary walk. Both are most likely in the months when the temperature stays above 110°F for weeks at a time.

Signs of heatstroke

Heavy panting, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea that is sometimes bloody, weakness, collapse, confusion and seizures. A normal temperature for a dog runs 100.5 to 102.5°F. Heatstroke is 105°F or higher.

When it can wait, and when it cannot

A dog who is tired or slow after a hot walk, but is alert, drinking and otherwise normal, can be kept cool indoors and watched.

Mild limping or paw licking after a walk, with no blistering and no severe pain, can wait for a regular appointment. A paw pad that is blistered or bleeding, or a dog who will not put weight on the foot at all, should be seen the same day.

Pavement

Surfaces run 40 to 60°F hotter than the air. On an 86°F day, which is mild here, asphalt reaches 135°F, hot enough to burn paws in 60 seconds.

Concrete, sand, metal and artificial turf all get dangerously hot in direct sun. A pool deck or a backyard putting green is no safer than the sidewalk.

Walk early in the morning or late in the evening. For most of the summer that is close to the only safe window.

Dogs at higher risk

• Short-muzzled breeds such as pugs and bulldogs
• Senior dogs
• Overweight dogs
• Thick-coated or dark-coated dogs
• Dogs with existing heart or breathing conditions

Sources

• Cornell University Riney Canine Health Center, Heatstroke
• AAHA, How to Protect Dog Paws from Hot Pavement
• AVMA, Pets in Vehicles

About this page. Written for Sonoran Desert conditions and reviewed by a veterinarian at this practice. Last reviewed September 12, 2026.