With temperatures forecast to hit 33°C, veterinary experts are warning that flat-faced breeds face a hidden crisis that most owners still do not recognise
Britain is bracing for what could become its hottest May bank holiday on record. The Met Office has confirmed that temperatures will climb steadily through the weekend, peaking at 33°C in southern England and the Midlands on Monday, with heatwave thresholds likely to be met across south-eastern England from Sunday. The existing May record of 32.8°C is expected to fall.
For millions of families planning barbecues, beach trips and long countryside walks, the forecast is cause for celebration. For dogs in heatwaves, especially the owners of flat-faced dogs, however, it should be cause for alarm. Veterinary experts, insurers and animal welfare bodies have issued a volley of urgent warnings this week, all converging on a single message: brachycephalic breeds – the French Bulldogs, Pugs and English Bulldogs that now dominate Britain’s most-registered lists – are uniquely and dangerously vulnerable to heat, and most of their owners do not yet understand quite how much.
The problem is structural. Brachycephalic dogs have shortened snouts and compressed airways. Where a Labrador or a spaniel can pant freely to regulate its body temperature, a flat-faced dog labours for every breath, and in hot weather that labour intensifies to the point of crisis. Research suggests that around 60 per cent of Pugs and 50 per cent of French Bulldogs are affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), and peer-reviewed studies published in the journal Veterinary Evidence have confirmed that these breeds are significantly over-represented in presentations for heatstroke. The RSPCA notes that flat-faced breeds can struggle even in relatively mild spring temperatures – long before the mercury reaches the sort of figures forecast for this weekend.
“It’s never been more vital for pet owners to understand the risks associated with hot weather,” says Lars Mortensen, head veterinarian at Agria Pet Insurance. “As average temperatures rise, animals are even more susceptible to heatstroke than humans. By taking preventative measures and knowing how to spot the signs of overheating, all pet owners can keep their best friends happy and healthy all summer long.”
Agria, which this week issued a formal warm weather warning to pet owners ahead of the bank holiday, recommends seven key precautions: providing ample shade and ventilation, keeping fresh water available at all times, never leaving pets in cars, adjusting exercise to the coolest hours, testing pavement temperatures before walks, creating cooling stations with damp towels or mats, and grooming regularly to remove trapped heat from thick coats. These measures apply not just to dogs but to cats and rabbits, which also cannot sweat and are similarly at risk.
The five-second rule has become something of a mantra among veterinary professionals: if you cannot comfortably hold the back of your hand against the pavement for five seconds, it will burn your dog’s paws. On a day when the air temperature reaches 25°C, asphalt can climb to well above 50°C in direct sun. With forecasts for 30°C and above across much of England this weekend, pavements will be capable of causing serious thermal injury within minutes.
For flat-faced breeds, the risks compound quickly. Karla Pearson, director of OxyPet and founder of No Bull Just Natural Health For Dogs, says many owners still underestimate the reality. “People often think their dog is just being lazy or dramatic, but many flat-faced dogs are working incredibly hard just to breathe,” she says. “In hotter weather that pressure increases massively. Recovery takes longer, walks become harder and simple things like excitement or stress can quickly tip them into distress.”
Pearson, who is based in Hartlepool, warns of a phenomenon that few owners have heard of. “Sadly, many people don’t realise that most flat-faced dogs experience some level of hypoxia – a lack of oxygen – due to their physical structure. This is only made worse in warmer weather, so keeping them cool, well hydrated and properly oxygenated is key.” Maintaining adequate hydration, she argues, should be treated as a daily necessity rather than an afterthought, particularly for dogs whose bodies are already under respiratory strain. Her company’s product, OxyPet, an oxygen-enriched water made from Cornish spring water, is one of a growing number of targeted hydration supplements designed with vulnerable breeds in mind.
The warning signs of heatstroke are well documented but still routinely missed. Excessive panting, drooling, glazed eyes, lethargy, vomiting, confusion and collapse should all trigger immediate action: move the dog to a cool area, apply lukewarm (not ice-cold) water to the coat, and contact a vet without delay. In brachycephalic breeds, heatstroke can escalate far more rapidly than many owners realise, and the window for effective intervention is narrow.
Equally insidious is the normalisation of breathing difficulties in flat-faced dogs. Snoring, snorting, raspy breathing and heavy panting after minimal exertion are frequently dismissed as breed quirks rather than signs of genuine respiratory distress. Recent guidance from vets and welfare organisations has been blunt: noisy breathing in a brachycephalic dog should never be considered normal. Owners are urged to monitor recovery times after exercise and to seek veterinary advice if their dog takes longer than expected to settle.
The financial dimension is not insignificant. Heat-related veterinary emergencies can run into thousands of pounds, and insurers report a predictable spike in claims each time temperatures climb. Andrew Simpson, head of pet at Insure Your Paws – which won the Pet Insurance Award at the National Insurance Awards 2026 – points to the value of round-the-clock veterinary helplines in catching problems before they escalate.
Nor are hot cars the only enclosed danger. Conservatories, poorly ventilated rooms and even sun-drenched corners of enclosed gardens can create lethal microclimates. On a moderately warm day of 22°C, the interior of a parked car can reach 47°C within an hour. For a dog that already struggles with airflow, even a few minutes in such conditions can be fatal.
What is perhaps most striking about this week’s cascade of warnings is the breadth of professional consensus behind them. Agria’s Mortensen, the RSPCA, Ceva Animal Health and multiple veterinary practices have all independently flagged the same message in the same week, ahead of the same forecast. It suggests that the veterinary profession, collectively, considers the current situation more urgent than many pet owners appreciate.
For those heading out with their dogs this bank holiday, the advice is clear and consistent: walk before 8am or after 7pm, carry water, test the ground, watch for distress, and if in any doubt, stay home. For owners of flat-faced breeds in particular, the coming days demand more than common sense. They demand a level of vigilance that reflects what the science now tells us about the bodies these dogs inhabit – and the limits those bodies impose.
With heatwave alerts active from today across London, the East Midlands, West Midlands, the East and South East, and conditions expected to intensify through Monday, the message from every quarter of the animal welfare world is the same. This is not weather to take chances with. Not with any dog. And certainly not with a flat face.
