LifestyleDogsThe animal welfare expert shared a warning for dog owners in the UK13:23, 03 Jun 2026Pet owners have been put on alert that soaring temperatures pose a serious threat to their animals. A vet is now urging dog owners to think carefully before heading out for walks when it is hot. Ben Simpson-Vernon, MA VetMB MRCVS, posted the advice for animal lovers.‌He is a veterinary surgeon with over 200k followers on social media, posting TikTok videos under the name 'Ben The Vet'. He qualified from Cambridge Vet School in 2015 and often works with animal charities to educate pet owners. In a recent post, the vet told pet owners: "Stop exercising dogs in heatwave conditions." In the video, he shared advice for all dog breeds, but noted that some breeds face a heightened risk, reports the Daily Record.‌Ben explained: "This video is a gentle reminder from a vet for those people who choose to walk their dog during the hottest part of the day during a heatwave, especially if that dog is a French bulldog, a pug, or other flat-faced breed of dog."‌He said: "Your dog is not a small human. By this, I mean just because you might be able to cope with the heat, it doesn't mean your dog, who is a different species, is able to. When you, as a human, start to overheat, one of the ways you lose heat is to sweat.Content cannot be displayed without consent"Your dog cannot sweat apart from from the underside of their paws, which is not very helpful. The primary way they cool themselves down is by panting, and this works by fluid evaporating from tissues in their throat and nose.‌"Your dog’s panting is not as effective as your sweating because the surface area for heat exchange in their nose and throat is much lower than your whole body surface area that you use when you sweat."And pugs and French bulldogs have very little nose and throat. Basically, they're operating a broken air conditioning unit. I would also remember your dog is permanently wearing a coat that they cannot remove."Article continues belowConcluding the video, Ben added: "A dog never died from missing a walk. If in doubt, especially if your dog is elderly, overweight, has health problems, or a flattened face, just don't go out."In his caption, he wrote: "I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets upset seeing a pug panting away on a walk in 30-degree heat. Remember heat stroke can be fatal - and simply thinking your dog can cope with the same level of heat you can is where I think it often goes wrong."Ben's video gained thousands of views. Several viewers praised the advice, urging dog owners to pay close attention. It's a warning that will be relevant for months to come, with more summer weather ahead.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌HeatwaveFitnessAnimalsMy PetsDogsTeamDogsExpert AdviceViralTikTok