Can dogs make themselves ill sitting by a heat source?

Bodhi will sit in front of our fire till she is literally panting heavily. And she will continue to lay there till I worry and physically make her move. She feels very hot to the touch.

It can't be good for her?!!! She will move eventually to a cooler place before going back for more.

She's practically cooking herself....

No idea, but Ru lived on an electric heating pad set to 'high' for years before I got him an actual heated dog bed. He would be incredibly toasty when I picked him up, but hasn't had any ill effects from all the cooking.

I think if they were really hot, they'd move. Their fur is a great insulator, even the short stuff. The outside might be toasty hot, but the body is still just comfortable.

I wouldn't worry. My uncle said his dogs used to sit so close their fur would singe. Not sure if he was exaggerating or not, but still I don't think they'll actually hurt themselves. Right now we don't have any heat so bought a space heater. When I walk into the living room there is always at least one cat sitting an inch in front of it staring into it like it's their life source. Willie tried to reach inside the other day, that's probably not a good idea.

Agreed that as long as she can and does move away if she chooses, I wouldn't worry about it.

Middie would agree with everyone here. He parks himself on front of the space heater when it's on max for hours.

Some dogs are just half lizard.

I wouldn't worry as long as she has the choice of staying or moving. The Siamese cat we had as kids could never get warm enough - he'd sit on radiators, on top of floor vents, and once, he parked himself among the pots cooking on the stove. :yikes:

Well.... She's just a nutter then!! I'm sure her collar was close to melting last night!! Our log burner kicks out some heat!!

Ozzy likes to cook himself as well. He parks himself in front of the space heater and gets very offended if you make him move. I think it's an older dog thing. Joints hurt more in the cold, and none of my other dogs care for the heat.

He'll try to literally crawl behind my moms wood stove. When we don't let him do that, he'll either lay right up against the side or right in front of it.

My guys lays in front of the gas heater too, and right up to it. For my heater I thought it was scorching hot, but I decide to lay in the same spot, and it is a bitter cooler than I had thought b/c the hot air would rise quickly when exiting the vent.

My cat hogs the space heater. If he gets too hot he will move he has never gotten sick from it. He just loves the warmth.

A friend's dog would do the same thing but didn't have any side effects like getting too warm or anything but I do think they'd be aware if anything was particularly painful or getting too hot.