Pavement burn

How it works

Ground surfaces run considerably hotter than the air above them in direct sun, and dark asphalt and artificial turf run hotter still. Air temperature is therefore a poor guide, and a day that feels manageable to a person in shoes can be well past what a paw can tolerate. Damage can occur within a short contact time, and the signs often appear afterwards: limping, licking at the feet, or pads that look darker or have begun to peel.

What it looks like

A dog is walked for fifteen minutes on a warm evening across a parking lot. That night they will not settle and keep licking a back foot. The air had cooled; the asphalt had not.

Commonly confused with

Heatstroke

Pavement burn is a contact injury to the pads. Heatstroke is a whole-body emergency from being unable to cool down. Hot ground contributes to both, and they are separate problems needing separate responses.

Related terms

Where this comes up