A dog can succumb to heat exhaustion and move on to heat stroke very quickly. Heat stroke leading to death can happen even to the mature, healthy dog of a caring and experienced owner.
The dog has no efficient way to get rid of heat, and there is an inflection point in the dog's internal temperature after which things go wrong fast. One minute the dog seems fine, and the next he is in dire circumstances.
A dog's normal internal temperature is 100.5 to 102.5. Above 103 F is a problem (source: about.com, citing to Merck Veterinary Manual, 9th ed.)
The internet provides all sorts of checklists to identify heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but the incipient symptoms are pretty obvious - - the dog returns from a run on a hot day panting like a MARTA bus pulling away from the curb, frothing at the mouth, and a tongue hanging to one side.
Pull that dog from the field for a moment and get him settled down. Give him some water, or get him into some water to cool down. Most lake water in Georgia is > 80 F right now, which is very warm, but still 20 degrees cooler than the dog's internal temperature. Just sit for a while. Get everyone back and centered.
If you've ever played a sport on a hot day, you may know how heat can sneak up on you and you don't realize it until you've been on the sidelines drinking water for a while, your ears pop, and suddenly the world, which seemed fine, comes into focus. He doesn't know it either, and you have to watch out for him.
Pre-season training with an eager dog provides an opportunity for harm. Watch for that tongue drooping to one side. It's the first sign. Get his tongue to hang from the center of his mouth before you go again. Don't forget about the rule of 140.
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