As temperatures drop lower and lower each day, it’s important for pet owners to know that if they’re cold when taking their pets outside, chances are their pets are cold as well.
Pet owners, new and experienced, should keep the following tips in mind during the winter months when they’re taking their pets for a walk or leaving them out for long periods of time:
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Protect their paws
Salt and other chemicals used to melt snow can irritate a pet’s paws. American Red Cross recommends wiping your pet’s paws with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates their mouth.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) said you can add petroleum jelly or booties to protect sensitive paws.
Take care of their coat, skin
To avoid itchy, flaking skin, the ASPCA recommends keeping your home humidified and towel dry your pet as soon as they come inside.
Remove any snow from between foot pads. If possible, keep your dog’s coat longer in winter for warmth. If your pet is short-haired, consider getting a coat or sweater.
Keep pet bathing to a minimum when it’s cold to avoid dry skin. If your pet needs a bath, use a moisturizing shampoo.
Watch for hypothermia
If your pet is whining, shivering, anxious, slower than usual or stops moving, seems weak or starts looking for warm places to burrow, get them back inside quickly because they are showing signs of hypothermia.
If you suspect your pet has hypothermia, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Symptoms of frostbite in dogs
Frostbite can happen at any freezing or below-freezing temperature.
The intensity of frostbite varies depending on the characteristics of the dog, concurrent weather conditions and the environment.
According to PetMD, smaller short-haired dogs
- Pain when touched
- Cold, brittle-feeling skin
- Discolored skin—often pale, blue, gray, or even black
- Swelling and redness once tissue is warmed
- Blistered or ulcerated skin
- The presence of ice around the affected area
- Low body temperature due to concurrent hypothermia
Treating frostbite in dogs
Take your dog to the vet immediately if you believe your dog has frostbite.
PetMD said you should keep your dog warm with the car heater and/or a warm towel while taking your dog to the vet. You can also gently warm the affected areas with slightly warm, not hot, water or a moist towel. Do not rub the skin or attempt to warm it with direct heat, such as a hairdryer or heating pad, as this can worsen the tissue damage.
Severely affected areas may require surgery to remove nonviable tissue. If a very large area is affected, amputation may be necessary. Because it can take days to weeks for the full extent of damage to become apparent, surgical procedures will likely not be performed at the time of diagnosis.
