When Jack Frost Bites

Some dogs are particularly sensitive to cold temperatures:

– Puppies under six months of age

– Elderly and arthritic dogs because the cold can make their joints stiff and moving awkward

– Dogs suffering from diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease because they find it hard to regulate their body temperature

– Under weight dogs

– Short-haired breeds

– Dogs with short legs because their tummies and chests are more likely to be in contact with the snow

Beware the signs

It’s not easy to spot frostbite as the areas affected are usually covered in hair. It bears repeating: be particularly careful to check the dog’s ears, feet, toes and tail.

– The frozen areas appear pale white, gray or blue

– The skin will be cold and hard

– If frostbite affects the ears, the tips will droop

– The dog will limp (if frostbite is on the feet/toes

– Once the area warms up, the skin can become red and swollen and the dog will experience pain (it can also peel, blister and possibly become infected)

When frostbite strikes

When you’re outside with your dog be aware for the signs that he is cold. Is he whining, shivering, looking anxious, moving slower or looking for somewhere to hide away from the weather?

– Immediately bring your dog inside where it’s warm.

– Check for hypothermia (a dangerous drop in body temperature caused by overexposure to cold).

– Gently warm the frostbitten area by applying a warm (but not hot) compress for 20 minutes (do not rub or put pressure on the area). It should be rewarmed slowly and given time to heal.

– Resist the urge to rub or massage the affected area. Massaging may release toxins that can further damage the tissue.

Take your dog to the vet as soon as possible so that he can start monitoring your dog to determine the extent of any tissue damage. The monitoring can last several days as it takes time for the severity of the frostbite to reveal itself. During this time your vet is likely to prescribe painkillers and antibiotics to help ease your dog’s pain and look at removing any dead tissue.

Take preventative steps

Stop your dog from being outside in freezing temperatures for any length of time.

– Take special care with puppies and elderly dogs whose bodies may not be in optimal condition.

– Listen to weather forecasts – mild days can quickly turn to dangerously cold temperatures.

– Don’t assume sunny days prevent frostbite, especially if the temperature is below freezing.

– Be aware of the wind chill factor that makes outside temperature feel like it’s below zero.

– Consider buying booties to protect a dog’s feet as well as a blanket or coat.