If your dog is outside in frigid temperature for too long, they can develop frostbite as their body prioritizes their internal organs over their less-important body parts, such as their paws. Here are five things you should do if you notice that your dog has developed frostbite.
#1 Wrap Up The Affected Areas
The first thing you need to do if your dog develops frostbite is get them in out of the cold. Once you have them in out of the cold, you need to start the warming up process. The best way to start the warming up process is taking dry towels and wrapping them around your dog.
Start by wrapping up the areas that you can visibly see have been affected by frostbite, such as their limbs. Then, wrap up the core of your dog's body as well. Just because you can't see tissue damage to your dog doesn't mean that those areas are not cold and don't need to be warmed up.
Wrapping your dog in dry towels will help warm your dog up. If your dog is wet, the dry towels will also help absorb any moisture that is on your dog's body.
#2 Warm Up The Affect Area Gradually
Next, you need to start warming your dog's body up gradually. The best way to do this is with heating pads. Place the heating pads on top of the dry towels that you have wrapped your dog up in. If you don't have any heating pads, you can fluff some towels in the dryer and wrap your dog up in those. Or you can use warm water.
The key is to keep the heat mild. You don't want to use really hot heat. Really hot heat can actually damage your dog's tissue even more.
Also, remember to just apply the heat to your dog. Do not rub the heat into your dog's skin; this could also damage your dog's tissue due to how sensitive your dog's tissue is right now.
#3 Monitor Your Dog's Temperature
As you are warming up your dog, you should monitor your dog's temperature with a pet thermometer. You want to see your dog's internal temperature gradually increase over time. Normal temperature for your dog is between 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Work to get your dog's temperature back up to that point.
#4 Take Them To The Vet
Finally, when your dog is comfortable enough to move, take your dog to a vet like those at Apple Valley Animal Hospital. Keep your dog wrapped up and warm as you transport them to the vet.
If you notice that your dog has tissue that is sensitive and has lost its color after being outside, after taking care of your pet, always follow up with your vet to make sure that your pet is really okay.
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