Dogs can get frostbite just like human's when it is really cold outside. Although your dog's fur can protect them most of the time against the cold, sometimes when it is really cold outside your dog's fur coat is not enough. Your dog's body starts to prioritize keeping internal organs warm when it is really cold outside and puts less emphasis on extremities, which is when frostbite occurs.

Know What Frostbite Looks Like

You need to know what frostbite looks like when it happens to your dog. Knowing what frostbite looks like when it happens to your dog can help you keep your eyes out for frostbite signs. Knowing these signs can help you protect your dog.

One of the first signs of frostbite that you may notice from your dog is excessive shivering. It is natural for your dog to shiver a little bit, but your dog shouldn't shiver excessively. The next thing you may notice is tissue discoloration on your dog's limbs. When frostbite strikes, it can cause your dog's tissues to look pale. They may also develop a blue or grey hue to them as well. You may also notice that your dog's limbs look swollen and blistered if their frostbite is advanced. 

Consequences Of Frostbite

There can be serious consequences for your dog if their frostbite is left untreated. Untreated frostbite can lead to serious consequences for your dog. If frostbite is left untreated, they could use a limb and require amputation. If the frostbite is allowed to advance enough, your dog's internal organs could shut down. Even if you catch the frostbite in its early stages, the affected tissue could still develop a painful bacterial infection.

Treating Frostbite

The first thing you need to do when you notice the symptoms of frostbite in your dog is get your dog inside. You are going to want to wrap your dog up in some dry towels. They don't need to be warmed at this point.

Then, use heating pads to warm your dog up. These heating pads should be applied over the dry towels that you wrapped your dog up in. The heating pads should be warm, not scalding hot. Really hot heating pads could actually harm your dog's tissue. You want to gradually warm your dog up in order to protect their tissue.

As soon as you can, get your dog to the vet so they can make sure that your dog's tissue didn't suffer permanent damage. Your veterinarian can also check and see if your dog suffered internal damage due to the frostbite that you may not be able to see. 

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