04/01/2025
Bedtime reading anyone!!
WHEN IS TOO COLD TO WALK YOUR DOG AND WHAT FACTORS CAN AFFECT THE DOGS WELFARE AND SAFETY
Just as when the weather is too hot, being too cold can cause health and safety issues for your dog too. The fact is, this rarely gets the same attention as hot weather, but it should as the repercussions can be just as devastating. Like hot days, certain breeds are more prone to the health implications cold days can bring. Puppies and tiny breeds cannot regulate their temperatures as well as other breeds. In the current cold snap, it is too risky to allow Derek the miniature sausage dog out for too long at present due to the fact that he is smooth coated, even in a fleece he is shivering in seconds as the cold filters through his little paws, this can quickly lead to hypothermia if he were to be left out too long.
Signs that it is too cold for your dog: Shivering and shaking and this is with a fleece or coat on. Another place to check is under their armpits and their ears, although this is not as fool proof as some dogs have virtually no fur there. Dogs can try and huddle and tuck up physically they can seek shelter in corners or under bushes if they are out in the cold to try and keep warm. This can sometimes be accompanied by whining or barking looking uncomfortable and reluctance to walk. Lethargy is another sign.
Health risks in the cold:
Its not just humans that can get frostbite and hypothermia during freezing weather; dogs can too. Frostbite is when the skin and tissues freeze, and hypothermia is when the body temperature drops. These are both serious conditions, so be sure to keep an eye out for early signs particularly if your dog has got very cold outside.
Frostbite symptoms:
Pale, grey, or blue skin
Swelling and pain in the affected area
Blisters on the skin
Limping or avoiding putting weight on the affected limb.
Frostbite can be painful, and your dog may need medication to help manage the pain. If you think your dog has frostbite, follow these steps:
Call your vet right away, as frostbite can cause serious tissue damage, and early treatment is essential.
Move your dog to a warm room.
Gently warm the affected area with warm, moist towels or water (not hot) - don't heat the affected area too quickly, as it could cause more damage.
Keep an eye on your dog and look for any changes in their condition.
Hypothermia symptoms: The symptoms of hypothermia in dogs can include the following and you must act quickly:
Shivering to warm up.
Lethargy and appearing sluggish and tired.
Slow heart rate
Muscle stiffness
Shallow or laboured breathing
Pale or blue gums
In severe cases, dogs may lose consciousness.
If you think your dog might be suffering from hypothermia, you should take the following steps:
Contact your vet immediately. Hypothermia can be a serious condition, and early treatment is crucial.
Move your dog to a warm room and cover them with a blanket to help warm up.
Offer warm water to drink to help raise your dog's body temperature.
Keep a close eye on your dog and watch for any changes in their condition until you can be seen by your vet.
Harmful Substances in winter:
Look out for ice-melting chemicals such as rock salt, also known as grit, which can cause dehydration or burns in your dog's mouth and throat, it can also cause irritation to their paws. Antifreeze can also be harmful to your dog if ingested, as it contains a chemical called 'ethylene glycol'. It has a sweet taste that might tempt your dog to try to eat it, so make sure to keep it out of reach.
Antifreeze can also cause irritation and dryness to their paws and might be ingested when your dog licks their paws as part of self-grooming. Itās essential to clean their paws after walking in areas where it has been used and if you suspect your dog has ingested antifreeze, get in touch with your vet immediately. Try and avoid icy pools of water and ice water ponds themselves. If you allow your dog to run in iced over puddles these can easily crack and are quite capable of slicing a paw pad. Frozen and extremely cold streams and ponds should be avoided due to the risk of hypothermia and the dogs cooling down quickly. Jumping in freezing cold water will cool their core temp rapidly.
Where to walk if it is too cold?
When walking your dog in colder weather, remember that dog breed, size, age and the thickness of their coat can all make a difference in how your dog copes with the cold. Generally, if it feels too cold for you to be outside, it's too chilly for your dog. If you're unsure, opting for a shorter walk or indoor playtime to keep your dog safe and cosy is best. There is no shame in putting a coat on your dogs, gone are the archaic days of āitās a dog it has got fur and doesnāt need a coat attitudeā we all know that dogs feel heat and cold. The more susceptible breeds to the cold are your fine skinned and smooth coated breeds, think Greyhound (Italian ones especially), whippets, vizslas, ridgebacks, pointers, smooth haired dachshund and your toy breeds. All these dogsā benefit from a fleece either full bodied or a jumper with another waterproof coat on top in some instances. I even put fleeces on the mastiffs, it helps to keep them warm, especially my older ones and massively helps with keeping them clean to. Equafleece are great all mine have them and Derek has the sausage vests and full body suits the fatheads have them too (specially made,) and my very talented neighbour makes her own sustainable fleeces which Mavis and Neville also wear. Check her out on facebook UGGO.uk and Instagram .uk. In the very cold weather, particularly if temperatures do not get above 0c, I tend to avoid pavements as they are so cold and equally grass can be too if it is frozen over. Not many people have access to astroturf, but the beach should there be one local to you is quite a good place to go, this again depends on the windchill and the tide! If you need to walk your dog on pavements these days, there are dog boots available. These are widely used for hikers and mountain climbersā dogs who cover a lot of miles over rough terrain. It is worth noting that should you purchase boots, it is not simply a case of its cold, buy the boots put them on your dog and off you go. It will be very alien to your dog to have their feet enclosed in something and you will need to have got them used to the feel and the fit of a boot, well before any extreme weather arrives. Local woods and forest may work out better too as the tress can provide some respite from the biting cold and the ground tends to not be as frozen solid due to the leaf fall from autumn and the canopy of the trees.
Alternatives to walking.
There are a variety of ways to keep your dog entertained indoors. I have an automatic ball launcher, which is not for the faint hearted if you have 3 mastiffs, an Irish terrier and a sausage dog, although he tends to keep out of the way. Snuffle mats are great, a game of fetch with a soft toy, scent games and hiding things throughout the house are all forms of mental and albeit restricted physical exercise but can help greatly on days if it is too cold to go outside for your breed of dog.
Keep your dog warm at night:
It's more than just the outside temperature you need to be aware of during the winter months. Remember that when the heating goes off your house can get chilly at night and could leave your pet shivering in their usually cosy spot.
Provide a warm, comfortable bed that's off the ground and well-insulated, you can even put a hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket underneath their usual bedding.
Set a comfortable temperature in the room, ideally between 20-22Ā°C
Give your dog extra bedding, such as blankets or towels, to maintain their body heat and help protect them from the cold, mine sometimes sleep in their fleeces.
Place your dog's bed away from draughty windows and doors.
Avoid letting your dog sleep in unheated areas like a garage or porch.
