Giving First Aid to a Dog with Hypothermia

Humans take measures not to be affected by extremely cold temperatures. Cold weather would spur people to take out cold weather clothes from storage. Exposure to very cold temperatures can result to frostbite and hypothermia.Dogs need not don winter gear as they protected by their fur against the cold. Huskies, Malamutes and other cold weather dogs are protected from the freezing weather by their long and thick coats but hypothermia can still happen to these dogs. Humans and dogs will be affected by freezing temperature so that the body temperature falls down and hampers the normal functioning of the vital organs of the body. If mountain dogs that are protected from freezing temperature by their long thick coats can still suffer from hypothermia how much more will short haired dogs be affected.

The normal body temperature of a dog is between 100F to 102F. A dog will start to shiver if the temperature drops to 90F. Shivering is an involuntary reaction of the muscles spurred by the body's attempt to generate heat to be able to normalize body temperature. The hair will be raised as well to trap a layer of air between the skin. Trapped warm air will serve as additional insulation against the cold. Hard and cold extremities should cue the owner that hypothermia has set in. The body will shut off the flow of blood to the extremities and direct blood flow to the vital organs so that the face, ears, legs and tail are at risk for frostbite.

A dog can go into shock is the body temperature falls drastically. If first aid treatment is not administered the condition can result to the death of the dog. It is necessary to elevate the core temperature of the dog. Take the pet in a warm room and use blankets to ward off the cold. Hot water bottles wrapped in towels and placed on the dog's less hair covered area will help in elevating body temperature. Warm water bottles can be placed on body walls and on the legs.

A hair dryer can be an effective tool in warming a chilled dog. However, take care not to direct the heat to one part of the body for a period of time to prevent the dog's skin from being burned. Severe hypothermia can cause a dog to go into shock. Karo syrup can be rubbed on the gums to revive the dog.

After the warming process, the dog will be in pain as the tissues begin to warm up. Pain can cause a well mannereddog to be aggressive. Be careful in approaching the dog.