While the winters are pleasurable in more than one ways, this can be a tough time for your pet. Certain breeds of dog, especially those with short coats along with the ones that have grown older suffer from certain problems when exposed to extreme cold. The two most common diseases that the pets suffer from during the winters are hypothermia and frostbite, the latter being a complex form of hypothermia itself. While the professional dog wash services allow you to keep your dog clean and free of germs, here is an overview of the diseases and what you must do to prevent your pet from getting affected by these.

Common Symptoms of Hypothermia and Frostbite

The typical symptoms of hypothermia include temperature below 95 degrees F accompanied by a rather violent shivering. If your dog is lethargic and has a weak pulse, you must get him checked by a veterinary doctor for there are high chances of him suffering from hypothermia. The disease can even compel the animal to go into a partial coma.

Frostbite, a complex form of hypothermia, involves the freezing of a part of the body of your pet such as pads, tail, ear tips or scrotum. The parts, which are less covered by fur, turn pale at first and then gradually become black with the effect of frostbite.

Treatments of the Problem

While the advice and guidance of the veterinary doctor is more important than anything else in this regard, you must learn some quick ways of relieving your pet from the immediate pain. As your loved one shows symptoms of hypothermia, the best that you can do would be to wrap it up in a blanket and bring it to a warm area. Allow it to swallow a sugar solution, as this particular problem leads to low blood sugar as well. In case, the temperature does not rise above 95 degree F and it is not quite possible to take the dog to a veterinary, you can wrap warm water bottles in towels and apply the same to the armpit and chest of the animal.

With all this in mind, you must ensure monitoring the dog when it is out in the cold and as the popular saying goes, “Prevention is better than Cure“, it is better to make them stay indoors during the winter months. Taking proper precautions will certainly keep your dog safe and prevent it from undergoing undue pain.