Little dogs can get cold very quickly, even the hairy ones, because their bodies are too small to hold heat for long periods. Folks need to be really careful with miniature breeds, and those that are short haired, flat faced, short legged or hairless and these breeds are best kept out of the snow. Yes they do need to go out and do their business, and might even want a wee play but don’t keep them out for too long and make sure they have a coat on.
Hairy ones like Miniature Schnauzers and the Scottish terriers have coats that can keep them pretty warm but their short legs mean they struggle walking in the snow and it can pack into their hair making them feel the cold.
Sleet and rain combined with snow can soak a dog’s coat and being wet to the skin is very dangerous - it can bring on hypothermia very quickly.
Big hairy mountain dogs, sled dogs and many other working breeds have double or even triple coats and hardly notice the snow because they are fully insulated around their entire bodies and they have feet that function well on snow. We often forget that a dog loses heat from their feet and that many breeds have a lot less hair on their tummies. Even a dog that has a course, waterproof coat on its back can have a relatively little hair underneath. Both my girls have nice waterproof coats on their backs but almost no hair on their tummies and I need to watch for when they start to feel cold.
The depth of snow can make a big difference in how well your dog will cope. Most dogs can tolerate a few centimetres but as the snow level rises, a dog can easily lose body heat as snow touches the bottom of its torso. If a dog spends a lot of time running about it will probably feel quite warm because exercise generates heat but as soon as they’re on lead they can begin to feel quite cold. Keep an eye out for this and avoid making your dog spend too much time on the lead walking through high levels of snow.
Always check your dog’s feet for ice balls in between the pads. These can be really uncomfortable and make a dog feel really cold. They can also take a while to melt and are easily missed when drying feet.
Icy snow balls can form on the legs as well and can be miserable for a dog. I use a soft dust-pan brush to sweep them off my dogs’ legs. It’s quick and easy.
Something we all need to be aware of is how the salt and chemicals used on pavements and roads affect our dogs. Try to avoid salty patches and always clean your dog’s feet well when you get home. High levels of salt are really bad for dogs as are the chemicals used to melt ice, you don’t want your dog ingesting them when they lick their feet. Grit can collect in their hair and between toes causing discomfort and skin problems so wash those feet well when you get home!
Salt and snow on a dog’s tummy can quickly bring on hypothermia. When I was a child we use to make ice cream with a hand cranked ice cream maker. The ice cream mix would go into a cylinder in the middle which was surrounded by ice laced with salt. As we cranked the handle to turn the cylinder, the salt melted the ice. This pulled the heat out of the mixture exchanging it for the cold in a classic heat transfer system. In a similar way the salt and snow mix on your dog’s tummy can quickly chill your dog by exchanging heat for cold and causing it to become hypothermic.
Hypothermia is serious and can lead to coma, heart failure and even death.
Signs of hypothermia:
The first signs: paleness, weakness, strong shivering and lack of mental awareness
Next level: listlessness, stupor, muscle stiffness, lethargy, confusion, slow/shallow breathing, low blood pressure
Severe level: fixed and dilated pupils, inaudible heartbeat, difficulty breathing and finally coma
Your dog may stop and suddenly lie down in the snow and if this happens you need to get your dog warm as soon as possible. Dogs can also get frostbite on tails, tips of ears, scrotum and foot pads.
If your dog is hypothermic you should:
- Quickly warm some blankets on a radiator or in the clothes dryer.
- Wrap the dog in the blankets.
- Wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and place it against the dog’s abdomen. Do not use it unwrapped, as this will burn the skin.
- If the dog is conscious, give him warmed fluids to drink.
- Check the dog’s temperature every 10 minutes: if it is below 98°F (36.7°C), get immediate veterinary attention.
- Once the temperature is above 100°F (37.8°C), you can remove the hot water bottle to avoid overheating. Keep the dog in a warm room.
- If you are near your car, quickly wipe off as much snow as possible and get your dog inside the car.
- While the engine is warming your heating system use your body to try and get your dog warm until warm air comes through the system. Be careful not to put your cold dog in front of cold air coming through the heating system or you will make it worse. Ideally you should have some emergency survival blankets and extra fleeces in the car for situations like this to product both you and your dog. If you, do wrap up your dog and again use your body to increase warmth if this is possible.
- If you suspect your dog is hypothermic – phone your vet immediately!
And finally, watch out for antifreeze it’s sweet enough to attract dogs and is extremely toxic, even small amounts can kill (watch out for your cats too).
Expect your dog to sleep more after being outside and to be more hungry than usual. Your dog might also be a bit nutty if it can’t get outside to exercise as much as it is used to. This is a good time to introduce some scent and enrichment games. There is a lot of advice on this online.
If your dog loves to play in snow, let it! Even better, you play with it! Don’t pass up the opportunity to have fun together, just be aware that you need keep your dog safe while you do.