All You Need to Know About Dog Low Body Temperature

Dogs also feel cold in winter and may suffer from overcooling. Dog hypothermia is body temperature dropping (to 37.5 deg and lower). This is one of the main dangers for dogs in winter. However, cold weather is not the only reason of dog hypothermia.

Risk Groups of Dogs

Puppies, aged dogs and short-haired breeds like Amstaff, Bull Terrier, Staffy and Pitbull suffer from overcooling most frequently.

Dog Hypothermia Causes

• long-term effect of low temperature on the dog low body temperature dog after surgery;
• various endocrine diseases (heart trouble, adrenopathy, neuropathy);
• heavy head injury and head growth heritable diseases, which influence on thermoregulation.

Hypothermia Signs in a Dog

• dog body temperature dropping and delay of response;
• the dog hides in a warm place and winds itself into a ball;
• the dog's coat becomes fluffy;
• muscular shiver;
• vasoconstriction and mucous membranes visible paleness.

What to Do If Dog Has Hypothermia?

1. If you have noticed dog signs of hypothermia, try to give first aid to your Staffy, Bull Terrier or Pitbull immediately.
2. Take the dog to a warm room. Tuck a blanket round the dog. Make a heater of a plastic bottle, having filled it with warm water.
3. Increased warm fluid intake (soup stock) is recommended. Control dog body temperature from time to time to estimate dog's condition.

How to Prevent Dog Hypothermia?

Try to move without stops to avoid freezing of your Staffy or Pitbull during walks in cold season.

Shorten time of dog walks. If you have noticed that your dog had started shivering, don't try to warm it with games and run, this will increase heat loss at this time.

Come back home as soon as possible. If you have a puppy, hide it in your jacket.

Put on your Pitbull, Staffy or Bull Terrier special warm dog clothes for safe and pleasant outings when the weather is cold.

Don't forget to warm yourself with comfortable clothes for dog walking in cold weather!