Many people have dogs which are sheltered outside during the winter. They also use their dogs for many outdoor activities, such as hunting. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of hypothermia in your dogs so that they may be treated for this condition as quickly as possible. Your dog depends on you just as much as you depend upon them.
Hypothermia occurs when there is a lower than normal body temperature. The normal body temperature for a dog is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees. When the effects of significant hypothermia are present, a dog becomes physically and mentally sluggish. With severe hypothermia, they may become unconscious. The first thing to do when a dog is hypothermic is to start to warm him up SLOWLY. If water of varying temperatures is available, start with cool water and warm it up slowly over a period of one to two hours. If you are in the field with your dog, wrap a "space blanket" or a wool blanket around both yourself and the dog so that your own body heat can be transferred to your dog. Have the dog checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
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2 comments:
Hey this is a great post. I don't think many of us even think about animals becoming hypothermic. Thanks for the exposure to the problem... I guess those fur coats don't always keep them warm, huh? :)
To: Sneaux
Just as a coat doesn't always provide enough protection for people during severe winter weather, animals also can be affected by the extreme cold.
Thanks Sneaux!
RW
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