Dogs have a way of getting out when they shouldn't. If your dog's latest adventure left it out in the cold, it might be suffering from hypothermia. This is particularly true if your dog stayed outside all night long in the freezing temperatures. If your dog came home from suffering from exposure, you'll need to act fast. Here are three steps to take if your dog was left out in the cold.
Dry it Off
As soon as you get your dog in the house, you'll need to dry it off – even if it only seems slightly damp. The wetness could have penetrated down to your dog's skin, which could be reducing its temperature. To dry your dog off, begin by wrapping a towel around it. Next, massage your dog vigorously with the towel. The vigorous massage will serve to dry your dog's fur and stimulate circulation – which will help increase its body temperature. Once you've dried your dog off with a towel, use a blow dryer to get your dog nice and dry. The blow dryer will have the added benefit of warming your dog up a bit. Be sure not to place the blow dryer too close to your dog's skin, or it could suffer a burn.
Feed It Warm Liquids
After you have your dog dried off and warmed up on the outside, it will be time to warm it up from the inside. Warm up some beef broth, and offer it to your dog. The beef broth will warm your pet up, and provide it with some much-needed nutrients. If you don't have beef broth, you can use the broth from any type of canned soup or plain water. The important thing is to get your dog warmed up from the inside. Don't get the liquids too hot though. You don't want to burn your pet.
Get to the Vet
In most cases of mild hypothermia, your dog will bounce right back after it gets warmed up. However, if your dog continues to show signs of cold weather distress, you should contact an emergency pet hospital as soon as possible. The following symptoms are signs of distress:
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Lethargy
- Pain
If your dog wandered away from home and ended up staying outside all night, it might be suffering from mild hypothermia. Use the tips provided above to help your pet recover quickly. Be sure to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible if it continues to have problems.
