For more serious signs, get them to a veterinarian immediately. If you notice shivering or other signs of hypothermia starting to set in, quickly cover your dog and turn on the heat to warm them up. Provide plenty of blankets for your pup to burrow into and trap their own body heat. If you must leave your dog alone in a parked car, keep your stop as short as possible, and dress your pooch for the occasion with a coat or sweater. Ideally, if you’ll be stopping somewhere your dog isn’t allowed, leave your dog at home, or bring a human passenger who can stay with them and keep the heater running.
Lastly, hairless breeds like the Xoloitzcuintli are especially ill-insulated against cold temperatures How To Help Small dogs and toy breeds are also less able to tolerate cold temperatures than larger breeds. Puppies and senior dogs of any breed are also more susceptible to hypothermia, as are naturally thin breeds such as the Italian Greyhound. But single-coated and short-haired breeds have a much lower tolerance for cold temperatures. Northern breeds with thick coats, such as Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, or Saint Bernards are bred to withstand colder climates and harsher conditions. While it can be dangerous for any breed of dog to be left too long in extremely cold temperatures, some dogs tolerate the cold weather better than others. Rapid breathing, followed by progressively slower and shallower breath.Increased heart rate, followed by a slow heart rate.Other signs to watch for, according to the USAR Veterinary Group, include the following: Shivering and curling up for warmth are some of the first signs of mild hypothermia in dogs. If left untreated, hypothermia can also result in cardiac and respiratory failure, brain damage, coma, and even death. Frostbite can become an issue at extreme low temperatures. For dogs, mild hypothermia begins to set in when their temperature drops below 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Left alone in a cold car for too long, dogs can develop hypothermia, a dangerous condition that occurs when the core body temperature drops too low. And it’s dangerous to assume that your dog’s fur will be enough to protect it from extreme cold.
So while your vehicle may shelter your dog from the wind and elements, it does not protect from frigid or freezing temperatures. Cars have little to no insulation against outside conditions. Likewise, in winter, cars without heaters running become rolling refrigerators, conducting cold from the outside. Risk of HypothermiaĪ car can act like a greenhouse in the summer, becoming much hotter than the environment outside. Your dog may enjoy the winter weather and colder temperatures while on walks, but dangers still remain for dogs left unattended in cars in any weather. But, what about when it’s cold outside? While you might think it’s safe to park your pet during the winter months, the potential for harm, while not as high as in the summer, is still substantial. You likely know about the dangers of leaving your dog unattended in a hot car.