Contrary to a heat stroke, a cold stroke can also happen to your dog.

If your dog is over exposed to the cold , he is not protected against

All depending on the dogs breed, he may not be resistant to low temperatures.

Nordic breeds such as Siberian Huskies, or Alaskan Malamutes are born to resist cold weather, the have a coat and a thick base coat.

The opposite would be Chihuahuas and Yorkshires for example. Their coats are thinner and their small sizes make them more sensitive to the cold.

THE SYMPTOMS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

The dog is shaking, his reactions are slowed down, he seems confused, he barely moves and his skin is discoloured and sore.

His risks are that he will soon fall into a coma.


THE CURE:
You must react quickly and give your dog a bath at 40 degrees Celsius, make sure to hold his head because your dog, at this stage, has almost no reactions so he could plunge his head in the water and drown.

Following the bath, give him a soft massage on the skin and muscles, talking to him as you do so to help bring him back.

Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Frostbites:

Animals left too long in the cold without adequate shelter risk getting frostbites or hypothermia.

Frostbites generally appear on the feet, ears and tail when ice has formed on their fur.

Unfortunately, the frostbites do not appear immediately; many days could go by before signs of frostbites can be seen.

If you think your dog has frostbites, contact your veterinarian.

How to prevent cold paws:

Taking care of your pet's paws is another way to help your pet through the cold months of winter.

Dogs often have little snow accumulations between the their paws and toes, this can be painful.
To prevent this from happening, cut the hair around the paws and apply a small quantity of petroleum jelly, or, vaporise their paws with cooking oil before taking him for a walk outside. Wipe off their paws gently when they come back in the house to remove the calcium deposits left on the streets.

When taking your next walk out in the cold with your dog, be cautious.