Understanding and Treating Dog Frostbite

As winter approaches, it's important to keep your dog warm and dry. Cold, damp conditions can be hazardous for unprotected paws, ears and tails. In fact, frostbite on dogs' paws is one of the more common winter injuries seen by veterinarians.

There are no hard rules for how cold it has to be for a dog to be at risk for frostbite or how long they should be exposed to winter conditions. However, water, brutal winds and touching metal can make dog frostbite more likely. Read on to learn more about how frostbite affects dogs.

Clinical Signs of Dog Frostbite

Commonly affected areas include body parts that have thinner coats and less insulation, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Body regions with increased exposure to wind and moisture, including the tips of the ears, noses, paws and tails, are also at increased risk for developing frostbite if not adequately protected from winter's bite.

The physical appearance of dog frostbite may vary based upon severity of the injury and how recent the exposure was.

Shallow frostbite results in skin paler in color than the surrounding area. The skin may peel and lose hair, develop blisters or turn red. The affected area may also be numb or painful. Deeper freezing causes the affected skin to harden. This area may be cool to the touch, even when the dog is no longer exposed to cold temperatures. Darkened skin is typically the most severely affected. This skin may weep, bleed or secrete yellow-green material. With time, severe injuries may cause tissue death and sloughing

Any dog exposed to freezing temperatures can develop frostbite, though those that are not acclimated to winter weather are at increased risk, along with those with thinner hair coats. Younger and older dogs are both more likely to develop the condition, as they are more prone to unstable body temperatures. Dogs with compromised circulation, such as those with diabetes mellitus, are more likely to suffer from dog frostbite.

How Vets Diagnose and Treat Dog Frostbite

Frostbite on dogs' paws has a classic appearance and is typically easy to diagnose based upon known exposure to winter temperatures.

If caught promptly, treatment consists of gentle warming and supportive care. If your pet is suffering from cold body temperatures overall then this will also be part of the treatment plan. It should be noted that frostbite should not be treated at home. If you notice signs of frostbite on your pup, please leave it to the experts, as you can do more harm than good if you warm the skin too rapidly.

For severe frostbite, surgical removal of affected regions may be necessary, unfortunately. Your vet will likely wait to operate on damaged tissues until the full extent of the tissue is understood. Because damage to the tissues doesn't show up immediately, this does require time and a few days of patience. Rest assured frostbite does not spread to other tissues once the damage occurs; it just takes a small amount of time for all the damage that has occurred to be clearly visible, according to VCA .