How to Tell If Your Dog is Cold?
We all love our pet dogs at home. Many people will do a lot for them if they get sick, going as far as to go to the vet in traffic to treat them. But did you know that dogs can feel cold and have to deal with some sickness attributed to it?
Here are the many signs to know if your dog is feeling cold and needs consoling.
Look at the weather outside.
Sometimes, the easiest sign to know if your dog is feeling under the weather is if the actual temperature outside is freezing. If you feel the chilly wind out, then most probably your dog is too.
But we know what you’re thinking: but dogs have fur. Wrong! Dogs have fur that is attached to their skins. If you have a jacket on and go outside, do you feel very warm? You probably still feel the cold even with a thick coat on.
Dogs can feel the cold just like we do, and if it’s enough to handle the chilly air with clothes on, then your dog can feel the same but without it.
Check if your dog is shivering.
There’s nothing sadder than a dog shivering in the corner somewhere. Just like us, dogs shiver at the touch of cold air, especially after a bath. So, it’s probably a bad idea to bathe your dog in the water. Wait it out until spring instead.
If you’re not certain your dog is shivering, touch the ears and feel a cold sensation to them. When you can feel a cold touch around the edges and skin area of the ears, your dog feels cold but won’t show it.
It’s best to wrap a blanket or get it near a fireplace to warm those cute cheeks of theirs.
Check if your dog is feeling lethargic.
Observe your dog from time to time if it feels sleepy or idle most of the time. If your dog is moving slower than usual, then it might be due to the cold weather. During the cold, some animals tend to move slower, especially those that aren’t accustomed to the cold.
Your dog needs to walk from time to time, and this is when you should look into its movements because the outside is usually where the cold hits the harshest. Always bring something warm like kuoser dog jackets to keep it warm.
Check if your dog sleeps in a curled up position.
This is a bit of a stretch since most dogs sleep comfortably when in a ball position. But sometimes, this means that your dog can feel cold during the night, and you might not know that the poor thing is feeling distressed over the chilly air.
Always pat your dog when sleeping to check if the fur is cold or not. Some dogs are always warm to the touch, and the one thing that would tell you instantly if your dog is cold or not is the nose. And speaking of noses…
Check your dog’s nose.
Dogs that have wet noses are usually sick with colds. Just like humans do when having colds, a runny nose is a common symptom.
Of course, this isn’t always the case since your dog could have come back from drinking water, which subsequently makes the nose wet. So, try to assess whether or not your dog has colds. You should take it to the vet for some treatment if it has chills.
Be vigilant if your dog is whining a lot.
No, this isn’t the whining we are all familiar with, but the whining dogs make if they are in pain. Like children, dogs can’t express what they feel and end up making noises and cries that show that they are in pain.
You should also be on the lookout if your dog is whining because sometimes, this can mean many things like an intruder are nearby or a wild animal entered the house. But normally, they complain because they are feeling distressed about something, which could be the cold.
COMMON SYMPTOMS WHEN YOUR DOG IS COLD
Knowing the signs is the first step; the next one is learning the symptoms of some diseases caused by the cold weather. They include:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Watery and reddish eyes
- Runny nose
- Feeling lethargic
- Fever
These are the common symptoms of canine flu which are simply colds for dogs. If you have many dogs at home, then you should separate them from each other in the meantime until your dog gets better.
Canine colds come from a cold virus, similar to how the common human colds transmit from one person to another.
Treatment for colds
Luckily for you and your dog, treating a canine cold is very simple and requires no vet visits at all unless the condition is more severe. In any case, your dog should feel better under the following circumstances:
- Make sure to warm your dog by a fireplace or a warm room.
- Let your dog drink a lot of fluids. Water and other forms of liquid are better for its health because they can dispose of it by urinating.
- Buy a humidifier to sanitize the rooms with mucus and the canine cold virus.
- Have your dog wear a jacket or a thick collar padding to keep it warm during the night.
- If the case extends for more than two weeks, it’s time to see a vet for a checkup.
Love your dog!
There’s a very good reason why dogs are known to be man’s best friend, and they have proven that time and time again for being good boys and girls. If they are sick, please treat them well.
Just like you, sickness is not exclusive to one species of this planet. Your dog deserves better, and sometimes, even more. To prevent your dog from shivering, let it wear a jacket that makes it look even cuter than they already are.
The cold may be among us, but our dogs will forever warm our homes with love and compassion.
