Should I Be Worried if My Dog’s Paws Are Cold?

Many people suffer from cold feet at some point due to lack of heat or cold weather. While the weather is the usual cause, some cold feet are signs of severe health conditions. In the same way, dogs will also be the same. Thus, it begs the question:

Should I be worried if my dog’s paws are cold? You don’t need to worry if your dog only has cold paws. If your pet seems healthy and it doesn’t show any symptoms, then there’s nothing to worry about your dog. However, if other symptoms exist, you should contact a vet and take it there for a check-up.

Cold paws can indicate a lack of blood flow to the dog’s legs. It may be due to a blood clot or problems with the heart. For this reason, it would be best to have your pet checked by an expert to ensure it gets treated properly.

In this article, we’ll tackle everything you need to know about cold paws and what you should do about them.

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Why does my dog have cold paws?

Dogs can have cold paws for a number of reasons. It can be due to exposure to extreme weather conditions, or it can be a symptom of an underlying illness.

Of course, dogs have a more cold-weather tolerance than we do. Even so, they still won’t find exposure to cold weather a good thing.  With less warm, oxygenated blood going to the skin’s surface, the feet can turn white. It can even become numb, and will eventually freeze.

Another two issues that can cause cold paws are the following.

​Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a typical disease in dogs caused by the lack of thyroid hormones. The symptoms are lethargy, hair loss, weight gain, and intolerance to cold temperatures. Thus, a dog suffering from such a complication can have cold paws.

Blood Circulation

Another problem that can cause cold paws is the lack of blood flow to the dog’s leg. Other symptoms of such include limping, dragging, and lameness. This complication requires the immediate assistance of a vet. If left unchecked, it can cause tissue damage.

As always, cold paws would be alright if your pet is healthy and does not show any other symptoms. However, if you notice other symptoms, it would be best to contact a vet right away.

Among the other symptoms to look out for are:

• Low body temperature
• Pale gums
• Difficulty breathing
• Walking and stability issues

If you see such symptoms together with cold paws, it would be best to take your pet to the vet and have it checked.

Dog paws are cold – is he dying?

A dog’s cold paws can mean many things. Luckily, dying is the least of the reasons.

As said earlier, a dog’s cold paws mean a severe complication or just a side effect of feeling too cold.

If your pet just came from a walk outside, the cold paws would be normal, and you should not worry about it.

However, if your pet suffers from cold paws along with other symptoms as I said earlier, you should take it to the vet.

Now, even if your dog suffers from a severe complication, it doesn’t mean your pet is dying. Of course, unless you leave your pet unchecked, it can happen.

In general, take it as a rule of thumb to contact your vet if you feel the need to do so.

For instance, if your dog only has cold paws but acts as healthy and jolly as usual, then it’s nothing to worry about.

However, if your pet acts strange with other symptoms, then a visit to the vet would be necessary.

How cold is too cold for dog paws?

There’s no exact temperature to determine the limit of cold for a dog’s paws. Still, a temperature below 30 degrees means you shouldn’t allow your pet to stay outside for long.

Another thing to consider in cold tolerance is the age of your pet. In general, senior dogs and those below six months have less tolerance to cold weather conditions. It’s the same way with warm weather conditions, so it would be best to take note of it.

Another factor to consider is the underlying health condition. A pet that suffers from an already severe health issue can cause their temperature tolerance to go down.

For this reason, dogs with such diseases are more prone to suffering from cold weather. Among the health conditions are heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.

How do you warm up a cold dog?

If your dog feels cold, consider the following options to warm him up. This way, you can prevent your pet from suffering other health issues brought by the cold.

Wrap a blanket.

Wrap your dog in a blanket as quickly as possible. The blanket will give your pet an extra layer of protection to fight the cold weather. Moreover, it will also allow its body temperature to keep warm.

Use a hot water bottle.

Put some hot water on a bottle and wrap it with a towel. Afterward, place it against your pet’s stomach. It will give your pet some extra heat to recover from the cold. Make sure not to use the bottle without wrapping a towel. It can burn your dog’s skin if it has no wrap.

Offer a warm drink.

If your dog is conscious allow it to drink some warm fluid. This way, your pet will have something warm inside to fight the cold weather.

As always, prevention is better than cure. For this reason, it would be best to protect your pet from the cold weather.

For instance, if your dog would go outside, consider giving it an extra layer of protection to keep it warm. This way, you’ll prevent your pet from getting cold.

My dog’s paws are cold after surgery – what to do?

A dog’s cold paws after surgery are quite common. Thus, it’s not something you need to worry about too much. Of course, an insight or explanation may ease your mind.

The reason why dogs would feel cold after surgery is due to their loss of thermoregulatory control.

According to an expert, anyone who gets anesthetized loses the thermoregulatory control.

Another effect of anesthesia is that they become less metabolically active. Thus, the body will burn less energy and will decrease the amount of heat produced. 

The dog’s paws are cold because they tend to lose heat through their footpads.

In general, it shouldn’t be much of a concern if your dog can walk around without problems. In fact, walking may even help increase perfusion.

The more the blood flows around, the high the chances are for your dog’s temperature to go up again.

My dog has cold paws and shaking – what to do?

Shaking or shivering could be a sign that your dog is suffering from an illness, or is in pain.

Shivering as well as muscle tremors can be signs of serious conditions. Among these are distemper, hypoglycemia, Addison’s disease, and inflammatory brain disease.

Or, it can also be signs of any typical issues such as an upset stomach or diarrhea.

If your dog has cold paws and is shaking, consider taking your pet to the vet, or at least contact one and ask for advice.

This way, your dog can receive a proper diagnosis as well as proper treatment.

What does it mean when your dog has one cold paw?

If your dog only has a single cold paw, it can mean a lack of blood flow to its legs. Such issues can be an effect of a blood clot or heart problems.

Other symptoms that may accompany it are limping, dragging of the legs, and even lameness. If you observe such in your pet, then take it to the vet. If left unchecked, the issue can get worse.

Generally, take it as a rule of thumb to contact your vet if you feel the need to do so.

For instance, if your dog only has cold paws but acts as healthy and jolly as usual, then it’s nothing to worry about.

However, if your pet acts strange with other symptoms, then a visit to the vet would be necessary.

Summary

Cold paws can happen to our dogs the same way as it can happen to us as cold feet. While some of this issue is normal, others signify an underlying health problem.

For this reason, it would be best to be observant of your dog and check for other signs of illness.

If your pet seems healthy, then you can simply help your pet keep warm. However, if your pet suffers from other symptoms, then a visit to the vet would be necessary.

Resources

Image credits – Canva