Why Your Dog is Trembling and Feels Cold to Touch

We might think that our pooches are exempt from feeling cold when there’s a drop in the temperature. They have their fur, whether long or short, after all. It’s as if they have their own built-in insulation since their entire body is covered in hair. The truth is, this is an incorrect notion. If your dog feels cold to touch, then he is likely freezing or chilly from the low temperature.

What to Do When Your Dog Feels Cold to Touch and is Shivering

The first thing you need to do is turn up the heat in your home or apartment. Make sure that your dog is comfortable. Give him a blanket or a small sweater to wear. Yes, a small sweater that can fit snuggly and provide extra warmth.

The sweater doesn’t even have to be specifically for pets. Kids sweaters will do. As long as it fits your pooch, then it will work. Get one from your local department store or budget store. Your pet’s going to look adorable, and having the sweater on prevents your dog from feeling cold.

Take Extra Precaution

Remember that a dog’s normal temperature is somewhere between 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. When your dog feels cold to touch, it’s ideal for you to take his temperature as there may be something happening internally in his body.

You can do this with the use of a manual or digital thermometer. Make sure that it is clean and properly disinfected. Gently insert it into your dog’s rectum. Your dog won’t like this one bit so you may need an extra pair of hands to hold him firmly while you insert and then hold the thermometer in place. Make sure that your insertion is about an inch deep.

To get an accurate reading, you need to let the digital thermometer stay in until it signals for you to take it out. It will likely make a beeping sound when it is done. With manual thermometers, leave it in for about 60 to 90 seconds. These pet thermometers are worth checking out.

When You Should Visit Your Vet

If you have already addressed the external factors that might be causing your dog to feel cold to touch, and he is still shivering, you should consider a visit to your vet. Go immediately if your dog’s temperature is lower than 99 degrees as hypothermia can be fatal.

What May Be Causing Your Dog To Feel Cold To Touch

There are a number of illnesses that your vet will rule out. Hypothalamic diseases could be the culprit as they affect the body’s ability to regulate heat. Your dog might also have hypothyroidism – a condition that contributes to heat loss in the body.

Aside from specific diseases, age also plays a huge role in this. If you have an older dog, he is more susceptible to hypothermia because his body’s response to cold is affected by diseases common to geriatric canines (like diabetes). It’s similar to newborn pups that might contract hypothermia even at room temperature. Their bodies are not developed enough to handle the temperature of the outside world.

Different Rewarming Technqiues

To warm your dog up, you need to learn different rewarming techniques. In mild cases of hypothermia where your dog’s metabolism is still producing heat, make use of blankets and other heat-insulating covers. In moderate cases, hot water bottles and heating pads may be used. When it comes to severe cases, your vet will administer IV that has been warmed to bring your dog’s temperature up.