Sue R Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 My dogs go out with me in all sorts of weather. We try to walk about an hour a day, no matter what (I don't do thunderstorms, though). We had fresh snow the other day and last night when I walked them, it was 14 F outside. This morning it was 4 F. I noticed that they would get very gimpy on one or more feet when they went walking on the undisturbed snow, particularly in the first few minutes after leaving the warm house or car (today was the monthly cold laser treatment and check-up for ortho issues). They didn't seem to have this issue when walking on the packed snow in the roadway or really after being out a while. This is not the same as when they walk in snow and get snowballs between their pads. I would check their feet and not find ice balls or snow balls in them. That did happen a couple of days ago when temps were milder, and they would usually just lay partway down and clean the gobs out with their teeth or I would finger them out, and all would be well. Do you experience the same issue in this really cold weather? I'm wondering if it's largely a matter of it being just too cold and the cold bothering the feet; of going from a place of warmth to the cold conditions; of the warm feet melting bits of snow which is then freezing right back up but not as balls that I can detect but rather maybe on the skin between the pads or toes (unlike once the feet have cooled down and maybe "adapted" to the cold and not melting the snow. And, can dogs get frostbite like people can, on their feet/toes? I'm sure they would with long enough exposure to cold enough conditions but this happens quickly, within just a few minutes of going out - and it doesn't seem to be an issue once they've been out a bit and their feet have either adjusted to the cold or just cooled down themselves so there is not such a thermal shock walking in that snow. Ideas? Thoughts? Well, other than just staying inside by the fire... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 2 of mine had trouble yesterday when the temp here in upstate NY was -5 F when I got up. My old dog, Tilly went out and pooped, then walked over to do fence patrol and promptly laid down because her feet were frozen. She wouldn't move to come back, so I booted up to go get her and then she walked back on her own at my side. She had trouble other times during the day, but then the high only got to 4 F. Bodhi also got gimpy and wanted to come in right away, but he came back to the door on his own. Tansy didn't seem to be at all affected by it and would have stayed out longer if I'd let her. She was also the only one who wasn't covered with snow the day before when it was snowing heavily. Go figure; she's the lurcher and doesn't have a spare ounce of body fat on her very thin frame. I didn't let anyone out longer than about 2 minutes yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 p.s. Dogs can get frostbite, most often on their feet, toes, ears and/or scrotums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 I wonder if their joints in their toes get sore until they adjust to the temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 We've had them out in pretty cold temps in the past but this may have been the coldest thermometer (not wind chill) temp we've had since we got the dogs - and since I've been faithfully walking them every morning and evening, rather than just pottying them when it's been adverse outside. It sure scared the therapist when she saw me walking them to the clinic right after they'd gotten out of the car and went to potty in the cold snow. Celt, in particular, was almost three-legged and all looked like they needed more than therapy with their uncomfortable feet and gaits. Once in the door, all symptoms vanished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 That sounds like how my hands feel when I plunge them into cold hamburger. I'd hate to have to walk on them. I hope your unreasonable cold snap breaks soon. Pun intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 My dogs will also act like that when the temps get down near 0. But they do seems to adjust with a bit of exercise. Yesterday (-5 when we went out) they were limping a bit at first but then got interested in out walk and started walking normally. We were out for about 10 min and they weren't limping when we went back inside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 You know, I can't figure out if it's that their warm feet are shocked by the cold; that their feet chill and become adjusted; that their feet weren't having the same level of blood circulation when the walk started and that a few minutes into the walk, there is increased circulation (due to cold, due to activity?) that warms the feet so the cold snow doesn't shock them. I guess there are multiple possibilities but unless someone studied this, we might not be able to do more conjecture. Thanks for the feedback and ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Speaking of cold feet, anyone have suggestions to prevent ice balls forming between the pads. It has been this cold before and we had a lot more snow, but this is the first any of my dogs have been made uncomfortable this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 I find that if I clip the between-the-pads and between-the-toes hair as much as possible, that minimizes the formation of ice balls. I haven't yet done this this year because we've had so little snow so far. I have heard of people using Show Sheen but I'd never use it on feet - honestly, I wouldn't use it anywhere on a dog because I'd rather not have them lick it and ingest it, but that's another issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arf2184 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Mushers Secret helps with the ice balls as does trimming the long fur on the feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 I will be trimming his yeti feet today, I do it occasionally so he does not slip on the floors or running agility, must have been awhile since I last had a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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