This guide will explain what you should do if your dog’s ears are cold. Do you notice the coldness of your dog’s ear when cuddling or giving them an ear scratch? Pet’s having cold ears can be due to many reasons, especially when other parts of their body are warm.
It could be a bit problematic for a dog owner as this may be a symptom of an illness. Ordinarily, the body temperature of dogs is higher than that of humans. Hence, it calls for concern when there is a sudden change in their temperature, especially when the ears are colder than average.
Your dog’s frosty ears might be due to cold or a pointer to undetected health issues. This article highlights some common reasons why your dog’s ears are unusually cold and what you should do about it.
Before scrolling down this guide “What Should I Do If My Dog’s Ears Are Cold,” check out these topics: Zymox Ear Solution For Dogs Review.
Common Reasons Why A Dog’s Ears Can Get Cold
Below are the listed reasons why a dog’s ear can get cold.
1. Weather
The dog ear, like the humans, is made up of cartilage with little blood vessels, unlike other parts of the body. The body prioritizes vital organs when the weather is freezing, as circulation is the natural way of keeping the body warm.
Hence your pet might just be reacting to cold weather due to the lack of blood circulation to the ears. Also, cold weather affects dogs with short coats and small bodyweight more than those with long coats.
Pets with massive bodies and long fur coats will tolerate the winter better than others. So if your dog gets outside during the cold weather, it is not unusual for their ears to get chilly.
2. Frostbite
When your dog is exposed to frigid weather for too long, this might cause frostbite in their ears. Also, dogs with short coats or not used to cold weather may get frostbite on their ears.
With frostbite, the ears can be very cold as it is a condition where the skin and the tissue below it freeze. Frostbite can affect your pet’s ears, nose, tail, and paws. A bright pink coloration on the ear is an indication that your dog is affected by frostbite.
3. Cold
Chilly ears accompanied by sneezes, sniffles, or coughs are an indication that your dog might have a cold. Your dog can easily contract the cold virus from another infected dog at the vet or dog parks. When there is a high influx of colds, prevent your dog from going to where they can easily contract the cold virus.
4. Health Issues
Your pet’s cold ear can be an indication of illnesses or infections. It can also be due to poor circulatory conditions caused by anemia. Lack of enough red blood cells in your pet to carry adequate oxygen to its body tissues can cause frosty ears.
Issues with your dog’s cardiovascular system can affect the proper blood flow throughout the body. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels, the major blood circulation players.
When your dog has a heart condition, it can hinder blood circulation to the ears; hence, the ears become cold. Cold ears accompanied by other symptoms like lethargy, lack of appetite, and weakness can be other underlying issues.
Related: Aussiedoodle Health Issues to Prepare For and Common Cavapoo Health Issues.
How Do I Keep My Dog’s Ears Warm Again?
Below are some ways to keep your frosty dog ears warm again.
- Keeping them warm: you can do this using a sweater ear wrap to keep the temperature up. You can also purchase some ear warming products for dogs, such as hoodies and snoods. These help warm your dog’s head, neck, and ears; they come in different sizes and colors to suit your dog.
- Apply a warm compress: In the case of frostbite, apply warm press to the ear for a few minutes to get it warm again.
- Keep them indoors: Reducing your pet’s exposure to extreme cold weather can again regulate body temperature. You can also put them in a place where the temperature is warmer and conducive.
- Visit the vet: A trip to the vet is recommended in the case of health concerns in your dog. As mentioned earlier, cold ears can indicate underlying illnesses such as anemia and cardiovascular system disorder. Early detection and treatment of illnesses can prevent overblown health issues.
Conclusion For “What Should I Do If My Dog’s Ears Are Cold”
Cold ears in dogs can be a result of the cold weather. There is no cause for alarm as they can be bundled up to keep the ears warm again. It is not untrue that cold ears can be symptoms of underlying health issues, but they are common.
In this case, adequate medication is needed to get your dog back on its feet. In addition, dogs are naturally cuddly; why not bundle your pets up and give them what they love to keep them warm.
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Andy is a full-time animal rescuer and owner of a toy doodle. When he’s not saving dogs, Andy is one of our core writers and editors. He has been writing about dogs for over a decade. Andy joined our team because he believes that words are powerful tools that can change a dog’s life for the better.
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