Are you walking in the snow with your dog and, between runs, you find him with a snowball in his mouth? Dogs don’t know that eating lots of snow can hurt them! This is what happens to the animal’s body when it ingests cold snow.
Dogs are curious, especially when unusual phenomena occur around them, such as a big snowfall. What to do if the dog eats snow? Should we be alarmed?
Why do dogs eat snow?
Dogs love snow for several reasons. First of all, it’s fun to play with. It’s impossible for them, in front of a white ground, not to run back and forth, dig a thousand holes and roll around. Besides curiosity, dogs love snow because it’s fresh. The sensation that comes from contact with such a different substance is truly satisfying. When they get hot from running around, they seek freshness and relief by eating a few flakes, and then they want more!
So, the reasons why a dog eats snow are obvious: to play, because of thirstiness, and to lower the temperature when they feel hot.
What happens if the dog eats snow?
If the dog eats a little snow, nothing happens, but if he is greedy and swallows a lot of it, he could have major health problems.
The main consequences of snow indigestion include:
– a cooling of the digestive system and consequent intestinal congestion with diarrhea;
– a cooling of the stomach which causes vomiting;
– cold or even symptoms of canine pneumonia.
In addition to being cold and unhealth, snow can contain bacteria or harmful substances that cause him severe nausea, diarrhea, loss of many fluids and in the most serious cases dehydration.
Is snow bad for all dogs?
Each dog reacts differently to snow indigestion based also on its general state of health, age and build.
Surely dogs of medium or large sizes, in good health, have a strong body and a metabolism that allows them to face a day on the snow without problems. While the smaller ones, who suffer more from temperature changes, can catch a bad cold.
For this reason, it is always useful to have them wear a coat, waterproof and windproof like Equipe by Ferplast. Additionally, it’s important to protect all dogs’ paws, as snow and ice can cause injuries to their fingertips. That’s why they must be sheltered with appropriate shoes.
When you take your dog on the snow, let him free but keep an eye on him!