What are the signs of hypothermia in a dog?

Shivering is usually the first and most obvious sign, often paired with a dog seeking shelter, curling into a tight ball, or trying to get indoors or into a car, all natural attempts to conserve heat. Some dogs also become unusually quiet or subdued compared to their normal energy level during cold exposure, a subtler early cue that is easy to miss if shivering has not yet started.

As core body temperature continues to drop, shivering can actually stop, which is a warning sign rather than a sign of improvement, since the body's ability to generate heat through muscle activity becomes exhausted. Gums may look pale, gray, or bluish, movements become stiff and uncoordinated, and the dog may seem increasingly weak, sleepy, or reluctant to move at all.

Severe hypothermia can bring confusion, a notably slow or weak pulse, very slow breathing, and eventually collapse or loss of consciousness, all of which represent a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate veterinary care rather than home management. This level of hypothermia is uncommon from a normal walk but can occur after extended exposure, falling into icy water, or a dog left outside for too long in extreme conditions.

Move the dog indoors immediately, dry it thoroughly if wet, and wrap it in warm, dry blankets or towels, using body heat from a person lying alongside if a heat source is not otherwise available. Warm gradually rather than using direct high heat like a hair dryer or hot water, which can cause burns to skin that has reduced sensation from the cold, and head to a vet while continuing to keep the dog warm.