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Hypothermia
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Prolonged hypothermia (low body temperature) when exposed to extremely cold temperatures can lead to frost bite. Usually frostbite occurs on the extremities like the toes, tail, and ears. These areas are the first to get frostbitten because the body in extreme cold will divert blood flow and heat to the core area including the heart and lungs. If these areas are not re-warmed it will lead to the cells dying for good and possibly causing that part of the body having to be surgically removed. Make sure that you consult your vet the same day of the frostbite occurrence.

Symptoms

Steps
1   Check if your cat is breathing. If not breathing, begin artificial respiration by closing your cat’s mouth with one hand and gently breathe into your cat’s nostrils.
2   Administer 10-20 breaths per minute for cats. With each breath, one should see the chest slightly rise. Avoid breathing too hard or over-inflating the lungs.
3   Keep breathing for your cat until he/she is able to breathe on its own or until veterinary help is available.
4   Take your cat inside and warm her up inside your clothing to share your body heat.
5   Use a rectal thermometer to take her temperature every 10-15 min to see how she is recovering.
6   Dry her fur with towels or a hair dryer.
7   Place a towel or blanket in a dryer and then loosely wrap her in it until the shivering stops
8   If there are frost bitten areas on your pet, apply luke warm compresses to the affected areas.
9   Provide her some warm water or warm chicken broth in a bowl to drink.
10   Continue the rewarming process until her temp is back to 99 F then she will gradually warm herself back.
11   If the temp does not rise within 30-45 of rewarming take her to the emergency vet clinic immediately
Warnings
Make sure the hair dryer is a foot away and set on low heat and you move the dryer around to avoid burning a specific area of skin
DO NOT soak her in warm water as that will cause her to remove heat
If your cat has hypothermia once there is a greater chance of getting it again
DO NOT rub the frostbitten areas. Instead, place the lukewarm cloth gently on the affected frostbitten areas only
Tips
Cats recover from mild hypothermia quickly
Shivering is a good sign as it means the body is trying to rewarm itself
Normal body temperature for a cat is 100 F - 103.1 F

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