Frostbite is damage to the skin and the tissue under it caused by cold. In dogs and cats the parts most at risk are the ones that stick out and have the least cover: the ear tips, the paws and the tail. In one reported cat, frostbite on all four paws, both ears and the end of the tail went on to kill the tissue in those areas [2].
If you think your pet has frostbite, contact your vet now. A pet that has been out in the cold long enough to get frostbite may also be too cold all over (hypothermia), and that needs a vet as well [3].
Do not rub frostbitten skin, and do not try to heat it up yourself. Handle your pet gently, bring it somewhere warm and dry, and ask your vet how to warm it on the way in.
Which pets get frostbite
Any dog or cat left out in severe cold can be at risk. Pets that are not used to the cold, pets with thin or short coats, and pets that get wet or are out in wind lose heat faster, so take extra care with them. Your vet can tell you how much time outdoors is safe for your own pet.
Signs of frostbite
After time in the cold, check the ear tips, paws and tail. Call your vet if you see:
- A change in color: skin that looks paler, redder or darker than usual.
- Swelling or pain: your pet pulls away when the area is touched.
- Crusts or open sores: on the ear edges, red skin, crusts and sores that go deep are a sign of damage to the small blood vessels there, and frostbite is one of the causes vets have to rule in or out [1].
- Dead tissue: in severe cases the frozen tissue dies [2].
The full damage may not show at once, so keep watching the area in the days after and keep your vet updated.
Hypothermia often comes with it
Hypothermia means the whole body has become too cold. In dogs and cats it can follow time out in the cold, and it can also come from illness, medicines, anesthesia or injury [3]. Vets find it by taking the temperature or from the signs the pet shows, and a very cold pet may need a special thermometer to get a reading [3].
A pet that seems weak, dull or confused, or that collapses, after time in the cold needs a vet now.
First steps on the way to the vet
Call your vet or an emergency clinic first, and follow their advice. While you wait:
- bring your pet indoors, out of the wind and wet;
- handle the cold areas gently and do not rub them;
- do not use snow, very hot water or direct heat on the skin;
- ask your vet how to dry and warm your pet before you do anything else.
Do not put any cream, ointment or other product on frostbitten skin unless your vet tells you to.
How vets treat frostbite
Your vet will warm your pet in a controlled way and give the support it needs. For hypothermia, warming the body back up is the main treatment. How it is done ranges from simple warming of the body surface to more intensive methods in a hospital, and many pets also need supportive care such as fluids into a vein [3]. If something else made the pet cold, that cause has to be treated too [3].
Some pets need surgery when the tissue has died. In the cat with frostbite on all four paws, vets removed the dead parts of the paws and rebuilt the weight-bearing surfaces [2]. Because it can take time to see which tissue will recover, your vet may recheck the area before deciding what to do.
At home, as directed by a vet:
- give all medicines exactly as prescribed;
- keep the pet indoors and warm in the way your vet advises;
- keep the area clean and protected only in the way your vet shows you;
- do not let your pet lick or chew the area;
- go back for every recheck, since the damage can take time to show.
Outlook
Outcomes vary:
- In the single cat with severe frostbite on all four paws, the ears and the tail tip, every leg healed without problems after surgery, and the cat could stand and walk on its paws again [2].
- For hypothermia, a review found few reliable ways to predict how a pet or a person will do [3].
- The same review notes that even the most severely affected patients, including some whose heart and breathing had stopped, can recover fully with the right treatment [3].
These are reports about one animal and about groups of patients. They do not prove that a treatment caused an outcome, and they cannot predict how one animal will do. Your vet can explain what this means for your pet.
Preventing frostbite
In severe cold, keep walks and time outdoors short, and keep your pet dry and out of the wind. Cats are safest indoors in winter. A pet that spends time outdoors needs a dry, sheltered place out of the wind. Ask your vet whether your pet needs extra protection outdoors.
When to see your vet
Contact your vet now if your pet has been out in the cold and has:
- ear tips, paws or tail that look pale, red, dark or swollen;
- skin that is painful to touch;
- crusts or sores on the ear edges [1];
- weakness, confusion or collapse [3].
See your vet again if the area changes color, smells, oozes or does not heal.
FAQ
Can dogs and cats get frostbite?
Yes. Severe frostbite has been reported in cats, and frostbite is one of the known causes of ear edge damage in dogs [1][2].
Where on the body does frostbite happen?
Most often on the parts that stick out: the ear tips, the paws and the tail [2].
Should I rub my pet’s ears or paws to warm them?
No. Do not rub the area or put snow, very hot water or direct heat on it. Call your vet and ask how to warm your pet.
How can I tell if my pet has hypothermia?
A pet that is weak, dull, confused or collapses after time in the cold may be too cold all over. Vets confirm it by taking the temperature [3]. Call your vet now.
Will my pet lose part of its ear or tail?
It varies, and no one can promise it. In severe cases the tissue dies and may need to be removed [2]. Your vet will recheck the area over time before deciding.
The bottom line
Frostbite in dogs and cats most often hits the ear tips, paws and tail. The skin can change color, swell and hurt, and in severe cases the tissue dies. Do not rub the area or use snow or very hot water. Contact your vet now, and watch for signs of hypothermia too.
This article is for general information only and does not replace advice from your veterinarian. If your pet has been out in the cold and seems unwell, contact your vet now.
Sources
- Torres SMF. 3.10 Canine Ear Margin Dermatosis. Small and Large Animal Dermatology Handbook, Vol. 2. University of Minnesota, 2025. CC BY 4.0. https://open.lib.umn.edu/animaldermatology2/chapter/idiopathic-keratinization-disorders-canine-ear-margin-dermatosis/
- Cormillot S, Fowler D. Functional reconstruction following bilateral amputation of the manus and pes in a cat with frostbite injury. Can Vet J. 2025;66(1):35-39. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39781408/
- Brodeur A, Wright A, Cortes Y. Hypothermia and targeted temperature management in cats and dogs. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2017;27(2):151-163. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28122159/