Dr. Doolittle here again. Mr. Jones just moved from Florida and called our clinic to ask why his 2-year-old Samoyed neutered male dog, Snowy, is able to stand on the layer of snow and ice on the frozen pond in his backyard, yet his feet do not become cold. Mr. Jones thinks that Snowy will not survive the cold temperatures.
To help Mr. Jones understand what is occurring, explain the specific physiological response that Snowy uses to maintain homeostasis in cold weather and during periods of cold vs. hot conditions. Make sure to thoroughly explain all terminology since Mr. Jones is not familiar with scientific language. Also indicate the temperature range that Snowy should be able to tolerate. Finally, provide one resource (such as a video, paper, website) that would be useful for Mr. Jones to consider