Cold Weather Tips for Healthier, Happier Pets
“Providing food and shelter is not proving love for your pet. Those too, but proper care and protection from harm make the truest sense of responsible pet ownership.”
— John D. Carraway, DVM
Keep in mind the following tips to keep your furry
family members happy and healthy during the cold winter months:
Never leave your dog or cat outside in the cold weather. Your companion animal could suffer from frostbite or freeze to death. See the vet immediately if you suspect frostbite or hypothermia.
Even if your pets usually stay outside, bring them indoors if the temperature dips to or below zero degrees. If the wind chill index is below 20 degrees, take small house pets, or animals sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, outdoors only long enough to relieve themselves.
During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes choose to sleep under the hoods of cars where it is warmer. Before starting your car, bang loudly on the hood or honk the horn and wait a few seconds to give the cat a chance to escape.
Thoroughly wipe your dog’s paws, legs and stomach when they come in out of the sleet, snow or ice. Salt, antifreeze and other chemicals can irritate their skin as well as hurt your pet if ingested.
Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. Paper training may be a good alternative.
If your pet spends a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities, increase their food supply up to 25%, particularly protein, to keep their fur thick and healthy.
Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep. If kept outside, animals should have a dry, draft-free shelter large enough to stand and turn around in, yet small enough to retain body heat.
Housetraining your canine companion during the winter? Click here for some simple steps to help make the process easier.
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