Archive for January, 2011

When the temperature begins to fall, pets will need a little extra care. Although some types of pets are affected by cold more than others, you can do a number of things to help keep your pet’s winter experience safe and happy.

Exercise: Pets have different nutritional requirements when it is colder out, just like us. They tend to eat more if they are outside a lot so be aware of this, but don’t overfeed your dog. Obesity is as much a significant health hazard for our pets as it is for us. Exercise is still critical for our pets in the winter. If you are decreasing the length and frequency of your walks when it is real cold, make sure your pet still gets adequate exercise.

Protection from Winter Chemicals: One major problem with antifreeze is that it has a very sweet taste and as a result, dogs and cats love it and can end up ingesting it. You may want to look for a pet-friendly antifreeze that’s safe to store and use in your vehicle when you have pets living in your home.

Winterize Pet Shelters: If you have outside dogs make sure they have enough warmth and fresh water available. Consider protecting their paws by having them wear booties and possibly wearing some additional layers of clothing depending on the temperatures. Frostbite can result when spending too much time outside on a cold night or a long walk in sub-zero temperatures.

Keep older, arthritic dogs inside. These dogs should not be left outside under any circumstances. Escort the older dogs outside for bathroom breaks and use a leash or harness if the yard has ice or snow. Older dogs can easily fall and seriously injure themselves.

While it’s easy to think that your pets are immune to cold because of their fur, quite the opposite is true in fact. Frostbite, hypothermia and antifreeze poisoning present the biggest winter threats to dogs. But by taking a few precautions and using common sense, dog owners can keep their dogs safe this winter.