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Winter Safety Tips
Friday, December 28, 2018
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By:
Kingsdale Animal Hospital
In:
Pet Health
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Winter Weather Tips For Your Four-Legged Friends! - Play Dress Up – Our pets feel the cold winds and icy temperatures just like we do. Smaller, younger, or short haired dogs especially require extra insulation, and will benefit from a sweater or jacket keeping them warm. Having a couple of sweaters on hand helps ensure that they will always have a dry one to wear. Remember that the salt can irritate their pads so invest in some winter boots or wipe their feet off when they get inside after each walk.
- Keep Them Indoors – If it’s too cold for you, it’s likely too cold for them. While some thick-coated breeds like huskies are more tolerant of cold weather, pets should generally not be left outside for long periods of time in below-freezing conditions.
- Provide Shelter – Ensure that your pet has a cozy bed or shelter to sleep on away from a draft, the wind or the snow. If you cat or dog lives outdoors, remember to provide them with a warm, dry, solid shelter and consider taking them inside on cold days and nights.
- Keep Your Pets Away From Puddles – In the wintertime puddles may contain ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) which is toxic for dogs and cats.
- Make Some NOISE – Sometimes cats sleep under the hood of a car for warmth. Tap or knock on the hood of the vehicle or honk the horn prior to starting the engine to wake any cat that may be sleeping there.
- Monitor Their Food Consumption, Weight, and Exercise Levels - During the holidays we all tend to overindulge. Many dogs and cats tend to gain weight over the wintertime due to decreased activity levels and more treats. Keeping your dog active in the winter can be a challenge, especially if it is very cold. Consider doing more exercises indoors (like walking up and down the stairs), continuing with regular walks despite the cold weather, and engaging in more active play with toys. For cats, spending time over the holidays playing with them (toys, laser pointers, etc) and increasing their activity levels can help maintain a healthy weight. Try spreading the food out into various parts of the house and in different toys so they have to “hunt” for their food. Finally, if more activity is not possible, consider limiting the amount of treats both cats and dogs get to prevent that winter weight gain.
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