Top ten cold weather Tips
Top Ten Cold Weather Tips
It is getting cold outside, so we have created some tips to keep your fuzzy friends warm and safe.
- Keep your cats indoors. Outdoor cats can freeze, get lost, stolen, injured or worst of all get killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, like rabies from other animals.
- During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of vehicles. When the motoe is turned on the cat can be injured or killed by the fanbelt. If there are outdoor cats in your neighborhood bang on the hood of your car before starting it to startle any cats that may be under there.
- Never let your dog off of the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snow storm. They can lose their scent and get lost very easily. Statistics show more animals getting lost during the winter months, than any other time. Also make sure they have their IDs on their collars in case they escape.
- Throughly wipe off your dosg's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. he can injest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his or her paws, and their paw pads may bleed from the snow or encrusted ice.
- NEVER shave your dog down the the skin in the winter. A longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your pet in the winter be sure to completely dry him/her before taking for a walk. If you happen to own a short-haired breed consider buying him/her a sweater.
NEVER leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act like a refrigerator in the winter holding in the cold. - Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather you may opt to paper train him or her instead. If your pet is sensitive to cold due to age, illness, or breed type just take him/her out to urinate or deficate.
- If your dog spends alot of time engaged in outdoor activities increase his/her supply of food particularly the protein to keep him and his fur healthy.
- Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to throughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather then ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for more information.
- Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep off the floor and away from any drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow should do the trick.
