Brrrr ... IT IS COLD !! There's a nip in the
air and folks
are running for cover,
pulling out all of their winter attire to
deal with
the
chill. But wait ...what about our pets?
Fortunately,
most
of them have a nice "fur coat". However,
there are still
many precautions that need to be taken to
assure that
our friends will make it through these low
temperature
spells. Pet owners (and friends of pet
owners) should
heed these simple, yet important tips:
Once the temperature hits 30 degrees
Fahrenheit or
below, outdoor pets are in the danger
zone.
Make
sure
pets have access to warm, dry areas. If it is
a cat,
bring them indoors or allow access to an
indoor area.
Dogs should come indoors as well; if this is not
possible, make sure they have adequate
housing (i.e.
dog house) that is elevated off of the cold
ground.
Cover the floor with a nice, thick blanket;
or better yet,
cedar shavings or straw. The opening should be
covered with a heavy plastic or burlap, and
turned
away from the wind.
Pets need plenty of fresh, unfrozen water.
They need water to burn calories,
which helps
keep their bodies warm. Make sure the bowl
used is
either a hard, tip-proof heavy plastic or
ceramic; no
stainless steel in really cold weather. A
pet's tongue
can stick and freeze to cold metal.
Before starting your car in the
morning, pound
on the engine hood. Cats seeking a warm
place to rest find a really good one in warm
engine
compartment -- many times near the fan belt.
And speaking of cars, keep a close eye
out for
antifreeze leaks. Pets enjoy the
sweet taste of
antifreeze; which
contains ethylene glycol, a highly toxic and
potential
fatal component. It is worth the time to find
"pet
friendly" anti-freeze products; these
generally contain
propylene glycol, which carries a far less risk.
Make sure your pets are well groomed;
particularly those with long hair.
Matted hair
will not protect your pet from the cold. Short
haired pets can benefit from a pet sweater or
coat.
Indoor, less active pets tend to have a
nicer
layer of fat under their skin, and
will therefore
require less nutrition during the cold
weather months than outdoor pets. The latter
group is
usually more active, and burn more fat;
therefore
make sure that they have an adequate amount of
calories, which their bodies burn to produce
more
body heat.
We don't get much snow; but if we do, the
chemicals in the salt used as a melting aid
can cause
burns and injuries to foot pads. Use
a warm,
damp cloth to clean paws when your pet comes in
from the outside.
