Pets in the Cold vs Spending Quality Time Indoors with “Furry Family Members” during the Cold Season

The colder months of the year call for more planning; and with all of the hustle and bustle, don’t forget to plan for your “furry family members” to spend the majority of their winter indoors and to keep pets out of the cold weather. Pets in the cold weather are at risk of hypothermia and frostbite. Consider preventative maintenance and avoiding safety hazards such as fireplaces, and avoiding spills and neglectful placement of toxic chemicals; pets exposed to toxic chemicals like antifreeze can become sick. If your pet ingests harmful chemicals, contact your local animal hospital if your pet ingests any harmful chemicals.

Safety hazard(s): Fireplaces, Under the car’s hood, Toxic Chemicals,  Walks After dark

Risks: Hypothermia, Frostbite

Preventative Actions and Planning Ahead:

• Check the temperature every morning, afternoon, and night before letting your pets outside or going for a quick walk. If the weather is too cold, it is never too much to put some booties on their paws, or otherwise, if the ground is wet, to wipe their paws to prevent frostbite.
• The best way to walk your dog in the cold weather is on a leash. This reduces the chance of lost dogs during the winter; statistics say that more dogs are lost in the winter than in other seasons.
• Avoid Spills – Rock salt and antifreeze are harmful to your pets. Wipe their paws, stomach/tummy, and all areas of your pet that have been exposed. Have your pets wear booties when walking outside. Use pet-friendly ice-melting products as a preventative action. Antifreeze can attract cats and dogs, because of the sweet smell. However, if this toxic chemical is ingested, it can be harmful enough to your pet to result in death. So please, if you know that a pet has ingested toxic chemicals of any kind, please contact your veterinarian’s hospital or animal medical emergency hospital immediately.
• Puppies are more susceptible to cold weather than adult dogs. If you have a puppy that is still house training, you should opt into paper pads during the winter, instead of taking your puppy outside.
• During the wintertime, cats like to crawl under the hood of cars to keep warm. Check under the hood before turning your car on in the mornings, because on cold days cats will crawl under the hood of vehicles to keep warm.

Winter apparel for you and your pets that will help on cold days:

During bad weather conditions, winter apparel will keep your pets warm enough for a quick walk or getting in and out of the weather for travel. Booties, jackets, and sweaters, for them, and for the owners of your beloved pets, consider a leash that is grip-friendly and gloves that prove to stand freezing temperatures. That will depend on how cold it gets where you live.

As you and your pets adapt to winter weather conditions, and temperatures improve, you want to get your pets, adult dogs especially, back outside and exercising during their normal playtime routine. This is said to reduce the risk of injury as the weather transitions back into the warm, spring, and summer months when your dog is spending most of the time at play.

https://www.greatplainsspca.org/top-10-winter-weather-tips-pets/

https://www.americanhumane.org/blog/keep-pets-safe-during-cold-months/

https://www.animalleague.org/blog/tips/keep-pets-safe-warm-winter/

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