Keep Your Pet Safe During The Cold Winter Months To Prevent Any Animal Hospital Visits

31 January 2018
 Categories: , Blog

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Pets are an important part of our family. They spend years growing up with your family and you look out for their health and safety. During the cold winter months, many people believe that dogs and even cats handle the cold weather much better than humans do. While they can be somewhat better equipped to handle snow and cold, you still need to keep an eye on them to keep them healthy and avoid any emergencies.

Keep your pet safe during the cold months by following some of these simple tips.

Dog Coats and Booties

Not all dogs require an extra layer of warmth on them when they head out in cold temperatures. In fact, breeds like the Husky and Malamute have three coats to keep them warm and so they adjust well to colder temperatures. Other breeds, however, do not handle the cold nearly as well and yet they still need their daily walks. Instead of just taking them out unprotected, put a dog coat that is suited to their size and breed before heading out to keep them warm.

You should protect their sensitive paws too. Snow and ice can get trapped in between their toes and nails and it can be very painful and cause some damage. If your dog lets you, place dog booties on their paws to ensure they won't get hurt while enjoying their walk.

Pet Safe Salt

When you are salting your driveway make sure the product you are using is pet safe. Salt can irritate their paws and cause damage. They also like to lick and clean their feet after being outside, especially cats who are constantly grooming and it can make them sick. Make sure the salt you are using is pet safe to avoid any unpleasant trips to the vet or emergency room.

When you do take them for a walk, check their paws for any signs of injury like frostbite or bleeding paws. If your dog starts to limp during a walk, there could be ice buildup in their paws, so always carefully check for it and clear it away as soon as possible.

Antifreeze Spills

A very important thing you should be aware of is any antifreeze spills that might occur on your driveway. Antifreeze is extremely toxic to pets and they may think it's water and drink it while outside. When you refill your antifreeze in your car, make sure you are careful not to spill any or clean up any spills immediately after it happens.