Take Care of Your Pets During Winter

It is getting colder outside. From my previous posts, I have list some guidelines to help protect your pets. This article will add to the guidelines.

Did you know that a car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death? Then, you must not leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. Remember to make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Keep Your Dogs Inside

Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Did you know that 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 inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

Furthermore, be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats.

Dog's Winter Wear

During winter, you must not shave your dog down to the skin. Remember that a longer coat will provide more warmth. Likewise, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk when you bathe your dog in the colder months. If you have a short-haired breed, you must consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

Dogs During Winter

Dogs can easily lose their scent and become lost. Thus, let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags. When he comes in out of the sleet, make sure you thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach. Moreover, he can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

Keep Your Cats Inside

It is cold outside. For those people who have pets, you must keep them inside. Always keep your cats inside now because felines can freeze. You must be aware that cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife. Outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.