Winter weather is here!
What preparation are you doing?
How about your pets? Do you include them in your preparations?
Winter weather can pose risks and harm to your pets. Thus, it is important that as a pet parent, you know exactly what these risks or harms are so you can prepare and protect your furry friends.
Here are 10 reminders for you to keep your dogs safe during winter weather:
Keep pets indoors
If your pet normally lives outside the house, it’s better to keep all of them indoors during winter weather, especially at night when the temperature drops very low.
Give them extra warmth
If you have dogs that have short coats, wear them a jacket so they’d be extra warm. You can also add a blanket or a thick cloth as a pad.
Limit outside time
As much as possible, do not bring your pets outside, especially in really bad winter weather. But if ever you really have to, then make sure to keep their outside time-limited and wear a jacket.
Make indoor time active
Winter weather is not the best time to walk your dogs in the park to keep them active. However, there are a lot of fun things you can do indoors to keep them engaged, fun, and active as well. Increase your pet’s indoor enrichment with different activities and probably training.
Give them tags
You want to make sure your pets have proper tags with your contact information in them. This is just in case they’d be lost (God forbid) so people would know where and to whom they shall be returned. After all, wintertime is a bad time for stray dogs (definitely sad but true).
Protect their paws
When you have to bring your pet outdoors, aside from wearing the jacket, protect their paws too by wearing shoes or adding barriers like petroleum jelly on their paws for extra protection while out for a walk.
Keep away from chemicals
The chemicals or salt we use to melt snow and ice can cause danger to your pet. It can irritate, burn, and inflammation of their skin and paws.
Clean and wipe
After going outside, make sure you clean and wipe their paws and their bellies to get rid of salt, chemicals, or ice.
Keep antifreeze out of reach
The anti-freeze we use is very dangerous for your pets because it is poisonous and knowing that it could be tempting for them because of its sweet taste, you have to make sure they are out of your pet’s reach.
Watch out for hypothermia
Letting your dog stay outside during bad winter weather can cause hypothermia. So, keep in mind to minimize their outside time and you also have to be aware of the signs of hypothermia so you can prevent and help your pets immediately. If you believe your pet is experiencing any symptoms, bring them to your veterinarian right away.
Remember these tips as the winter weather is already coming. Your pet needs your care more than ever during this season.
P.S. If you see stray dogs everywhere, please report them to your local shelter. They need help too!