Lauren Robertson
Hello again, everybody!
I felt it was important, given that we have just had our first good snow of the season here in Lansing, MI, to quickly go over your pet’s health and safety during the winter season.
I wanted to first point out that not only is the snow and ice itself a big hazard, but the temperatures and winds can be just as dangerous to our four-legged friends. While dogs and cats have a winter coat made to withstand lower temperatures than what we can (sans the snow suits), we do need to remember that this is so that they can find shelter, not stand out in a blizzard or sleep in a snow bank. They can suffer from hypothermia and frostbite, too. Here are two things that pet owners need to watch out for this winter.
The first thing to watch out for is shivering. A dog or cat shivering means the same thing it does for ourselves. He or she is cold, and the body is burning extra calories to keep warm, and is also the first sign of hypothermia. The animal needs to be brought inside and warmed up (and dried off if necessary) to make sure there will be no ill effects. Long haired dogs may need to be “de-snowballed” due to ice and snow sticking to their fur, as this could damage the skin it touches with prolonged exposure. Remember, it would be the same as if someone laid an ice cube on your arm you were unable to remove it. Ouch! To safely warm your pet, wrapping them in a blanket or placing a hot water bottle near (not ON) them is a good move, and they can be offered warm broth to drink as well. Shivering does mean that their core body temperature has dropped, and you should call your veterinarian to check to see if they may need medical attention.
Frostbite occurs when your body becomes too cold to properly function, and all heat is directed out of your extremities to your internal organs, called your “core”. This is to keep the body alive by minimizing heat loss. This is done by cutting off blood flow (and the heat it transfers) to the parts you could theoretically survive without, while keeping your “life support” system working. In effect, your body decides to sacrifice fingers, toes, ears, nose and even whole limbs to keep the heart, lung and other “guts” working. A warning sign for frostbite is if your pet’s ears, paws, or tail are pale and hard to the touch, and if they are drooping the ears or tail, or limping when they walk. Call your veterinarian as soon as possible, so they can help you to keep permanent damage to a minimum, and in the meantime, you can warm those areas with warm (not hot) compresses. Do NOT rub or massage the area, since this could actually do more harm than good.
Luckily, both of these things can be avoided with little effort. When cold weather occurs, avoid prolonged exposure by shortening outside walks and playtime, and watch to make sure that your pet’s tolerance level is not being overstepped.
Smaller dogs, puppies and those breeds who do not do well in cold climates (like the thin coated or “hairless” breeds) should be closely monitored, and you may even want to find protective outerwear that they will tolerate, such as sweaters and booties to protect their footpads.
Hardier dogs that can be left outside for longer periods of time (like Samoyeds or Huskies) still need to be monitored, and all dogs need to have proper shelter to get out of the elements. A warm and insulated pet house that will not accumulate moisture on the inside is ideal for the health and safety of your dog, as well as some sort of door or windbreak to keep the winds out and the heat in while they are inside. If the weather is severe, or the wind chill does drop dramatically low, the “outsiders” should be brought inside to avoid hypothermia and frostbite.
Other winter hazards:
Snow removal salts can be toxic to your pet, so please keep them stored in containers that cannot be gotten into, and out of the reach of pets and children. Be sure to remove salt from paws immediately after they have come inside (especially after walks are taken on streets and side-walks, or other ploughed and salted surfaces). Otherwise, they can cause damage to the footpads, or be accidentally swallowed while grooming themselves.
Antifreeze can be fatal, even in very small amounts. All antifreeze products need to have precautions taken, such as immediately cleaning up spills, keeping containers tightly closed and out of reach, and monitoring your pet in areas where spills and leaks may occur.
Food and water do need to be available at all times, and special steps for bad weather may need to be taken. Fresh and clean water is always important, and check frequently in the winter to make sure it isn’t frozen over for your outdoor companion. If you have a heated water dish, make sure it is working properly, as faulty ones may transmit shocks through the water when your pet tries to take a drink. Food needs to be kept dry, and you should consult your veterinarian about increasing the amount to make up for the extra calories needed to keep warm. This is especially important for your outside pets.
Outdoor cats may climb into vehicle engines for warmth, so before you start your car (especially if it parked outdoors like mine), take a second to bang on the hood and honk the horn. I know I always feel a little silly when I do this, but I would hate for anything to be caught in my engine, especially after one did go running out from under my car last year. They also may take shelter in a garage or barn, and this behavior may be reinforced if food or water is accessible once they are in, so keep that in mind with coming and going.
Wild animals will try to take up residence in those same garages and barns from time to time for the same reasons the cats above would. A trapped animal of any species can be dangerous when cornered, and the best thing to do is to open a door of any kind to the outside, and keep all other ones closed (unless you want a wild thing in your house or car) so that they have an opportunity to escape. DO NOT APPROACH any of your wild visitors as they can do a lot of damage, and some may carry diseases and parasites. All animals will defend themselves if they feel threatened. If they do not leave via your escape route or they place they got in through, call an animal control specialist or the nice folks at any nature center, who can give you additional help on how to “ask nicely” for them to leave.
With that, I will say have a wonderful day, and please remember to drive safely, the deer are still going to be out and about , and roads will be slippery! Please note that this may slow your ability to react, and please be careful, especially with oncoming traffic. Stay safe, and I will post again before Christmas!
