Cold Weather Tips

Ah…Winter in the Southwest can be unpreditable from day to day. With winter weather officially here, pet owners should keep an eye on dropping temperatures, blustery winds and snow accumulation.  When it’s cold outside, we need to take special precautions to keep our pets safe. The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen or injured. During cold weather, many cats and small wildlife seek shelter under car hoods for warmth. When the motor is started, injury and even death could occur. As a precaution, bang loudly on the hood of your car before starting the engine in case a stray cat is using your car as a safe haven.

If possible, keep all dogs indoors. If not in the house, at least in the garage. Some breeds can remain outside safely longer in the winter than others. In some cases, it’s just common sense: long-haired breeds like Huskies will do better in cold weather than short-haired breeds like Dachshunds. Cats and small dogs that have to wade shoulder-deep in the snow will feel the cold sooner than large breeds. Take extra care of elderly and very young pets and pets that are not generally in good health -they are most susceptible to the effects of cold weather.

Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice during a snowstorm. Dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours wears ID tags or better yet, have your pets microchipped.

Frostbite is also a concern for dogs during the cold weather. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports frostbitten skin is red or gray and may slough. Common practice is to apply warm, moist towels to thaw out frostbitten areas slowly until the skin appears flushed. Consult your veterinarian as soon as possible for futher care.

Dry skin may be an issue for pets as well as people during the winter months. If your dog scratches a lot and there are flakes of skin, bathing him/her with a shampoo that has oatmeal as a main ingredient may soothe the skin. Fatty acid supplements, such as fish and or flax seed oil may aid in improving skin conditions.

Antifreeze is highly toxic and can be deadly, so keep it out of reach and make sure your car isn’t leaking any on the garage floor. The HSUS and ASPCA suggest using antifreeze-coolant made with propylene glycol (rather than ethylene glycol) it does cost a small amount more than ‘regular’ antifreeze.