February 6, 2007

The first part of this winter was especially mild and my garden was fooled into thinking spring was just around the corner, but just as it seemed that we had escaped the really cold temperatures this year, mother nature ushered in some really cold weather to remind us to stay on our toes. Here are some cold weather tips for keeping your pets safe and warm when the weather is cold outside. Here are a list of tips and safety measures to be aware of during the winter:

• If your pet is housed in a kennel, dog house or unheated garage, make sure the space does not get too cold. Provide heat and other means for your pet to keep warm.
• Anti-freeze is deadly to your pet. Cats especially may injest this poison, so make sure that you clean any drips or spills as soon as you see them. Signs of toxicity include initially drinking and urinating a lot, depression, vomiting, rapid breathing and eventually kidney failure. Make sure to keep the anti-freeze out of reach, and make sure your car isn't leaking any onto the garage floor.
• If you use your car for short trips, make sure you bang on your hood before driving off again. Cats frequently will climb onto a warm engine and can get caught in the fan or other moving part if you quickly get into your car to drive off.
• Dogs and cats that spend a lot of time outdoors may develop painful cracks on the bottom of their paws because of the salt used on roads and walkways. Make sure you check for this periodically.
• If you are using a space heater to keep your pets warm, make sure it is not leaking carbon monoxide. Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include drowsiness, incoordination and a bright red gums. If you see any of these symptoms in your pet, get them into fresh air immediately and call your vet.
• Keep your dog on a leash in snow or ice as dogs can lose their scent and become lost. According to the ASPCA, more dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
• Your pet can suffer from dry skin in the winter. Bathing it using an oatmeal based shampoo can help as well as supplementing its diet with more fat, good for the coat.
• Do not leave your dog alone in a car during the winter months. Just as summer is dangerous because of the high heat inside a car, winter can cause your pet to freeze to death. Leave them at home when you run errands.

These tips will help both pets and humans alike get through this winter season.