Tips To Make Your Pets Warm This Winter
As we see continued cold weather its important to not forget your pets as they will also be feeling the cold even if they do have fur coats they will still be struggling. It’s good to take extra precautions and know where your local animal hospital is or an emergency vet.
It’s pretty obvious that a husky will fare better in the cold than a chihuahua, but bear in mind that animals need time to adapt to temperature changes, just as people do. Pets change to what climate they are use to so even if youre husky originates from a cold climate it is still going to feel the cold because it is not use to it.
Ive never been a fan of pets wearing clothes but for dogs with thin coats, the very young or old, or even those pets on long-term medication e.g. for arthritis, they may benefit from a highly-visible fluorescent coat. Of cause extreme weather means doing whatever it takes so I would advice adding a warm jacket.
Do make it’s bigger enough otherwise it’s going to be uncomfortable for your pet. Make sure it’s large enough and if in doubt go slightly bigger. Easier to clean than traditional baskets these boxes should be positioned well-away from doors as the slightest draught will turn your dog - who’s closer to the ground into a miserable bag of shivering bones.
Chemicals used to thaw the roads and walkways for example salt can cause irritation to paws and make them crack. And, if ingested, these chemicals can be downright dangerous and you would need to take your pet to a vet referrals centre. You can solve this by putting boots on your dogs but this can cause problems as many dogs do not like having their feet covered. A more realistic option it to wash your pets paws thoroughly every time they leave the house! Instead, be vigilant about washing your pet’s paws before he has a chance to lick them. A tip to stop the build up of ice on paws add baby oil before you leave as this reduces this dramatically.
