By Nila Harris
With record dropping temperatures, many pet owners are concerned about the safety and health of their pets. Mike Crowley, veterinarian from Grants Lick Veterinary Hospital, and Bonnie Bloomfield whose husband, John, works at Pendleton County Animal Shelter offered tips on pet care on cold days.
“Cold tolerance can vary from pet to pet based upon coat length and thickness, body fat stores, activity levels and overall health,” Crowley said.
Bloomfield’s information states that puppies, older dogs and short haired and short-legged dogs tend to be more vulnerable in harsh weather than Nordic breeds, which have insulating fur.
There’s no set temperature at when you should bring your pets indoors, but you should limit time outdoors, consider getting protective clothing like sweaters and booties, and watch for signs of hypothermia, frostbite or distress, they said.
“If you’re worried about them, bring them inside,” Crowley said.
Other tips include taking shorter walks, limiting time outdoors, maintaining activity levels indoors with treat scavenger hunts, drying off your pet immediately if they get wet and not allowing pets to lick their paws so they don’t accidentally ingest salt or antifreeze from the roadways.
How can you tell if your pet is in distress due to the cold? Crowley said that if a pet owner is able check the animal’s temperature rectally, “Normal body temperatures for dogs and cats run between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature drops to below 97 degrees, it indicates hypothermia that could be concerning.”
Watch for animals to be shivering, unresponsive, slow moving, whining or vocalizing, decreased heart rate, pale gums, coats covered with snow and ice and slow, shallow breathing, they said.
Outside pets should be kept inside or in a barn if possible. If not, provide a shelter that is out of the wind with some thick, dry bedding. Avoid using heat lamps or heating pads, which can be deadly to pets.
Be careful when adding anti-freeze to vehicles which can also be catastrophic to your furry friends.
Crowley also said that “cold weather can exacerbate some pre-existing conditions like arthritis.”
British writer Kenneth Grahame summed it up this way, “No animal, according to the rules of animal-etiquette, is ever expected to do anything strenuous, or heroic, or even moderately active during the off-season of winter.”