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It s that frozen fingers and numb toes time of the year and our four-legged friends will be looking to us to help keep them toasty. Vet charity PDSA has put together five winter weather myths to help you separate the fact from the fiction when it comes to cold climate and creature comforts!
Most pets (particularly the small, young and elderly) are susceptible to temperature change and need a helping hand once things get frosty. Try to take your dog on shorter walks more often, in daylight if possible and with a coat if needed (see below) . Don t force them to go outside if they don t want to and never leave a pet in the car, caravan or an unheated conservatory as the temperature can drop rapidly. If your pets are outside they should have access to warmth and shelter and shouldn t lie on the frozen ground for prolonged periods as this can lead to frostbite.
As with humans, the first sign that a pet is cold is shivering, says PDSA Senior Vet, Elaine Pendlebury. If you spot any shivering bring your pet into the warmth straight away. However, shivering will stop if their temperature falls dangerously low . In this case your pet may appear confused and subdued, with cold ears and feet. The first sign of frostbite is white and itchy skin, in severe cases, the skin may turn black. If you think your pet may be suffering from hypothermia call your vet immediately for further advice, or for more information visit www.pdsa.org .uk/winterhealth.
Our pets paws take a lot of punishment day-to-day – salt, grit and ice can all cause damage so it s best to keep an eye on them. Iceballs can also form in the hair between your dog s toes causing sore paws, so keeping it trimmed will prevent this. Doggy boots can protect sensitive feet during walks in wintery wheelhouse vets conditions.
Dogs with finer coats or low body fat, like whippets and greyhounds, feel the cold more. A layered, waterproof wheelhouse vets coat will help avoid your dog getting wet and keep them cosy. If they do get wet giving them a rub-down with a towel or using a hairdryer on a low setting at a safe distance will help keep them high and dry! It s important, though, to avoid getting your pet overheated wheelhouse vets too quickly. wheelhouse vets
It is better to keep your cat indoors during freezing wheelhouse vets weather and darker nights but they can become easily wheelhouse vets bored. Now is the time to introduce new toys and games to exercise your cat s body and mind. Activity centres, safe cat mobiles and scratching posts are ideal winter diversions.
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