Winter Hazards – How to Prepare Your Pet for Winter
Winter brings so much for us to look forward to with twinkly lights, holidays and festive cheer. But it also brings cold, miserable weather and conditions that could harm our pet’s health. This is even more true for pets whose owners are facing homelessness.
You can get yourself prepared by reading our top winter tips, as well as finding out how you can extend your help to others at this time of year.
Think About the Dark Mornings and Evenings
Daylight hours become reduced at this time of year, leading to dark mornings and evenings.
This makes road traffic accidents much more likely in the winter months, so you should try and change your routine if you can. Walking during lighter parts of the day will be safer for you and your dog. If you are unable to, then make sure to always carry a torch and wear high-visibility clothing so that you are easily spotted. Pets can also wear reflective collars and harnesses.
Purchase A Good Coat
A coat is important – for both you and your dog! Dogs want walks all year round, not just in good weather, so investing in a decent dog walking coat and waterproof trousers will help you to stay dry. A good quality dog coat is essential during cold weather for dogs with thin fur or low body fat. Elderly dogs or very young dogs may also benefit from an extra layer of warmth. Keeping your pet cozy will make walks much more pleasant for them, as well as stopping their body temperature from dropping if the weather is particularly chilly.
Take Care with Antifreeze and Road Grit
Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is toxic to cats and dogs, causing acute kidney failure if it is accidentally swallowed. In the winter months, spillages can occur when topping up our cars. If a cat or dog laps this up or even licks it off their paws later on, it could cause real problems. Take care to store your antifreeze well out of reach of inquisitive pets and never use it in ornamental water features; a thirsty animal lapping from a treated fountain could become very unwell.
Road grit (rock salt) used to de-ice roads and pavements can get stuck on paws and licked off. This could lead to digestive upset and electrolyte issues, even salt poisoning and neurological problems! Rinsing your dog’s paws off after a walk can help to avoid this problem.
Keep Parasite Protection Up To Speed
Thanks to central heating keeping our homes lovely and warm, plus more spells of unseasonably milder weather in the winter months, we can see flea infestations all year round. These small wingless parasites cause itchiness, allergies and infections in our pets.
Climate change means cold snaps are less common than they used to be, so worm eggs can continue to survive in the environment during the winter, as do slugs and snails carrying potentially fatal lungworms. This is why you shouldn’t become complacent, and you should keep your pets safe by using veterinary-approved preventative parasite treatments in a control programme as advised by your vet.
Don’t Forget Outdoor Pets
Pets living outside will be much more susceptible to any extremes of temperature. In winter months, temperatures can drop below freezing, so it is important to keep our animals protected against this.
For rabbits and guinea pigs, moving hutches into the shed or garage can help, as can extra bedding and providing insulating covers for their enclosure. You could also think about pet-safe heat pads for them to snuggle up with. Make sure to check their water supplies regularly, as bottles or bowls can freeze at very low temperatures.
As well as small furry pets, remember that cats living outside, and kennelled dogs, will also benefit from some extra TLC.
Take Extra Care Around Water
In the winter months, streams and rivers become deeper and faster flowing due to increased rainfall. Your dog’s favourite paddling spot can become dangerous at this time of year. If you aren’t sure of the conditions, then it is best to keep them on a lead to stop them accidentally getting into trouble. Frozen lakes and ponds can also be a hazard. Hypothermia is a real risk to any dog that is swimming or falls into freezing water in the winter.
Festive Hazards
Winter brings celebrations, decorations and treats for many of us. However, some of these can be dangerous for the health of our animals.
Chocolate advent calendars, chocolate tree decorations and chocolate gifts left lying around are all extremely tempting to a peckish pet! Theobromine, the active ingredient in chocolate, is toxic to dogs and can cause serious health problems. Cats are also susceptible but are less likely than dogs to eat things that they shouldn’t.
Raisins can cause kidney failure in some animals that consume them. So, all those mince pies, Christmas cakes and dried fruit trail mixes should be kept well out of reach. Alcohol and xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in some sugar-free products that is potentially lethal to dogs) should never be consumed by your pets either.
Decorations like tinsel and baubles can be attractive playthings to our pets but, if they are swallowed, they could cause intestinal blockages requiring emergency surgery. Lit candles make dark evenings cozier but should be used with care around pets. Keep them out of reach and closely supervised to avoid accidents happening.
You May Need to Avoid Very Poor Weather
If the weather is extremely poor, such as thick snow or icy conditions then you may need to skip a dog walk or two. This will especially be the case if your pet is elderly, very young or suffers from health complaints. You can keep your dog stimulated indoors by –
- Providing puzzle feeders, snuffle mats and interactive toys
- Working on some basic tricks and training
- Playing games like ‘hide and seek’ or placing treats around the house as a treasure hunt
- Spending some extra time grooming and fussing them
How Can I Help Owners Who Are Experiencing Homelessness?
Owners that are experiencing homelessness experience a unique set of challenges. Both themselves and their pets are exposed to extremes of weather, and they do not have the resources available to them that so many of us take for granted. Staying warm and keeping their dogs healthy in cold weather spells can be a challenge. StreetVet is there to support these owners, but we can’t do it without your help.
If you would like to support us, then please head to our donations page for more information. Alternatively, check out our Amazon wish lists for products that our local teams would find helpful. We are always grateful for any gesture we receive.
Summary
It is always great to be prepared for winter, and hopefully our top tips will help you to keep your pets as safe as possible during the darker and colder months. If you have any concerns about your pet’s health or any questions about the issues mentioned in this article, please make sure you speak with your vet.
