Winter Pet Tips: Keep Your Dog Out Of The Cold!

It’s that cold weather time of the year yet again.  Time once again for me to post about the dangers of cold weather for your pets.  Remember, your pets are just as vunerable as you are to the cold and should be treated accordingly.  Here are a few tips from the ASPCA to help you keep your pets warm and safe:

1.  Keep your cats inside. Outdoor cats can freeze, or become lost or stolen, injured or killed.

2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under car hoods for warmth. Before starting your car, bang loudly on the hood and wait a few seconds to give the cat a chance to escape.

3. Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep far away from drafts and off the floor. Consider a cat bed or basket with a warm blanket or pillow in it.

4. Never leave your pet alone in a car during the cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold. Your companion animal could freeze to death. 

5. Antifreeze, even in tiny doses, is a lethal poison for cats. Unfortunately, its sweet taste attracts animals to it. Thoroughly clean up spills from your vehicle. To prevent accidental poisoning, more and more people are using animal-friendly products that contain propylene glycol rather than traditional products containing ethylene glycol. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4ANI-HELP) if you suspect your animal has been poisoned.

Keeping the above in mind will help you in protecting your pet this winter.  Otherwise,  I’d suggest getting your pet a holiday gift to reward them for being good this year.  Just so you know, kitties like Catnip Balls and doggies like Rawhide Bones.

Source: http://www.catchannel.com/activities/holidays/article_seasonsb0008.aspx