As temperatures begin to drop, we’ve all fished out our winter coats and adjusted to the shorter days. We know how to keep ourselves happy and healthy during the winter months, but what about our pets? It is so important at this time of year that we help all of our much-loved pets stay warm and safe in any way that we can. Whether you have outdoor or indoor pets, there are a number of ways to ensure that your pets are cared for during the cold, winter months.
Winter Care for Your Dog
As you can probably imagine, much of the winter care for your dog is related to taking them out for walks.
Not surprisingly, you may find that your dog is not quite so keen to go outside, especially if they have short hair or a thin coat. This is why it is beneficial to provide them with a warm coat to give them an extra layer when out walking. That being said, if your dog really doesn’t want to go outside, don’t force them. Simply ensure that you provide them with plenty of options for indoor play to make sure they get some daily activity and give them a little less food than usual to ensure that they don’t gain weight.
If your dog has got wet during its walk, make sure that you take some time to rub your dog down with a towel when you arrive home in order to get rid of any excess moisture that could make them feel cold. This will enable them to dry off and warm up more quickly naturally.
Ensure Your Dog is Always Visible When Walking
Winter weather often means rain, fog, ice, and snow. In these kinds of conditions, visibility can be greatly reduced but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy off-lead walks. The best way to ensure that you know where your dog is at all times during a dog walk is to provide them with a reflective or light-up collar. This is also useful if you often need to take your dog out later in the day when it is already starting to get dark.
Also, double-check that your dog’s ID tag and microchip are up to date with your latest contact information.
Check Your Dogs Paws After Walking
We’ve all seen gritting lorries covering roads after warnings of icy weather coming our way. Although this grit and salt is very helpful to us humans, this grit and salt can get stuck between the pads of our four-legged friends and irritate the skin, or worse, cut the skin. Your dog may grumble, but it is crucial that you check your dog’s paws when you arrive home, especially if you often walk along roads and pavements.
It is also important to do this if you have been walking in snow as it can clump up in your dog’s pads and between the toes. Yes, it will melt eventually, but some moisture will probably still remain which can cause sores. Simply drying off your dog’s paws before going in the house can prevent this…and wet, muddy footprints on your floors too!
Prevent Slipping on Icy Surfaces
Icy conditions are particularly risky for older dogs with weak joints or arthritis. The safest thing for them is to make sure that they are supported by you while they are walking. Simply by fitting them with a harness, you can help to steady them and guide them away from any particularly icy surfaces.
Beware of Frozen Ponds and Lakes
Never assume that any frozen surface of a pond or lake is thick enough or strong enough to support the weight of your dog, no matter their size. There is no way of knowing how secure it will be and it is never worth the risk. The water below the ice will be below zero and it could be fatal if your dog were to fall in.
Take Care with Antifreeze
Antifreeze is a useful thing during the winter, but you need to take care with this substance around your pets. The majority of antifreeze products contain ethylene glycol which is highly toxic to both dogs and cats.
De-icers actually taste sweet to animals and so they will be tempted to lick up any spillages that they find. Unfortunately, this can have fatal consequences, damaging their kidneys and preventing proper function.
Symptoms of poisoning by antifreeze include:
lethargy
drinking more
panting
twitching
vomiting
spasms
seizures
collapse
If you suspect your pet may have ingested antifreeze and exhibits any of these symptoms, contact your vet immediately.
Winter Care for Your Cat
Even if you have an outdoor cat, you may find that they opt for staying indoors, particularly during the night. If this is the case, you just need to make sure that you provide your cat with plenty of toys and places to scratch to keep their minds and body active.
If your cat still wants to be outdoors, you might want to think about providing them with a shelter in your garden so that they get the best of both worlds. Line it with reflective material and fill it with blankets to create a warm and cosy area for your cat to rest should they want to.
Winter Care for Your Small Animals
If you have outdoor small animals, like guinea pigs or rabbits, the best thing to do for them is to move them into an indoor space, such as a shed or garage, if you can. If this is not an option for you, drape some blankets or towels over the top of their hutch to reduce draughts and provide them with a little extra warmth. Then just make sure you give them plenty of extra bedding that they can snuggle up in for added warmth and comfort.
If you have indoor small animals, like hamsters or mice, ensure that they are kept in a draught free area and given extra bedding to avoid them going into hibernation.
Winter Care for Chickens
Chickens, and other larger birds, cope well in almost all weathers on their own, but there are things you can do to make sure that they are comfortable during the colder months.
If your coop is particularly spacious for your number of hens, you might want to think about putting in a cardboard box, on its side, filled with bedding to give them a smaller space to snuggle up together and share body heat.
Add extra insulation to the coop by covering the top with offcuts of carpet, old blankets and towels, or cardboard, and deepen the layer of bedding inside the coop too.
Make sure there are plenty of sheltered areas in your garden or yard that they can access quickly should the weather suddenly change and add a solid side to their run, with a wooden board or straw bale, to give them a windbreak outside their coop.
If you have any hens with patchy feathers, you might want to think about providing them with a heat lamp, just make sure that you don’t let the coop get too warm for the other birds.
Chickens also like to drink warm water when the weather is colder, and you can give them a ‘hot’ meal by adding hot water to their food to make a kind of mash. This is especially good later in the day as it will fill them up and warm them up before they go to roost for the night.
Winter Care for Fish and Pondlife
Let's not forget about our aquatic friends! Float a good-sized ball in your pond so that is can be removed should the pond freeze over. This hole in the ice will allow a good flow of oxygen into the water and provide a place where your fish and other pond life can get their much-needed supply of oxygen.
Don’t let the cold stop your pets being happy, healthy and comfortable. With these tips, you can help your pets continue to enjoy their time outside and make sure they stay active and stimulated on those days when the weather is just too dismal.
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