After the coldest December in Ireland in almost 30 years and as the cold snap continues and temperatures dip to well below zero again tonight here are some tips to keep your pets safe and warm. As we all wrap up in our winter woolies and light the open fires spare a thought for our pets that can’t tell us how cold they are.
Dogs and Cats
- Outdoor or roaming cats often climb up into the engine of a vehicle to keep warm, so before you set off, honk the horn or bang on the bonnet to alert any cat, that might be there. In fact, if your cat knows this trick already you will have to open the bonnet and do a full check as a cat can at best be lost (when car stops in strange place and your cat jumps out) or even be killed.
- Ensure your pet’s water container is not frozen over, as even in cold weather they should have access to fresh clean drinking water.
- Even in the frost and snow a dog needs to be walked but please ensure that you check your dog’s paws afterwards as snow and ice can build up between the toes and form ice balls. Applying vaseline or cooking oil can help prevent this. If you walk your dog on footpaths or roads that have been salted you will need to wash your dog’s paws when you return, as the salt be very irritating to skin.
- Anti-freeze is highly toxic to pets and even small amounts can prove fatal if ingested. It is sweet tasting and so it will be readily ingested by pets if some is spilt or an open container is knocked over or but can also be ingested when cleaning their paws. Poisoning causes depression and loss of coordination and renal failure soon follows.
- Old, thin, young or short-haired dogs e.g Greyhounds or Chihuahuas will naturally feel the cold more and breeds who would normally have thick coats e.g Bichon Frises which have been clipped short will also have little protection in cold weather. Even dogs who should have thick coats but who are mostly inside and are constantly shedding their coats and so are not used to inclement weather will be at risk of hypothermia. Provide these pets with a warm waterproof jacket. Breeds such as Alaskan Malamutes and Bermese Mountain dogs will love the colder weather but remember they too must be given shelter from the cold, wind and rain.
- Ensure arthritic or debilitated pets have somewhere warm, soft and draft free to sleep as they are unable to move around to keep warm and drafty cold environments can aggravate their condition.
- Food amounts may need to be adjusted. Those outdoors may need extra food in order to provide energy to keep themselves warm. However dogs who cannot go out for there usual long walks will need less food as they will be burning less calories.
- Extreme care should be taken of frozen ponds, as thin ice may break under your dog’s weight and he may fall in and be unable to get out.
Small Furries
- Ensure rabbits and guinea pigs in outdoor hutches are warm enough. If the hutch is insulated, elevated off the ground, provided with extra straw, has protection from prevailing winds and is fully waterproof it will probably be ok outside. Otherwise the hutch will need to be brought into a garden shed or garage or into the house.
- Ensure their water bottle isn’t frozen.
Wildlife
- Don’t forget wildlife in the winter. Birds find it difficult to find food in the cold weather particularly with snow on the ground. Leave out some table scraps or provide bird seed or peanuts. Make sure any food is out of reach of cats.
- Make sure the water in the bird bath isn’t frozen over.
Horses
- Check under their rugs to make sure they are warm enough and not soaked through. They can often cope with the cold as long as they are dry, but a horse that is wet will get cold very quickly. Horses, particularly thoroughbreds and horses that have been clipped, may need to be given an extra or heavier rug or brought into a stable or shelter.
- Make sure there feet is picked out daily as snow or frozen mud can build up in their hoofs. . Feel through any long winter cats to make sure they are not getting thin.
- Extra hay and feed will almost certainly be required in cold weather particularly for those kept at grass.
- Ensure their water doesn’t freeze over. Try floating a football in their water trough to help prevent the top freezing over and remove any ice if it does freeze.
- Be very cautious when dealing with horses on icy yards or on the roads particularly when riding as horses, especially those shod, will have little grip (unless they have studs) and may slip.
- Keep an eye out on your horse’s legs and heels for mud fever which can be a problem if the fields are badly poached, forcing your horse to stand in water or mud constantly and so not allowing the skin to dry out.
By Una. Filed under Cats, Dogs, Horses, Pet Care.
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