Frigid temperatures can be dangerous for your pet
If you have been listening to Christmas music on the radio, you’ve probably heard Dean Martin singing “Baby, it’s cold outside.” And is it ever.
Our most recent blast of Artic cold air has given us actual temperatures of 0 degrees and wind chill factors of 10 degrees below zero for four days now. Our companion animals need extra precautions to stay safe and warm during the cold weather.
The HSUS, ASPCA and AVMA offer cold weather safety guidelines to help us protect our animals during the cold and freezing days of winter.
Don’t leave your dogs and cats outside. Wind chill can threaten the lives of our companion animals, no matter what the temperature. It’s a mistaken belief dogs and cats are more resistant to cold weather than people because of their fur. Like people, dogs and cats are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia and should be kept indoors.
Longerhaired and thick-coated breeds, such as huskies and other dogs bred for colder climates, are more tolerant of the cold weather, but no pet should be left outside for long periods of time in below-freezing weather.
Leave your pets at home. Don’t leave them unattended in the car in the cold weather, as your car acts as a refrigerator, rapidly chilling your pet and causing them to freeze to death.
More dogs are lost during the winter than in any other season, so make sure your dog always wears ID tags and/or microchipped. Never let your dog off leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm since dogs can lose their scent and easily get lost.
When walking your dog, stay away from frozen ponds, lakes and other water. The ice may not support your dog’s weight, and if your dog breaks through the ice it could be deadly.
Watch for signs of hypothermia while you are outside with your pet. If he is whining, shivering, seems anxious, slows down or stops moving, seems weak or starts looking for warm places to burrow, get him back inside because he is showing signs of hypothermia.
Frostbite is harder to detect and may not be recognized until a few days after the damage is done. If you suspect your animal has hypothermia or frostbite, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Thoroughly wipe off or wash your dog’s legs and stomach when he comes in out the snow, sleet, or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals that could be toxic while licking his paws.
His paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice. Use pet-safe de-icers on your property to protect your pets and the others in your neighborhood.
So, go outside with your dog and enjoy everything our Midwest winter has to offer. But Dino’s right: “Baby, it’s cold outside.”
Put on your winter clothes and dress your pets warmly and join us at The Buddy Foundation Shelter for photos with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and his elves.
Photos will be taken from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at The Buddy Foundation Shelter, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. Donation is $7.50 a photo.
Bring your pets and children and enjoy the bake sale and do some Christmas shopping to benefit the animals at the shelter.
Ÿ The Buddy Foundation is a nonprofit (501c3), all volunteer, no-kill animal shelter dedicated to the welfare of stray, abused and abandoned cats and dogs. The shelter is at 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit thebuddyfoundation.org.