AKC offers tips to keep your dog safe this winter
"Baby, it's cold outside." Whoever coined that phrase must have lived in our area.
When I open the door to let my dog outside, he stands beside me looking out at the backyard. Then he looks up at me as if to say, "You know, it's still cold out there."
Not even the squirrel sitting on the fence entices him to move out of the house quickly. Like us, our dogs need to be warm and comfortable in the cold weather.
The American Kennel Club suggests winter tips to keep our dogs safe in the cold, winter weather:
• Beware of antifreeze: Although most antifreeze is green ethylene, it comes in different colors. Since as little as a teaspoon of antifreeze can cause kidney failure in dogs, be aware of what your dog is sniffing. There can be residue in the streets. The signs that your dog has swallowed some of it include vomiting, seizures, panting, excessive thirst, lethargy and a drunken appearance. If you think your dog has ingested antifreeze, get him to a vet ASAP. It can be lethal.
• Avoid thin ice: Ice cracks easily and dogs can fall into the icy water. Slipping on ice can also cause muscle strain and other injuries.
• Trim foot fuzz: Ice balls can form in the hair between the pads and toes of longhair dogs. Keep the hair trimmed so that it is even with the surface of the foot.
• Protect your dog's paws: Dog boots and Paw Balms are available from retailers to protect your dog's feet from abrasions or injuries. There are also recipes available to make your own Paw Balm.
• Clean your dog's feet: Wash your dog's feet when he comes in from a walk. Winter streets and sidewalks are covered with rock salt (sodium chloride) and calcium chloride, which can damage a dog's paws. Washing your dog's feet with warm water, reaching between the toes and pads, removes theses substances.
• Bundle your dog up: Dressing short-haired or small dogs will provide them with the extra warmth they need in the winter.
• Consider your dog's age: Since very young and very old dogs have difficulty regulating their body temperature, they have more extreme reactions to changes in the weather. Keep them inside.
• Limit your dog's time outside: Frostbite is a concern for your dog, especially on earflaps and tail tips. Skin that appears white or blue are signs of frostbite.
• Provide plenty of fresh water: Your dog can get as dehydrated in the winter as he does in the summer.
• Acclimate your dog to freezing temperatures: Short romps outside help to get your dog's body used to the changes in the weather.
Playing in the snow with your dog is a lot of fun. But if the weather is too cold for you to be outside, it's too cold for your dog. There's a lot to be said for being warm and cozy with your pet inside the house.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization with all funds directly assisting its animals. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.