Cold Weather Pet Safety

Courtesy of AVMA. Click link for full article: 
https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Cold-weather-pet-safety.aspx

Some pets love being inside as much as they love being outside. With the temperatures dropping at night and the rainy weather here are some tips to help keep them safe and warm. 

Safe Winter Tips:

1. Keep Anti-freeze away. Check your parking spot at home to ensure your car is not leaking anti-freeze. Anti-freeze is poisonous.

​2. A warm vehicle engine can be an appealing heat source for outdoor and feral cats, but it’s deadly. Check underneath your car, bang on the hood, and honk the horn before starting the engine to encourage feline hitchhikers to abandon their roost under the hood.

​3. Check the paws: Check your dog’s/cat's paws frequently for signs of cold-weather injury or damage, such as cracked paw pads or bleeding. 

4. If your dog/cat has a short coat get a sweater or shirt for them to wear. 

​5. Keep your pet at a healthy weight throughout the winter. Some pet owners feel that a little extra weight gives their pet some extra protection from cold, but the health risks associated with that extra weight don’t make it worth doing. Watch your pet’s body condition and keep them in the healthy range. Outdoor pets will require more calories in the winter to generate enough body heat and energy to keep them warm – talk to your veterinarian about your pet’s nutritional needs during cold weather.

Provide Shelter: 

​1. We don’t recommend keeping any pet outside for long periods of time, but if you are unable to keep your dog inside during cold weather, provide him/her with a warm, solid shelter against wind. 
​2. Make sure that they have unlimited access to fresh, non-frozen water (by changing the water frequently or using a pet-safe, heated water bowl). 

3. The floor of the shelter should be off of the ground (to minimize heat loss into the ground) and the bedding should be thick, dry and changed regularly to provide a warm, dry environment. 

4. The door to the shelter should be positioned away from prevailing winds. Space heaters and heat lamps should be avoided because of the risk of burns or fire. 

5. Heated pet mats should also be used with caution because they are still capable of causing burns.

How to make a house out of tote container.

1. Purchase two containers. One smaller then the other so that the small one fits inside of the large one. 

2. Cut a hole in each for the door. Make sure its cut to your pets size. 

3. Place the small one inside the large container. 

4. Line between the two container. You can use straw, styro-foam, covered fiberglass (wear gloves when handling). 

5. Place bedding such blankets, towels, or a pillow inside small container.

6. Cover the top of each container and ready for use.