Store Departments

Winter Pet Care

                                                
This article come to us from the AKC website, Winter 2012.

Winter's cold air brings many concerns for responsible dog owners. Keep the following precautions in mind:

  • Don't leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature readings. Be attentive to your dog's body temperature, and limit its time outdoors.
  • Adequate shelter is a necessity. Keep your dog warm, dry and away from drafts. Tiles and uncarpeted areas may become extremely cold, so make sure to place blankets and pads on floors in these areas.
  • Be extra careful when walking or playing with your dog near frozen lakes, rivers or ponds. Your dog could slip or jump in and get seriously injured.
  • Groom your dog regularly. Your dog needs a well-groomed coat to keep properly insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs may get extra cold, so consider a sweater or coat. Long-haired dogs should have excess hair around the toes and foot pads trimmed to ease snow removal and cleaning. If you do the trimming, take care not to cut the pads or other delicate area of the foot.
  • Feed your dog additional calories if it spends a lot of time outdoors or is a working animal. It takes more energy in the winter to keep body temperature regulated, so additional calories are necessary.
  • Towel or blow-dry your dog if it gets wet from rain or snow. It is important to dry and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
  • Don't leave your dog alone in a car without proper precautions. If the car engine is left on, the carbon monoxide will endanger your dog's life. If the engine is off, the temperature in the car will get too cold.

Health Tips

Dogs cannot talk to us when they are sick. As a responsible dog owner, it is important to pay special attention to your dog's well-being during the winter season. Remember the following health concerns:

  • Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.
  • Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Be sure to rinse and dry your dog's feet after a walk.
  • Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
  • Frostbite is your dog's winter hazard. To prevent frostbite on its ears, tail and feet, don't leave your dog outdoors for too long.
  • Be very careful of supplemental heat sources. Fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog. Make sure all fireplaces have screens, and keep portable heaters out of reach.
  • Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.
  • Don't use over-the-counter medications on your dog without consulting a veterinarian.


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Healthy Eating For Your Pet





This article comes to us from Modern Dog Magazine, Winter of 2010.

The worse 12 foods for our pets are:  rich fatty foods, bones, booze, chocolate, onions, grapes or raisins, bread dough, snakes from the table, garbage "leftovers", candles, plants, and wrapping paper.

Rich fatty foods:
Rich holiday foods can cause problems and pancreatitis. The classic problem? The dog gets into the ham, or turkey, gorges on it, and then gets very sick. Signs of pancreatitis includes vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Bones:
Bones can splinter and puncture the stomach or intestines. Poultry bones pose a particular threat as they become brittle when cooked. Dogs should only be given raw meaty bones intended for them, not the bones left over from the holiday feast.
Booze:
Even small amounts of alcohol, beer included, can be toxic
Chocolate:
Chocolate toxicity can occur within 24 hours and the effects can be very serious. The darker the chocolate and the greater the amount in relation to body weight, the more harmful. The caffeine and theobromine in chocolate can cause the dog to vomit, have diarrhea, and experience rapid heartbeat, increased urination, muscle tremors, and seizures.
Onions:
Keep dishes loaded with onions away from your dog. Onions contain thiosulphate, which damages red blood cells and can cause anemia in dogs.
Grapes and Raisins:
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs, so make sure they're not left where your dog can help themselves, like a bowl on a coffee table.
Bread dough:
Yeast dough expands. When ingested by a dog, expanding dough produces gas in the digestive system, causing pain, and possibly rupture of the stomach and intestines.
Snacks from the table:
(or snatched from the counter)
Your dog only knows it smells good and does not know if it is good for them or not.
Garbage:
Most dogs will take any opportunity to get into the garbage and see what "leftovers" they can find. Spoiled, moldy food can make them very sick. Bones, we covered, Secure the garbage to prevent gastric upset or worse.
Candles:
Keep lit candles out of reach of sweeping tails and use a screen around the fireplace, particularly if your dog has unsupervised run of the house.
Plants:
Greenery can be toxic to pets, particularly poinsettia, holly and mistletoe. If your dog eats any of these things, call the vet immediately.
Wrapping Paper:
Dogs, especially puppies have been know to eat anything. Dogs can get excited and start ripping up the unwanted wrapping paper from gifts. Some of that can be digested. Discard any unwanted wrapping paper as soon as possible
Have a wonderful and safe year from
Cool Cats Hot Dogs