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Winter Is Coming: How To Prepare Your Pets For The Cold
- 08/01/2021
How Pets React To The Cold
If you’re feeling cold due to the snowy winter, then your pets are probably freezing too. Like humans, your furry companions have varying tolerance depending on different factors, such as their activity level, coat thickness, body fat stores, and health condition.
Essentially, dogs and cats with thicker coats are more resistant to the cold as their fur serves as their insulation. Also, pets with shorter legs can easily react to the cold as their bodies have a closer distance to the cold ground. Elderly, arthritic pets, younger pets, and pets with heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and hormonal imbalances should be protected more against the cold.
Tips for Preparing Your Pets This Winter
Here are essential tips when preparing your pets for the upcoming winter:
- 1. Wrap Them Up With Warm Clothes
Your home is the safest place that can protect you and your pets from the cold. However, if you’re going outside, it’s important to dress up your furry friends with warm, cozy clothes just as you’d wear thick clothing. You can find functional and stylish winter wear from dog gear stores like Ruffwear Canada.
Do take note that not all pets need or prefer wearing additional clothing. If your pet is very young or very old, short-legged, or health-compromised, they’ll definitely benefit from wearing warm clothes.
Also, some pets may not be accustomed to dressing up. If you’re uncertain about this, you can purchase one clothing piece, like a sweater, and dress them up at home. If they don’t show any response or appear to be agitated, it might be best to reconsider covering them up again.
- 2. Adjust Their Food Intake
Your pet’s food intake during winter will depend on two scenarios:
- If your pet isn’t very active or doesn’t get a lot of exercise, then your furry friend will spend fewer calories than usual. Overfeeding can cause weight gain and obesity, so try to lower down their food consumption. However, exercising with your pet during the winter months is highly encouraged.
- On the other end, if they’re still active outdoors, you should increase their food intake. They need to maintain an optimal body temperature in the cold, which means they burn more calories. To do this, it's vital they receive the correct nutrition, so these Ultimate Pet Nutrition coupons may come in useful if you have a particularly large dog that requires a lot of food during the winter.
- 3. Protect Their Feet
Paws are one of the most sensitive parts of canines and felines, yet many pet owners aren’t aware of this. Their paws are susceptible to frostbite, which typically appears as a scaly and peeling area that’s white, reddish, or gray in color.
After going out in the snow, use a warm washcloth to wipe and dry your pet’s paws. Doing this will remove salt, snow, and other potentially toxic materials from their feet.
Before going outside, apply paw protectants like coconut oil or petroleum jelly, and allow them to wear pet boots for increased protection. Check out these other tips for protecting your pet’s skin and paws during winter.
Take-Home Message
As you take your time and effort in protecting yourself this winter, you shouldn’t forget that your furry companions need the same amount of care. As much as possible, refrain from going out in the cold and let your pets stay warm at home, and follow the tips discussed above.
Most importantly, if you see stray animals freezing in the cold, it wouldn’t hurt to alert your local animal authorities to help them find a warm shelter.
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