As the weather grows colder, Jack Frost doesn’t just nip at your nose–he also makes it difficult for your pets. Taking a few precautions will protect your pets from ol’ Jack Frost, keeping them safe and healthy during the cold winter months.
Keep them warm. Keeping your pet warm during the winter will go a long way towards keeping him happy and healthy. Try:
keeping your cat or dog’s furry coats full in the winter to provide extra heat, rather than grooming them more closely,
putting a sweater or jacket on your cat or dog for extra warmth,
providing outdoor shelter for your kitty or pup, or keeping them inside more,
covering some of the screened areas of your reptile’s enclosure to keep the humidity and heat in during this cold, dry time of year,
keeping rodent and bird cages away from drafty windows or doors, or
providing thicker bedding for dogs and cats and adding more bedding materials to rodents’ cages.
Keeping your pets warm is important to us at Merry Pets. If dogs get cold on walks or hikes, we bundle them up!
Pet proof your house. Prevent potential burns for pets around the heating devices of your home. Place guards around fireplaces or radiators, and put space heaters in a place where pets won’t accidentally bump into them.
Stay home. Just like leaving your companion animal in a car during the hot summer months is dangerous, leaving him in a cold car is as well. Cars can get as cold as refrigerators, so keep your pets home in the controlled temperature warmth of your home for their safety.
Wipe their paws. After dogs come in from a walk or hike, or when outdoor cats come in, wipe down their paws to keep them dry and prevent them from salt damage. Or, do what we do at Merry Petsand coat your dog’s paws with Musher’s Secret prior to a walk. A thin coat of this breathable wax keeps the paw pads free from ice/salt abrasion as well as deterring snow balls from forming on the hair of your dog’s feet.
Keeping these few tips in mind will keep your companion pets warm, safe and healthy during the cold winter months.