KENNEWICK, Wash. –
Cold temperatures are here and it’s only going to get colder.
Just as we protect ourselves in the cold, we also need to protect our pets.
It’s a common belief that dogs and cats are more resistant to cold weather because of their fur.
That’s not always the case.
JK McGraw is the lead Vet. tech of the Pet Medical Center of Pasco says animals can freeze to death just like humans if they get too cold.
Those who have outdoor pets have already seen the temperature drop around the area.
This means we need to take extra care of them by having a warm place for them to sleep and warm food and water.
McGraw says that frostbite is very real and is mostly seen in the tips of our pet’s ears.
There isn’t as much blood flow there and if not caught early could lead to amputation.
Other things to look out for is dangerous things your pet can get into such as antifreeze or ice melt.
“It can cause, best case scenario some G.I. upsets, vomiting, diarrhea. Worst case is it can cause chemical burns on the feet,” said McGraw.
If you do take your pet on a walk, make sure you’re putting a jacket on them, and rinsing off their paws when you get home.
“If we are doing outdoor activities, we have a number of different coats we put on them. We have anything ranging from big puffy down jackets that we do when we are snowshoeing with them, to little fleece ones we use when we are just out on walks,” said Dallon Rindlisbacher.
Dog dad Dallon Rindlisbacher owns two dogs and one of the things he does to make sure they’re safe is monitoring how much time they spend outside.
One of his dogs likes to wear booties and they put beeswax on his other dog to protect his pads from cuts and snow that may attach to its fur.
McGraw says “There’s more protection on their pads, it’s kind of calloused on the bottom, but they’re still at risk of you know getting really cold and their feet are on the ice and things like that. So it’s going to draw out more other body temperature through their feet because they don’t have the insulation of shoes or boots or anything else.”
Winter can be a dangerous time for pets, especially if their owners aren’t prepared.
One tip is to knock on the hood of your car before you start your car.
Outdoor cats like to nest on car engines to keep warm.
