Bayside Animal Hospital

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Here are some key points when "winterizing" your pet!

KEEP THEM WARM AND COZY: Be sure to provide proper shelter for your pets. If yours is an indoor pet, his bed or crate should be kept in a warm, draft-free area, preferably elevated slightly off the floor. If your pet is outdoors, provide a warm insulated pet house. The house should be elevated enough so that moisture cannot accumulate inside. Provide a "door" (pet door or piece of canvas) to keep out the winter winds. If your pet is in a pen you can block the wind with bales of straw and stretch canvas over the top of the pen. If the wind chill or weather conditions become severe, bring your pet inside.
EXTRA COLD=EXTRA FOOD: Staying warm requires extra calories, so feed your pet accordingly when the temperature drops.
YOU CAN'T DRINK ICE: and neither can your pet, so check his or her water bowl frequently to make sure it hasn't frozen. Always have fresh, clean water available.
BEWARE OF NAPPING CATS: Cats sometimes climb into vehicle engines for warmth. Before starting your vehicle, knock on the hood or honk the horn. Even if your own cat does not have access to your vehicle, a neighbor's cat may have taken shelter there.
ICE AND SNOW STICK TO FURRY PAWS and can result in frostbite. Remove ice and snow from your pet's paws and coat immediately. Frostbitten skin may turn reddish, white or gray, and it may be scaly or sloughing. If you suspect frostbite, take your pet to a warm place immediately and thaw out frostbitten areas slowly by applying warm moist towels that are changed frequently. Continue until the affected areas return to their normal color, then call the animal hospital.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY TIPS:

Pets (especially young ones) often like to play with TINSEL/ICICLES. This can be very dangerous because tinsel can get tangled in animals intestines if they eat it.
Never put RIBBONS or YARN around your pet's neck and do not allow your pet to play with plastic or foil wrappings or six-pack beverage holders.
Certain PLANTS are toxic (see article to the left).
STYROFOAM can cause choking from mechanical obstruction.
CHRISTMAS TREE PRESERVATIVE SOLUTION is a mild toxin, so try to cover the base of your tree so that your pet can't lap up the liquid.
TREATS: Alcoholic beverages, holiday treats such as chocolates, rich, fatty food scraps and bones from poultry, pork and fish can be harmful to pets. Keep your pet on his regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet "special treats".
Cover or tack down ELECTRICAL CORDS so your pet can't chew on them.
If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends or relatives during the holiday season, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement, it may be best to board your pet or hire a pet-sitter.

For more tips, see our Holiday Safety article!