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Visit the Animal Aid Thrift Shop 15th & Harvard Hours
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Winterize Your Pets
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Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a
snowstorm--dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs
are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure
they always wear I.D. tags.
Thoroughly
wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the
sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other chemicals
while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or
encrusted ice.
Own
a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a
high collar or turtleneck that covers the dog from the base of the
tail on top to the belly underneath. While this may seem like a
luxury, it is a necessity for many dogs.
Never leave your
dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a
refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold. The animal can freeze to
death. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed
type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself
Puppies
do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs and may be difficult to
housebreak during the winter. If necessary, paper-train your puppy
inside if he appears to be sensitive to the weather.
Make
sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep away from all
drafts and off the floor, such as in a dog or cat bed with a warm
blanket or pillow in it.
Beware of the
hazards of poisons in the fall. The most commonly recognized is
antifreeze, which many of us are adding to our radiators. Antifreeze is
sweet, and cats and dogs will drink it. The result is usually a painful
death, unless caught in the first few hours. Another fall poison that we
tend to forget is rat poison. In the fall, mice start moving into garages
and homes. Many people put out poison in places where pets can get into
it. Remember, it wouldn't kill mice if they didn't like the taste; dogs
and cats like it too. Rat poison kills by stopping the blood's ability to
clot, and victims bleed to death. If caught in time, antidotes are
effective, but are very expensive and must often be given for 4 to 6
weeks.
Have older and
infirm pets checked by your veterinarian. Cold weather can compromise
pets with chronic diseases, such as heart and lung problems, throwing them
into failure. Even indoor pets have to go outside, so, they are not
immune to complications of the cold.
Don't stop using
heartworm preventatives or flea and tick products. Oklahoma is not cold
enough to stop these treatments over the winter. Ticks are often a
presence all winter in Oklahoma.
