The winter season is always a time of year where we must take precautions. The cold weather can not only be dangerous, but can also cause us to be more prone to illness. Pets are no different when it comes to the cold weather.
As the season progresses and the weather gets even more cold, here are a few tips from the Humane Society of the United States on keeping your pets safe from the bitter coldness of winter.
Be cautious when your pets are outside.
While pets are obviously best kept inside during the winter to help keep them warm, there will still be times where they have to go outside. When leaving a dog outside during the day, provide a dry, draft-free shelter for them to stay in. Cover the floor with straw or cedar shavings and keep the shelter raised a few inches off the ground.
Keep animals fed and hydrated.
Make sure their water bowl is unfrozen and they have enough food throughout the day - keeping warm depletes a lot of energy. It is also a good idea to use plastic feeding bowls in winter to avoid their tongue from sticking to the frozen metal.
Protect paws from salt.
The chemicals used to melt snow can be irritating to their feet. Wipe off their paws before they get a chance to start licking them. Some of these chemicals - like antifreeze - are very poisonous.
Be wary of leaving your engine on.
A warm car engine can attract animals during the cold months, sometimes they will crawl up into the car engine or lay underneath the car. Bang on your hood before driving to scare any animals away from your car.
Photo by sturner324 via Free Images.
[Source: United States Humane Society]