‘Winterize’ your pets for the chilly days ahead

Boy it is cold out there! Time to take extra special care of ourselves, bundle up and keep warm. This time of year our pets also need special attention. Here are some tips on keeping our pets healthy and happy during the long, cold season.
If it feels cold to you without a coat on, it is also cold to pets that normally spend most of their time indoors. You should try to either limit their exposure to the elements, or put a sweater or coat on them during their walks with you or whenever they’re outside for prolonged periods of time.
If you have older dogs or cats, be aware that the cold can make their arthritis worse. Warming beds made specifically for dogs and cats are welcome relief for those older pets. (Do not use a heating pad, due to the danger of burns and fire if the pets chew through the cords.)
If your pets usually spend their time outdoors, be aware of the temperatures. If you can only bring them into the garage, make sure it is safe. Make sure all toxins are put away and in pet-proof containers. Dogs can chew through most containers to get what they think may be food, and unfortunately, snail bait, rat or mouse bait and even fertilizers may taste like food to them. These toxins can kill in a very short time. Be extremely careful with antifreeze. Unfortunately, this poison tastes good to pets so they will drink it – both dogs and cats – and it will kill them. If you have a spill of any toxic material (such as motor oil or antifreeze) on the floor of the garage, your pets may walk through it and then ingest it by cleaning their body and paws. Make sure you clean it up properly. There is an excellent article about the dangers of antifreeze at www.petshealth.com. Just go to the Library and select “Antifreeze Poisoning.”
Ticks are much more active during the wet season here in Sonoma Valley, and they carry many dangerous diseases. Use a veterinary-approved product for ticks if your pets have exposure. These products will also keep fleas off your pets. Do not use any products labeled for dogs-only on your cats. They are toxic and may kill them.
Keep your dogs and cats on their heartworm preventive even through the winter. Mosquitoes are out there year-round, even if you don’t see them. And heartworm is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito.
On these cold mornings, you should slap the hood of your car, or honk before starting, just in case your cat or a neighborhood feline has fallen asleep near the warmth of the engine.
If you are doing any yard work, remember that pets can pick up toxins through their feet and on their coats so be careful not to let them out if you are applying weed killers or fertilizers. Cocoa mulch is another potential toxin to our pets. Pets may actually ingest it because it smells like chocolate. Please be aware even if you don’t use it in your own yard, dogs may pick it up as they are being walked around their neighborhood.
Mushrooms may be extremely toxic. Take care to check your yard daily to avoid your pet accidentally ingesting them. Mushrooms can sprout up overnight and unless you are an expert it is very difficult to tell the toxic from the non-toxic.
Check your pet’s hair coats for mats and snarls as these can cause discomfort and wreak havoc on the skin underneath. Be very careful when trying to cut these mats out – even the professionals can cut skin when the fur is tightly matted. Check your pet’s collars and make sure they fit properly and have legible identification tags. Sometimes their collars will get wet and cause an infection on their neck.
One last tip: Now is a great time to clean up all the walnuts that have fallen in your yard. As they sit there and mold, a toxin forms on them that can cause severe tremors and seizures in dogs that may eat them or even just play with them.
Have a safe and Happy New Year! Try to keep that winter weight off your dogs by taking them for nice long walks, but don’t forget to bundle up.