Hot Weather Hints
Cold Weather Hints
Tips To Pet Proof Your Home
Hot Weather Hints
As the weather turns hot, it is important to consider how seasonal changes affect your pets.
Outdoor animals can become the victims of improper shelter, lack of fresh water, anti freeze poisoning, and even heat stroke.
Here are some basic tips to help you and your pet have the best summer ever.
Overheating:
 If your dog or cat is hot, place a cool rag on their bellies, heads, and on their paws. This will help bring their temperature down. Also, everyone loves a nice cool drink; when you get ice for your cool drink, throw some ice cubes in their dish as well.
Always provide plenty of shade for an animal staying outside the house. A properly constructed doghouse serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day and let her rest in a cool part of your house. Always provide plenty of cool, clean water for your animal.
Please be sensitive to old and overweight animals in hot weather. Brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs (especially bulldogs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus) and those with heart or lung diseases should be kept indoors in air-conditioning as much as possible.
A clean coat can help to prevent summer skin problems, so keep your dog or cat well groomed. If he has a heavy coat, shaving your dog's hair to a 1-inch length will help prevent overheating. Don't shave a dog's hair down to the skin; this robs him of protection from the sun. A cat should be brushed frequently to keep his coat tangle-free.
Travel:
Overheating can kill your pet. Never leave an animal in a car since the temperature can rise so rapidly even with windows open. If you're traveling carry cold water to cool your pet.
Never let your dog ride unsecured in your pickup truck. A crate or carrier is the best and safest way for a dog to travel. This prevents the dog from jumping or falling out.
Exercise your pet in the cooler hours. Swimming is wonderful exercise, and it's cooling as well. Never take an animal to the beach unless you can provide a shaded spot and plenty of flesh water for her to drink. Rinse her off after she has been in salt water.
In extremely hot weather, don't leave your dog standing on the street, and keep walks to a minimum. He is much closer to the hot asphalt and his body can heat up quickly. His paws can burn since they are not protected by shoes.
Never tie a dog out on a correction collar (also called a choke chain) if they get stuck, or pull the collar can collapse their trachea or cause bruising. Always use a flat buckle collar to tie out your dog.
Keep a current license and identification tag on your dog or cat and consider tattooing or micro-chipping as a means of permanent identification.
At Home:
The weather may be fine, but it's never fine to let your pet run free. Unsupervised animals can get many different types of diseases, and you won't know it until it's too late. An indoor cat can live to 20 plus years, but a majority of outdoor cats only live from 1-3 years due to fights with wildlife, being hit by cars, and disease. Be sure there are no open, unscreened windows or doors through which your animal can fall or jump.
Take your companion animal to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer checkup, including a test for heartworm if your dog isn't on year-round preventative medication. Have the doctor recommend a safe, effective flea and tick control program.
Heart worm and flea prevention is a major consideration in the Summer. Make sure you are prepared for these. Make your appointment with your vet before infestation occurs. If you practice prevention it's easier than playing catch up after you have 10,000 fleas in your home. It's also cheaper than hiring an exterminator.
Poison:
Avoid walking your dog in areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals, as poisonings increase during the summer when gardens, lawns and trees are sprayed. These chemicals can sicken or kill an animal. Call your veterinarian or The ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA/NAPCC) if you suspect your animal has been poisoned.
Be alert for coolant leaking from your vehicle. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste of coolant and ingesting just a small amount can cause an animal's death. Consider using animal-friendly products that use propylene glycol rather than those containing ethylene glycol.
| Cold Weather Hints
As the weather turns cold, it is important to consider how seasonal changes affect your pets.
Outdoor animals can become the victims of improper shelter, lack of fresh water, anti freeze poisoning, frostbite, and even hypothermia.
Here are a few tips to warm the hearts of your animal friends.
Skin and Coat Conditioning:
 Inspect pet paws regularly to check for cracked pads, broken nails, or snow and ice damage.
Brush the coat regularly to distribute natural oils to the skin.
Supply winter paw protection, such as shoes or booties.
Winterize Pet Shelters
Add straw as insulation to doghouses.
For outdoor cats, provide a snug warm bed that does not sit directly on the ground or concrete.
Watch for antifreeze leaks, they can be deadly to pets!
For indoor animals, use protective screens around fireplaces and maintain supervision in the area.
Install carbon monoxide detectors for the safety of your family and your pets.
Keep the temperature level. Animals are more sensitive to temperature changes than we are.
Frostbite:
Frostbite most frequently affects ears, toes, tail, scrotum, and areas least covered by fur.
Signs of frostbite include red or swollen areas or skin that is very pale and white.
Contact your veterinarian for treatment. Treatment options may include immersing the animal in warm water for 15-20 minutes. NEVER use hot water!
Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when a pet has been exposed to very cold temperatures and/or winds for an extended period of time.
Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, low body temperature, stumbling, drowsiness, and exhaustion.
Winterize Your Pet
Provide extra food to your pet as some pets appetites increase during the cold weather months.
Use sweaters, raincoats, hats, or paw protection such as shoes or booties.
Buy heated water bowls for outdoor pets.
Consider using heated beds for extreme cold temperatures.
Pet Proof Your Home
Keep your pet happy, healthy, and safe.
 Household cleansers, furniture polish, disinfectants, insecticides, antifreeze, fertilizers, perfumes, and make-up can be dangerous to dogs.
Make sure cupboards and storage areas (garbage) containing these items are secure. A bored or determined dog can go "where they've never gone before".
Make sure the toilet lid is down. Small pets can become trapped and drown.
Make sure the dishwasher, washing machine, clothes dryer, and oven are closed.
Through out plastic bags, aluminum foil and food wrappers.
If you participate in recycling programs, keep recyclable goods in secure locked bins.
If these items are swallowed, they can cause damage to a pet's digestive tract or in some cases, cause shock and death.
Make sure that your fences are secure and the gate locked.
Ensure that all human and pet medications are locked up.
The sound of pills rattling in a plastic bottle may entice the pet to chew the bottle open.
Remove candy and nuts from coffee tables or locations that a pet can reach.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and nuts can be dangerous as well.
Keeps areas where mothballs are used 'Off Limits" to pets.
Ensure that all hobby supplies (e.g., paints, glue, needles, thread, etc) have been placed away from a pet's reach.
Double check that garbage cans are secure. They contain delicious surprises, some of which can be life threatening; e.g., chicken bones, foil food wrappers, batteries, etc.
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