Keeping Your Fur Babies Safe and Cosy this Winter

With the colder months now upon us, we thought it is a good time to share a few tips for keeping our fur babies safe and happy.

Protect Your Furbabies from the Cold

Most dogs love nothing better than going for a daily walk or two, but in the case of extreme weather, or even just moderately cold weather, it might be best to check that they do not get too cold.

Although here in WA we are not usually subject to the same wildly fluctuating temperatures as our Eastern counterparts, we still feel the effects. Just like their human pawrents, dogs can get cold in wintertime and should be protected against ailments such as dry noses, frostbite, and hypothermia. While it is great to wrap your dog up in a raincoat or jacket to keep them warm, make sure it does not restrict their movement.

Keep Your Dog Warm and Comfortable Indoors

If your fur baby is shivering or shaking, acting anxious, or seeking warm places, it is a sign they are feeling the cold. Generally speaking, if it is too cold for you, it is probably too cold for them. Keep them indoors, making sure their dog bed or resting place is elevated and away from drafts, and you can add an extra blanket to keep them extra cozy.

Protect Your Dog’s Paws from Cold Weather

As their paws are not protected, you could look into protective booties to keep their little feet nice and warm when they play outside or go for a walk. Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air, chilly rain, and sometimes sleet can cause chapped paws and itchy flaking skin. Repeatedly coming out of the cold into the dry heat of your home is one of the causes.

Towel dry your fur baby as soon as you come in, paying special attention to their feet and in between their toes. Sometimes massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectorants into their paw pads before going out can help too.

Provide Extra Care and Nutrition to Your Dogs in Winter

Our fur babies also burn extra energy by trying to stay warm, so feeding them a little bit more can provide much-needed calories. As always, make sure there is plenty of water for them to drink- it helps to keep them hydrated and their skin less dry.

Bathing and Grooming Tips for Your Fur Babies in Winter

Bathe them as little as possible since it can remove essential oils and increase the chance of developing dry, flaky skin. If you must bathe them, make sure to use a moisturizing shampoo and/or rinse.

An Interesting Aside on Parked Cars and Wildlife

Parked cars can attract cats and small wildlife seeking warmth, which may crawl under the hood. Before starting your engine, bang on the hood to scare them away to avoid harm to animals.

PET TIPS for the ‘party season’

Summer and the festive season are here. They bring all sorts of delights including luscious food, lazy days and sunny rays and celebrations with loved ones.

However, it is important to be aware that they also bring risks to our beloved fur babies.

Most of us know that overindulgence is common.   

RICH FOODS

You may think that you’re treating your pet when you share a bit of the Christmas ham. Remember that your best friend’s tolerance for rich and sometimes fatty foods is much lower than ours. It can increase the risk of contacting pancreatitis. It is often a sudden, severe and painful illness that can come from your fur kids overdoing it on leftovers and raiding the bins. Keep your bins well sealed and out of reach. High fat meats are especially dangerous for dogs- so the Christmas trimmings and fat are off the menu.

POISONOUS FOODS

Onion and garlic are poisonous for dogs and cats and macadamia nuts are often associated with toxicity and diarrhoea in dogs. Chocolate should never be shared with them- it is lethal. Raisins, grapes and sultanas often found in fruit cakes and mince pies are toxic and off the menu.

NOISE

Celebrations are an integral part of the end of the year. Night’s like New Year’s Eve can be one of the greatest party nights of the year-for humans. For our pets, they can be times of strange noises and lights.

Best to keep them indoors during fireworks displays and the noise and commotion of social events. A comfortable, familiar space in the family home, a cardboard box with a towel cover etc will help make them feel safe and secure and more at ease. Cats will often hide during noisy events and will emerge when things quieten down. Dogs can benefit from other measures too (if you are out – try putting on the television or some music to mask the noise from outside) Their hearing is several times as sensitive as humans!

VISITORS

While our fur babies enjoy the limelight that come wit their human’s social events, some do not deal well with extra attention. Ensure you can allow them to escape from the mayhem to a safe area. Also make sure visitors know that they should not feed your pets.

THE HOME ENVIRONMENT

It is a great time too to make sure your pet is unable to escape through any openings in their environment.  While they us unreservedly, they have a sense of curiosity which could lead them to wander. This is especially likely around times such as New Year’s Eve where strange sounds, vibrations, smells and lights can confuse them and cause their flee instinct to kick in. They can panic and flee. While you have taken all the steps to make sure this does not happen, make sure your pet is microchipped and details are up to date. 

An idea for preventing bad reactions is to plan a reasonably long walk, make sure they are fed properly at the correct time for them. A tired and well-fed fur baby may be less likely to get anxious.

FLEAS + TICKS

During the summer, ticks and fleas are at their worst so make sure your pets’ treatments are up to date. Tick paralysis can be fatal. If you are travelling with your pets always check if where you are going is a tick hot spot.  

SMALL PETS

Do remember that your small pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and other small pets are not immune to the sounds and lights of nights such as New Year’s Eve. Apply many of the same tips to keep them feeling comfortable safely home in their living space with plenty of food and water.

If you have any concerns, it is always a great idea to talk to your vet who knows your pets … and have a safe and wonderful party season full of fun with your furry friends and family!

x Jenny