Whether your pets reside mostly indoors or outside, winter can be hard on animals. Here are three tips from PetNetWorld to keep your pets healthy, happy and safe as cold weather approaches.
1) It’s important to remember that it takes around 3-6 weeks for pets to grow a suitable winter coat, making them not completely prepared for the beginning of winter. If a pet lives predominately outdoors, it’s best to allow them indoors more often during colder months. A proper pre-season veterinarian checkup is also necessary to ensure that pets are in good enough health to be outdoors during the bitter cold. Outdoor pets also require much more food during the winter to keep their bodies warm. For every 20 degree drop in temperature, an animal requires up to at least 15% more calories. Simple precautions like these make a big impact on a pet’s health during colder months.
2) When wind chills reach minus 10 degrees or lower, it’s best to bring any pet indoors, as outdoor doghouses don’t offer much protection from the cold winds. Cats should also be allowed indoors during the coldest months, as their smaller stature and size make them more prone to danger from freezing temperatures.
Indoor pets also need special attention, especially around open flames or heating elements. Animals naturally will curl up close to heat, so it’s important to keep an eye on furry friends to make sure their paws, tails and other extremities don’t touch open flames or heating coils.
3) Animals that are used to staying indoors may also benefit from pet sweaters when going outside. Staying outdoors with a pet while they are outside is a great way to prevent them from getting frostbite. Paying attention to a pet’s well-being is the best precaution to take during the fall and winter. Being more observant is the easiest way to ensure a pet’s safety.
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