As I sit on the reception desk greeting all of my guests coming in, I can feel the cold gusts of wind coming in each time the door opens. With each gust, I am reminded how fortunate I am to live at the clinic. Unlike my fellow four leggers, I do not have to go outside at all. However, I do still worry about my brethren.
Cold weather can be very dangerous to animals, especially the young, elderly, and ill. Older, arthritic pets are not as stable as they once were, causing them to slip and fall a lot easier than their younger counterparts. And pets with diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and hormonal imbalances, are not as adept at regulating body temperature. And speaking of regulating body temperature, I over heard the girls the other day talking about how cats will get under the hoods of cars to use the engine’s heat to stay warm. Apparently, several cats are injured or even killed every winter from doing this. The girls said humans only need to look under the hood, knock on the hood, or even honk their horn before turning on their car to get these crazy daredevils to vacate the premises.
While it is still important to continue walking your dog in the winter, make sure to check your quadruped’s paws for any damage. Cold weather can cause paw pads to crack and bleed, and ice can accumulate between toes, which makes it painful to walk. Humans should also wipe their canine companions’ feet after walks before they can be licked clean to remove any dangerous chemicals or deicers. And make sure to cleanup any antifreeze that may spill. Just one lick of antifreeze can prove fatal to pets.
Hopefully arming humans with this knowledge will make this winter as safe as possible for all, two legged and four legged. Here’s to wishing a warm and safe winter to everyone.
-Tux