How to keep pets warm during winter season
GRANGER, Ind.—During these frigid temperatures, you're going to want to bundle up your cats and dog to keep them as warm as possible.
While some dogs are built for colder temperatures, Veterinarian Kent Morton at Lakeland Animal Care in Granger said some dogs like the shorter hair breeds, and the skinnier breeds are going to need more to keep warm.
“A lot of times during the winter season we get concerns of frostbite, paw pads, ear tips as well as their tail are a little more susceptible as they get less blood low flow,” Dr. Morton said.
The freezing temperatures during the winter months not only can take a toll on you, but on your furry friends as well. As temperatures drop in the teens this week, it’s important to protect your pets from snow, ice, and wind gusts.
Dr. Morton suggests keeping your pets sheltered in a warm space, and if you can, cover them up with a coat or sweater. Also, he said, be careful when taking your pets out on long walks during extreme temperatures, keep them on a leash, and wipe off their paws when you get back inside, as salt and snowmelt can irritate the skin.
“You want to look for lesions on ears, tails, and their paw pads. And it would be that same kind of like, if it gets really bad it can turn black, but like the redness, burns sensation to it, and look for your pets licking at them,” Dr. Morton said.