While we are very good at looking after ourselves during the winter months, we often forget that our pets feel the cold as well. They look so cosy in their warm, furry jackets and cats especially seem to pass their days lazing on window sills in the sun or in the warmest spot on the lounge or bed.
It is important that owners of very young or old pets take extra care during the winter months. Cold can be fatal for young puppies or kittens, particularly during the first few days after birth. Orphaned puppies are particularly susceptible. Older dogs and cats tend to have more sluggish circulatory systems, which means they are more likely to find it harder to keep warm in the cold weather. Older dogs often suffer from arthritis and this is exasperated by the cold.
Pets with very short coats such as Devon Rex or Cornish Rex cats, or pets with a low percentage of body fat such as Whippets or Greyhounds, are also very susceptible to the cold and must be kept cosy during winter.
If your dog or cat is very short-haired, they will benefit from the added warmth of a jacket when they go outside. There are some great ones available but they need to be functional and waterproof- not just fashionable. Be sure to make sure jackets fit snugly but don’t restrict movement in anyway.
To protect your pets against the onset of the cold winter months, make sure they have a warm, safe place to sleep at night, away from any draughts and if your dog is an outdoor dog, be sure that his/her kennel is waterproof. Older animals should sleep on a cushioned bed that is elevated off the ground.
An extra blanket in their bed or kennel will make all the difference - a natural fibre blanket such as wool is not a pet-lover's indulgence, it actually retains the heat much better than a synthetic blanket!
You can also buy heat pads from your pet store, which can keep an older or ill pet warm during the night. You can get ones that you simply put in the microwave.
Some dogs may get too hot in a heated house so it is good to have somewhere for them to retreat to – like a tiled floor.
Don’t forget to provide fresh water at all times. It can be easy during winter to make the mistake of thinking that pets need less to drink. Clean fresh water should be available at all times.
Keep up the exercise and watch the diet- It can be too tempting to stay by the fire on winter days, or avoid a walk around the block after a long day in the office but it is important for you to maintain a regular exercise routine throughout winter. Remember to dry the dog if it becomes wet from walking in the rain and if it's muddy outside, regularly check between dogs' paws to make sure they haven’t collected balls of mud.
Finally, be sure to keep up your flea control regimen, even in winter. With modern houses being kept warm through the winter months,
fleas can breed and be a terrible nuisance all year round. A once a month application of
Advantage kills fleas fast on your pet and breaks their life cycle. It’s simple to use – just squeeze the pre-measured dose on the back and say goodbye to those horrible pests.