Winterize Your Pets

We all know that we need to prepare our homes and our cars for winter.  Some of us even prepare ourselves - Denver's beard is coming along nicely.  But amidst all these preparations, don't forget to get your pets ready for the cold weather ahead.

If your dog sports a cool summer haircut, you should be letting it grow out.  This does NOT mean to stop brushing it, or taking him to be groomed regularly.  Matted hair holds moisture, so a matted coat is not insulating and causes skin disease.

Check your dog's house over before cold weather arrives.  Rotted floors and leaks need to be repaired, or a new house purchased.  Make sure to keep bedding fresh and dry.  Place the house in a sheltered area, out of the wind.  Make sure the door faces away from the wind; a flap on the door keeps heat in, too.  Be sure you have the right size house for your dog.  Unless the dog house has central heat, your pet's body heat must keep it warm.  There should be enough room to turn around without a lot of excess space.  Houses with a front entryway and a separate room for nesting are best.

Don't "fatten up" your outdoor dogs.  I have been recording weights on my charts for years, and those dogs who "slim down when summer comes," DON'T!  Dogs who live outdoors become acclimated to the gradual change of seasons, and you don't need to make them fat.  On cold days, feed a little extra food to help generate body heat.

Beware of the hazards of poisons in the fall.  The most commonly recognized is antifreeze, which many of us are adding to our radiators.  Antifreeze is sweet, and cats and dogs will drink it.  The result is usually a painful death, unless caught in the first few hours.  Another fall poison that we tend to forget is rat poison.  In the fall, mice start moving into garages and homes.  Many people put out poison in places where pets can get into it.  Remember, it wouldn't kill mice if they didn't like the taste; dogs and cats like it too.  Rat poison kills by stopping the blood's ability to clot, and victims bleed to death.  If caught in time, antidotes are effective, but are very expensive and must often be given for 4 to 6 weeks.

Have older and infirm pets checked by your veterinarian.  Cold weather can compromise pets with chronic diseases, such as heart and lung problems, throwing them into failure.  Even indoor pets have to go outside, so, they are not immune to complications of the cold.

Don't stop using heartworm preventatives or flea and tick products.  Oklahoma is not cold enough to stop these treatments over the winter.  Ticks are often a presence all winter in Oklahoma.

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