Pet Safety Tips

Hot and Cold Weather Safety

(taken from winnipeghumanesociety.ca)

Suggestions to Help Keep Your Pets Stay Safe in SUMMER

• Don't leave pets in parked cars for any period of time. Heatstroke, brain damage and even death
  are real possibilities as dogs and cats can't perspire and only dispel heat by panting and through
  the pads of their feet.
• Keep barbeque essentials such as matches or lighter fluid safely away from your pets.
• Dog bites rise during the summer months when people and their pets spend more time outside.
  Spaying or neutering your dog reduces the likelihood that he will bite, and provides many other
  health benefits.
• Check with your veterinarian to see if your pets should be taking heart-worm prevention
  medication. Heart-worm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can be fatal in both dogs
  and cats.
• Pets and pools can equal disaster. Prevent free access to pools and always supervise a pet in a
  pool.
• Provide plenty of water and shade for your pets while they're enjoying the great outdoors so they
  can stay cool.
• Pets need exercise even when it is hot, but extra care needs to be taken. On very hot days, limit
  exercise to early morning or evening hours. Keep in mind that asphalt gets very hot and can burn
  your pets’ paws.
• Another summertime threat is fleas and ticks. Use only flea and tick treatments recommended by
  your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter flea and tick products can be toxic, even when used
  according to instructions.
• Pets can get sunburned too, and your pet may require sunscreen on his or her nose and ear tips.
  Never apply sunscreen or insect repellant to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on
  animals.

Suggestions to Help Keep Your Pets Stay Safe in WINTER

There is a common misconception that dogs are "fine" when left outside in the cold. This is
absolutely not true! Regardless of the breed, or the type of coat a dog may have, all pets need suitable
shelter from the elements and insulation against cold weather. Pets should not be left outside for long
periods in freezing weather. In fact, during periods of extreme wind chill, pets should only be out for a
couple moments to relieve themselves. Like us, our pets can suffer from hypothermia and frostbite.
Particularly at risk are young and the senior pets. Dogs and cats are not immune to cold weather. If it's
cold for you, it's cold for them!

• Monitor your pets at all times when they are outdoors in below freezing weather.
• Your pets’ ears and paws are especially susceptible to frostbite in the winter.
• Sweaters or jackets are important to short-coated dogs when they are being walked, or go
  outdoors. Boots are also a good idea, just make sure you allow your pet some time to get used to
  them.
  
• Take shorter walks if it is severely cold. Some small breed, short-coated dogs like Chihuahuas or
  Miniature Pincers should not be walked outdoors in the extreme cold.
• Never let your dog off leash during a snowstorm. They can lose their scent and become
  disoriented or lost.
• An outdoor dog needs a dry, elevated, insulated doghouse with clean, dry bedding and a flap
  over the door to keep the wind out.
• A bowl of frozen water can’t help a thirsty pet! Check outdoor water bowls often when it’s below
  freezing.
• Outdoor pets need more calories in the winter to produce body heat, so increase the amount you
  feed your pet. On the other hand, indoor pets may get less exercise in the cold months, and may
  need fewer calories to avoid weight gain.
• Chemicals used to melt snow on sidewalks can irritate pets’ paws, so you may need to wipe
  them with a wet cloth after an outing.
• Just a teaspoon of antifreeze can be deadly to a dog or cat. The most likely source of this poison
  is radiator drainage spots in garages, therefore, they should be flushed with water immediately.
• Don’t leave your pets alone in a vehicle in the cold.
• The Holidays bring all sorts of shiny, dangly decorations; check your house to ensure there is
  nothing your cat or dog can get into. Tinsel is of a particular concern as cats have been known to
  ingest it and require surgery.
• Chocolate is poisonous to pets! Do not allow them any access to chocolate during the holidays or
  at any other time. Also, keep holiday plants that are poisonous to your pet out of your home -
  these include poinsettias, holly, mistletoe and Christmas cactuses.