Pet Cold Weather Safety Tips
for Dogs and Cats

Protecting Your Pet in Cold Weather

You may think that your dog or cat is better prepared to handle the cold weather than you are, after all, they have a built-in fur coat, right? And while it’s true that animals can tolerate cold temps better, they aren’t invulnerable to it, especially pets that spend most of their time indoors.

Winter weather can present hazards to your pet in the form of frostbite from frigid winds, chapped paws and skin causing itching and flaking, and possible poisoning from the chemicals used to melt snow and ice off the roads and sidewalks.

Here are a few simple pet safety tips for winter weather:

  • Stay Indoors: When it’s really cold outside, down in the single digits, it’s best to just keep your pets indoors with you except when they need to relieve themselves. It’s a good idea to keep cats indoors all the time.

  • Clean Their Paws: If they do go outside, make sure to clean the mud, ice, and salt off of their paws and from in between their toes, and wash their paws and their stomach fur in a tub of water or with a wet rag if they’ve been on a surface that has been treated with chemicals. Check for cracks and redness on their foot pads and between their toes.

  • Protect Their Paws: If you take frequent walks with your pet during the winter months, invest in some cold-weather gear for them. You can purchase booties and paw covers at any pet store or large retail outlet, or make your own. Alternatively, you can use petroleum jelly or paw wax to protect them. Consider adding up some pet sweaters and leggings to their wardrobe, they’re not just cute, they’ll keep them warm too.

  • Adjust Their Diet: Pets that are exposed to the cold will use more energy to keep warm, therefore they’ll need more food during the winter. On the other hand, dogs and cats that are used to being outdoors in the summer but stay inside during the winter will get less exercise, so you’ll need to feed them less to prevent weight gain.

  • Clean Up Antifreeze Spills: It’s common to add antifreeze to vehicles in the winter and to spill some while doing it, but remember that antifreeze is lethal for dogs and cats. Proper pet safety requires that you clean up any spills immediately.

For more pet cold weather safety tips, or to schedule an appointment, contact the Roanoke Animal Hospital.