Keep Pets Safe from Frostbite
Keep Pets Safe from Frostbite
The Anti-Cruelty Society Advises Pet Owners ahead of Sub-Zero Temperatures
CHICAGO— The Chicagoland area is expecting record-low temperatures this week, stooping to high of minus 12 degrees and low of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, January 30.
It is essential that pet-owners take all precautions to prevent their animals from danger including frostbite. Frostbite is most common on the pet’s extremities, including tips of the ears, tail and toes. This can lead to hypothermia, which can be fatal. Keeping pets inside and limiting time outside for the pet to relieve themselves are key to preventing frostbite.
Frostbit symptoms in pets is similar to those in humans except pets are not able to express their discomfort. It is important to know the signs of frostbite in pets which include the following:
- Discoloration of the affected area of skin (often pale, gray or bluish)
- Coldness and/or brittleness of the area when touched
- Pain when body part(s) are touched
- Swelling of the affected area(s)
- Blisters or skin ulcers
- Areas of blackened or dead skin
If you believe your pet has any of these symptoms, wrap him in a warm towel and seek veterinary attention immediately.
During this unusually cold weather, remember these cold weather tips to keep pets safe.
- Keep your pet indoors as much as possible. House-trained dogs will need to go outside to relieve themselves, but be sure to limit their time outside. Take shorter walks and increase the indoor enrichment such as trick training and playing to help keep your pet physically and mentally active.
- If your pet will tolerate it, put a scarf or hat around their ears to help protect them from bitterly cold temperatures.
- Bring a towel on walks to clean off stinging and irritated paws. After your walk, be sure to wash and dry your dog’s feet, legs, and belly to remove ice, salt, and chemicals, and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between toes.
- If your dog is long-haired, trim the fur around the feet to minimize clinging ice balls, salt crystals, and de-icing chemicals that can irritate feet. Coats or sweaters for short-haired dogs can help them warm.
- Booties help prevent sand and salt from getting lodged between bare toes and causing irritation. Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can be a good alternative if your dog doesn’t like wearing booties.
- Although manufacturers are now adding a bittering agent to make antifreeze less attractive, it is still lethal if ingested. Immediately and thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle.
- If it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your pet indoors! If left outside, pets can get frostbite or even freeze to death. By law, if your dog or cat must live outside, you must provide adequate shelter and bedding.
- In cold weather, cats that are allowed outside may climb up inside the hood of a car or in a wheel well seeking warmth and shelter. This can lead to injuries or death when the engine is started. To prevent these incidents, keep your cat indoors at all times. To protect other cats, knock on your car’s hood or beep your horn before starting your car in cold weather.
- If you see a pet left outside for prolonged periods of time, in Chicago call 311 or 911. In other municipalities, please contact your local police for guidance. If you see something, say something!