6 Tips for Keeping Your Pet Warm in the Cold

As the snow continues and Long Islanders stay bundled up it’s important to keep an eye on four-legged campaigns in the inclement weather.

Know Your Pet
Some pets, Huskies, Alaska Malamutes, German Shepard’s, love the cold and while still need to stay in inside when not on walks thrive on those walks. Other breeds aren’t as found as the cold. Know your pet’s breed and personality preferences to the cold.

Beware of Toxins
Rock salt, antifreeze and coolant are toxic. When possible use pet friendly ice melting products and always wipe off legs, paws and stomachs when your pet comes inside so they can’t ingest anything toxic while licking or damage paws with encrusted ice or snow.

Beef Up
Dogs and cats burn more calories in frigid temperatures so make sure to balance out their diets especially if they spend a lot of time outside.

Take Care of Outdoor Animals
Pets should be inside during the winter but if there are outdoor cats in your area that you regularly feed make sure they have access to unfrozen water.

Car Safety
Don’t leave dogs or cats in a car alone, much like in the summer when cars retain heat in the winter they also retain cold and could cause the animal to freeze to death. If there are outdoor cats in your area check to make sure there aren’t any sleeping under the hood of a car. Bang on the hood before starting the engine.

ID Tags
Make sure your dog’s ID tag is current and don’t let your dog off the leash outdoors in the winter. Ground covered in snow or ice can cause dogs to lose their scent and get lost and light-colored dogs can blend into the snow and get lost easily.