With winter in full swing, here are 6 tips to avoid a cold weather chilly trip to the Vet’s office with your furry friends.
During these winter months, it can be challenging to keep our pets healthy and happy. The cold weather often brings a slew of things to watch out for when it comes to keeping Fido and Fluffy out of trouble.
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM offers a few essential safety tips to get your furry friends through these cold months without a trip to the vet’s office.
- When using ice melting products like Rock salt and De-icing chemicals, spritz your pet’s feet with water when they come back inside to avoid irritation of their skin and paws. Signs of ingestion include excess drooling, depression, and vomiting.
- Antifreeze is deadly for pets. Clean up spills/leaks immediately and make sure that it is stored in a sealed container locked in a secured cabinet. If you think your pet has consumed antifreeze, this is a true life or death emergency! Go to your vet ASAP and call ahead while you are on your way!
- Keep your pets protected from the frigid temperatures (if it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pet. Offer a little extra food during the winter months because more calories are burned trying to maintain body heat)
- Frostbite risk areas include your pet’s ears, nose, the tip of the tail, and ears. Frostbitten areas of skin initially turn a reddish color then become gray. To treat frostbite: give your pet a warm bath and wrap him or her up in warm towels. Don’t rub an area that has frostbite!
- Homemade meals for your pet are a healthy and cost-effective way to ensure your pet is getting essential nutrients without the risk of indigestion, weight gain due to overeating, and the high caloric intake of processed foods. Cuisine made of equal portions of a lean protein (chicken, turkey, beef, veal, duck, fish, or eggs), long-acting carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta, or oatmeal), and fresh vegetables (broccoli, spinach, green beans, lima beans, peas, and carrots) is ideal. Cats require more protein than dogs, so 80 percent lean protein and 20 percent veggies are perfect.
- Rat and Mouse baits are usually used more often in cold weather. Place baits in areas inaccessible to your pets. Peanut butter baits smell good and are tasty to pets. Save labels, and if you think bait has been eaten by your pet, get to your vet ASAP. Call ahead while you are on your way! Most pets are treated with Vitamin K therapy and recover.
Integrative Veterinarian Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM.
Dr. Carol is an author and world-renowned integrative veterinarian of twenty-plus years. After graduating from the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Carol completed a prestigious internship at the Columbus Zoo. Shortly afterward, she launched a very successful private practice and became founder and director of the non-profit organization, the American Pet Institute. Dr. Carol offers traditional veterinary care for dogs and cats with a softer, natural touch. Her approach highlights the importance of nutrition and utilizing holistic avenues in combination with traditional treatments.
Dr. Carol has appeared several times on Fox & Friends, The Today Show, Good Day L.A., and Discovery’s Animal Planet. She’s also been featured in USA Today, The L.A. Times, Ladies Home Journal, Woman’s World, InStyle, and the New York Daily News. https://www.chagrinfallspetclinic.com Check out Dr. Carol on Fox & Friends