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Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008

Winter pet care tips

• Don't leave pets outdoors when the temperature drops below freezing.
• Outdoor dogs and cats must be protected by a dry, draft free shelter large enough to allow animal to sit and lie down but small enough to hold in body heat.
• Outdoor pets need more food in winter to maintain body heat.

Find expanded pet care tips at http://www.lexingtonhumanesociety.org/AnimalTips.htm.

When winter strikes, your pets feel the same harsh winds, snow, and freezing temperatures as you do. So, like you, they need extra protection.

While cats should be kept indoors all year round, those cats still encouraged to go outside in winter can easily get frost-bitten ears or freeze altogether. Left on their own to find warmth, many cats crawl into car engines, where they get hurt or killed when the engine starts.

Dogs should be kept inside too. However, if your dog enjoys spending some time outdoors, be sure they have access to a dry, draft-free shelter with enough room to stand up and turn around in, yet small enough to retain their body heat. Raise the floor a few inches off the damp ground, and put in a layer of cedar chips or straw for the added warmth your dog needs. If you put your pets in the garage or basement, move all toxic substances well out of their reach. Also, clean up any antifreeze from the floor. dogs and cats love the sweet taste, but just one little lick can be lethal.

During severe weather, only let your pet out to relieve themselves.

And whenever you bring your pets in from being on snowy or icy roads or walkways, check their paws for salt or other deicing chemicals. You can protect their paws by putting Vaseline on them before they go out, then wiping off their paws when they come back into the house.

Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick to metal and freeze.

Remember, your pet is part of the family and the best way to make them feel that way - and protect her from the cold too- is to keep her inside with you.

Horses Need Winter Care, Too!

Usually, horses can withstand a lot of cold, but they are not invincible. Making sure your horse gets the winter care he deserves can insure a healthy, happy horse all year around.

FIRST, make sure your horse gets annual vaccinations for rhinopneumonitis, Eastern and Western encephlomyelitis and tetanus. Get him checked for worms in the fall since he will have more energy if he is not playing host to a load of worms.

NEXT, be sure to have his teeth checked before winter so he can chew his food properly. This is a time he will need to burn more energy to stay warm, therefore increase his ration of hay.

ALSO, one of the most important things to check is that your horse has a clean, dry, but well ventilated place to stay. A damp environment can lead to colds, coughs and viral infections. Poor ventilation can cause respiratory diseases while your horse can develop pneumonia if the stable is too hot or too tight. If you don't have a barn, your horse should at least have a three sided shelter, open on the down wind side. Moist bedding can cause foot infection, so keep it dry.

BESIDES THIS, snow might be deep. Shoes should be pulled, because snow could ball up badly in shod hooves. This makes it difficult for your horse to walk. Trim the hooves enough so they won't crack or break, but not too short. As your horse paws through the snow, he will wear them down, causing sore hooves.

REMEMBER, if exercising your horse in cold weather, give him more time to warm up his muscles so he will be limber. And, don't forget to break the ice in his water bucket or trough.