Cold weather means extra care for pets

As the snow piles up in backyards across the region, outdoor pets need a little extra TLC. Food and water that’s not frozen over is a given, and now is a good time to check on your dog’s shelter.

“Even the big heavy-coated dogs get cold when it snows like this,” said Leigha Wawra, who owns Alpha Dogs Daycare together with her mother, Lee Smith. “I’d definitely tell people to take their dogs inside when they can. It’s hard on them to be outdoors all the time; they don’t live as long.”

Alpha Dogs Daycare is an indoor play center for dogs, and that’s of course another way of avoiding mountains of snow on the lawn.

“What we do here can be an alternative to walking your dog when it’s really cold outside,” said Wawra.

About 20 big dogs and 10 little dogs play at Alpha Dogs every day.

“We have a lot of dogs that belong to working professionals,” said Wawra. “They come here and play all day and then they are tired and easier to be around, when the owners come home at night.”

Wawra said the most important thing is to keep dogs warm and dry.

If your dog’s house isn’t insulated, now is a good time to take care of that.

Get new straw for the dog to burrow into and make sure any blankets in the dog house are dry.

“You want to check their pads for ice,” said Wawra. Lumps of ice stuck between the dog’s toes can cause sores, and Wawra said applying a coat of Vaseline may help protect the paws.

“And be careful with de-icer. They shouldn’t be out on that all the time,” Wawra said. “If you must use it, make sure you get the stuff that says ‘pet safe’ on the bag.”

What about those jackets and sweaters for dogs – aren’t they mostly for the owner?

“No. If you have a short-haired breed it makes total sense to put a coat on it,” said Wawra, but it’s no substitute for taking Fido inside.

Should dogs be fed more when it’s cold outside?

“I don’t think so,” Wawra said. “Even outdoor dogs don’t play as much when the weather is nasty – they are kind of like us: they move slower in winter. If you feed them more, they just gain weight.”

Barn cats can suffer in the cold as well.

“It’s pretty obvious that they need food and shelter,” said Dr. Brenda Day of the Cat’s Meow Feline Vet Clinic on South Perry Street. “Strictly outdoor cats need heated water – or at least you have got to make sure it doesn’t freeze over.”

Day said that some pet owners mistakenly believe there is plenty of moisture in the snow.

“It’s pretty dry air out there right now,” Day said. “Cats dehydrate quickly when it’s very cold.” A heated dish of the type that can be put in the microwave may be all it takes.

Animal protection agencies and wildlife enthusiasts recommend keeping cats indoors at all times, to protect the cats from predators and cars.

The cat that occasionally ventures outside, shouldn’t be shut out on the snow.

“Cats are pretty savvy – but they should have access to coming back in, or to get out of the weather somewhere, if you let them outside,” said Day. “When it’s as cold as it was last week, you shouldn’t just let them out and leave them out.”