Preparing for the Cold

How To Prepare Pets For The Cold Weather

Meta description: As the cold winter season approaches, learn how to keep your pets safe and many other informative tips.

As the winter season soon approaches, people have now started to wear heavy clothing. But how can you prepare your pets for the cold weather? After all, animals usually rely on help from their owners to get water, food and shelter during the cold winter months. Based on Veterinary recommendation, this is how you should keep your pets warm during winter.

Determine if your pet can withstand the cold climate

Some pets can handle the chilly weather better and they aren’t vulnerable to get ill. For example, dog breeds like the Siberian Huskies can handle the cold weather, but Greyhounds or Chihuahuas cannot. So, pet owners are advised to watch for frequent shivering as this is the mechanism most pets compensate for when they feel cold.

If the pet has been sheltered from cold or wind, and is still shivering endlessly, then it means the weather is too cold for the pet. If this is the case, you should create a warm, cozy bed for your pet and make sure the animal stays indoors until the weather is tolerable. But if the pet is not comfortable staying indoors, then you can create a shelter outside and ensure its warm.

Purchase shelters from pet supply shops

Fortunately, you can buy shelters from your usual pet supply stores or make a purchase online. Alternatively, you can build a homemade shelter to keep your pets safe from the hostile weather outdoors. A dog house should be large enough in such a way that your dog can stand up comfortably. Also, ensure there is sufficient space when making a shelter for your cat. It should spacious enough so that the cat can move around easily.

Keep your pets comfortable

However, it should still maintain the cat body temperature to ensure it is comfortable. But you should avoid placing heaters or heat lamps inside the pet shelters as they can pose a fire hazard. As an alternative, use blankets to keep your pets warm. That said, as you prepare your pets for the winter season, consider if they have underlying health conditions.

Generally, pets that have underlying conditions should be kept as indoor pets so that you can monitor their health closely. They can still go outside but only for short periods especially during the cold winter months.

Conclusion

If your pet has a flu during the winter season, you should visit the vet immediately to treat the illness before it worsens.

References: Modern dog magazine, Freshpet, pets.webmd