Cold and Your Cat’s or Dog’s Health

Although your cat or dog may have a furry coat, cold weather can still be extremely dangerous. Imagine how you feel after being out on a cold day for more than a few minutes—even with your winter coat, you are probably still very cold. Cats and dogs are the same way, and if you leave your pet exposed to the cold for too long, he or she may show signs of hypothermia. In a worst-case scenario, hypothermia leads to death.

There are many different reasons why your cat or dog could become too cold. If you typically let your pet outdoors, remember that he or she will need to come back inside more quickly during the winter. This is especially true for smaller pets, pets with short hair, or pets recovering from an illness. Also, never let your pet outside if he or she is wet, for whatever reason. In fact, if you bathe your pet or your pet otherwise gets wet, dry him or her immediately if the weather is cold, even if you are indoors. Make sure your cat or dog cannot get outside in any way—your pet may not be able to figure out how to get back inside, and by the time you realize that he or she is missing, hypothermia could have taken hold.

Hypothermia is a medical condition when the body temperature drops too low for the organs to function properly. Frostbite often occurs in the extremities, because the body will begin to shut down unnecessary body parts in order to keep the vital organs as warm as possible. If you pet has hypothermia, you’ll see your pet shivering, moving slowly, and breathing shallowly. Eventually, your pet will become unresponsive and die. Therefore, it is important to warm up your cat or dog.

However, if you warm a pet too quickly, the damage could be even worse. Resist the urge to dunk your pet in warm water! Instead, warm slowly. Bring your animal into a warm room and wrap in warm blankets. You can even throw a towel in the dryer for a few seconds. Or use warm water bottles wrapped in a washcloth. Hairdryers work well, as long as you don’t get too close to your pet (and keep them on the low settings). Once your pet starts to warm up, a warm bath could be very helpful, although this is not a good idea if you plan to take him or her outside again to go to the vet.

Remember, calling your vet is always your best option. Animals simply sometimes get outside accidentally, no matter how caring you may be to your pet. If your cat r dog shows symptoms of being too cold, you can use these warming techniques to save your pet’s life, and your vet will be able to get you on the right track to helping your pet recover.

And don’t forget that once your pet is warmed up he or she will probably be hungry, so make sure to give them the very best food possible, Life’s Abundance from Wholesome Pet Supply. Thank you!