Winter brings its own challenges and dangers to our pets. To help you keep your pet safer and in top shape during winter, we've pulled together our list of the Top 5 dangers that owners should be aware of, along with some hints and tips to help you keep you deal with them. These are the top 5 dangers that leave to visits to our emergency clinics.
1. Anti-freeze
Anti-freeze is extremely harmful to pets. Very small amount easily cause severe kidney damage and can be fatal. Unfortunately it’s very palatable and sweet-tasting to our pets, and so they are attracted to it. When filling your wiper fluid, please try to minimise spills, and ensure anything you do spill is very thoroughly rinsed away with a hose or buckets of water. Neighbours may not be aware, so spreading the word can be very helpful too.
2. Ice and Snow
We occasionally see cases of frostbite (ears and paws) and more regularly sore and irritated paws from salt and grit. Check paws regularly for any signs of injury and always consider if the terrain could be too harsh on your dog’s paws.
3. Cold Temperatures
Think about your pet’s coat. Slim dogs with a short hair coat can really feel the cold, and dogs can start to feel the cold more as they age too. Most dogs will be fine without a coat while exercising, but if you are spending a long period of time outside (and standing still) you should consider a coat for your dog.
4. Presents and Food Hazards
At Christmas we get wrapping, and more enjoyably unwrapping presents. But although we can no longer tell what’s inside once they’re wrapped, our pets, dogs especially, can! Make sure any presents with tasty or tempting contents are placed high enough out of the way so that pets can’t help themselves.
General festive food hazards to bear in mind as well are: chocolate, nuts, onions, cakes or puddings that contain grapes or raisins. Cooked bones should be carefully disposed of too, as they can be very harmful to dogs if ingested.
5. Batteries
Ingestion of batteries is more common at this time of year. If the battery is chewed and pierced is can cause chemical burns and heavy metal poisoning. If they are swallowed whole it is possible they will cause an obstruction. When putting batteries into electrical goods or toys, try to store any remaining batteries from the pack away safely again. It helps to let children know that leaving batteries on the floor can be dangerous for their four-legged friends too.
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Please note:
Vets Now assumes no liability for the content of this video. This advice is not a substitute for a proper consultation with a vet and is only intended as a guide. Please contact your local veterinary practice for advice or treatment immediately if you are worried about your pet’s health - even if they are closed, they will always have an out of hours service available.
