Pet First-Aid Essentials: Preparing for Winter Emergencies
One of the most significant aspects of pet ownership is establishing and maintaining strategies that ensure their safety. In other words, pet safety is a way of life that, when upheld, manages to promote a pet’s overall well-being. Preparing for winter emergencies is just one more aspect of care and consideration, and can go a long way to prevent illness or injury.
Winter Pet Safety
Cold weather can either directly cause or make worse various medical conditions, including but not limited to, arthritis. It may be worthwhile to have your pet examined before the winter really sets in. We can help you understand the whole picture of their health, reveal certain limitations related to the weather, and provide specific tips on managing your pet’s age or breed-related challenges.
Too Cold For You?
Generally speaking, if it’s too cold outside for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet to withstand a significant period of time outdoors. While every pet has a different cold tolerance, it’s ideal to set their limits. Instead of longer periods outside, opt for several, shorter increments instead.
Senior pets and those with arthritis need help getting around on ice-cold or slippery surfaces. Smaller pets, puppies or kittens, and shorter legged breeds are more prone to cold weather-related illnesses. Also, pets with existing medical conditions, including Cushing’s disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and heart disease have greater difficulty regulating their internal body temperatures.
It may be a good idea to add extra calories to your pet’s winter diet to replace the calories spent to stay warm, but before you make any changes please let us know.
Risk Management
After any time spent outside, check your pet’s paws for any injury like cracked or bleeding pads. Keep an eye on the hair between the paw pads; longer hair can trap ice and chemicals. Wash their feet in lukewarm water and dry off before allowing them to lick at their feet.
- Provide your pet with boots and a waterproof jacket or vest to protect and insulate them from the cold.
- Be sure your pet’s identification is current, legible, and secure. Make necessary contact changes with their microchip manufacturer.
Nice and Cozy
Winter doesn’t give us all a free pass to hang out on the couch, but we do need to temper our pet’s activities levels. Add value to their indoor environment with new bedding and toys. Set aside time every day to play with them and provide brain games to keep them mentally engaged.
Pet First-Aid Kit
To be as prepared as possible for a winter pet emergency, we recommend acquiring the following first aid supplies in an easy-to-access kist:
- Disposable gloves
- Muzzle
- Sterile pads
- Gauze rolls
- Self-clinging bandages
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Towels
- Flashlight
- Eye dropper
- Styptic powder
- Antiseptic towelettes
- Sterile saline wash and eye lubricant
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Alcohol
- Petroleum jelly
- Thermometer
If you have any questions or concerns about winter pet safety and common winter-related pet emergencies, please call us at (865) 609‑0311. Our veterinarians and staff are always happy to help at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital.