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There are a few important points to be thinking about regarding your pets and the arrival of colder weather.
Once the temperature is 32 degrees F then the water you keep outside for your pets will freeze. Please check the buckets and bowls you have for outside pets twice daily and ensure there is enough clean and unfrozen water to prevent dehydration.
Cats frequently find that crawling up inside truck and car hoods provides warmth and protection. However, these cats are often mangled and mutilated when the engine is started. Please check under your hood and/or bang on the hood before you start your vehicle on cooler days.
Pets should not be exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees F without adequate housing. In this climate, we must consider the wind chill factor. The wind is often what makes the cold so very damaging. Cats and dogs can get frostbite. Dog houses can be faced away from the northeast which is where the worst winds come from. Heat lamps can be carefully wired to provide warmth without the risk of the pet chewing the wiring and getting electrocuted. If possible, bring your pet inside if it gets below freezing. Even garages should have some heat source when the garage is where your pet is kept for protection from the elements.
Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) toxicity claims the life of many animals every fall when people change their antifreeze. Ethylene glycol is apparently very sweet tasting and appealing to pets. A cat can get enough to kill it just from walking through what has spilled on your driveway and then grooming its feet. This stuff is HIGHLY toxic. Please use environmentally friendly antifreeze or be extremely careful when changing your antifreeze to ensure there is not any left which an animal may come into contact. If you suspect your pet has had contact with antifreeze get it to an emergency clinic ASAP!
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