How to Keep Outdoor Pets Warm in Winter

By Dr. Marty Becker



Winter and summer both present challenges to keeping pets safe and comfortable, but winter is actually easier to prepare for since it's more about preventing exposure and less about the summer problem of preventing accidents. With one major exception: In cold weather, you always need to be aware of the possibility that a chilly cat could be cuddled against the warm engine of a recently parked car or in the dryer on a pile of warm clothes. Always check your dryer before using it, and thump the hood of your car before starting it to send any sleeping cat on his way.

With very few exceptions, my snow country neighbors would never intentionally cause a pet to suffer in the winter or any other time. But sometimes people just don't have enough information or are just "doing it the way it has always been done." Education is always a big part of a doctor's job, and I pride myself on doing the best I can to offer good advice in a nonjudgmental way that encourages questions and discussion.

Your pet will weather winter better if he's healthy, so check in with your vet to be sure. Otherwise, here are my winter weather tips for your pets.

Gimme Shelter and Warmth

In my lifetime, many dog and cats have gone from the barnyard to the backyard to the bedroom. I still remember as a boy the day when my dad first allowed our farm dog to sleep in the kitchen during a blizzard. Now I fight for space on my own bed with our pets.

I'm not going to get into a discussion of whether any pet should be outside only, but I will say that small dogs and older pets are ill-equipped to handle extreme cold, and there's a world of difference between a big, long-haired cat and a near-naked Sphynx or lightly coated Rex cat. Same is true of an Alaskan Malamute or Italian Greyhound.

Read the full article here: http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/keep-outdoor-pets-warm-winter-193700891.html