COLD WEATHER PRECAUTIONS

• Provide indoor shelter for all pets, even those that are used to staying outside in the backyard the rest of the year.
• Keep your pet warm with winter sweaters and coats to help avoid hypothermia.
• Pay special attention to protect paws from winter weather. Using booties on walks can help prevent cracked and frozen paws.
• Feed a bit more during winter. The extra calories are needed to help generate the extra body heat that your pet may require.
• Bathing less frequently in winter ensures that your pet will have natural oils on their skin and coat to better maintain their body temperature and also prevent dry, flaky skin.
• Don't shave or trim your pets coat close in winter.

AVOID WINTER HAZARDS

• Since your pet will be spending more time inside, make sure that they don't have access to human foods that can be posionous to pets. These include but are not limited to chocolate, onions, grapes, and xylitol - an artificial sweetener that is even in some peanut butter brands. So, read ALL food labels before giving your pup a peanut butter treat! CLICK HERE for more information.
• Good rule of thumb is to keep pets away from all holiday plants. Many are poisonous and/or dangerous to pets including pine trees, holly, poinsettias, mistletoe, and amaryllis. Bows and other decorations can also pose choking and digesting threats.
• Keep pets away from the open flame of candles, fireplaces, firepits and bon fires.
• If you celebrate the holidays with fireworks, remember that these are often terrifying to pets and can cause them to run away.
• Keep anti-freeze, rock salt, deicer and other winter chemicals out of reach of pets.