How to take care of your dogs & Cats in winters?
DR. VK SINGH, CANINE EXPERT,JAMSHEDPUR
India is very diverse in terms of climatic conditions. We have the cool Himalayas in the north and the chilling central north and northeastern regions followed by the southern and western tropical regions. While some parts of the country are still battling with fleas and ticks in dogs, the other is struggling to keep their dogs warm in the winter. When it comes to the cold, dogs and cats are just as susceptible to discomfort and harm as they are in the heat. Meaning, Winter care tips are a must-follow when ensuring your cats and pups remain comfortable.
With India’s coldest months being December to February where the North can glimmer with ice and snow, it’s really important to keep your pet’s best interest in mind once your snow angels are finished.
So, since it’s November coming and the chill will hit hard in some parts of India, let us look at ways to take care of your dogs in winter.
The winters are here and understanding how to take care of your dog during the season takes special consideration. Some long-haired breeds, such as German Shepherds and Huskies, are better suited to cold winters and love the weather, but even these dogs need protection as the temperature dips.Winter is a time when you have to shield your furry friend carefully. Change in weather conditions, decreasing temperature and other dangers of winter may pose a number of expected and unexpected health threats to them. Therefore, being a responsible pet parent, you have to take care of your best friend just as you would for yourself with proper clothes, food and restriction from unnecessary outdoor activities.
To keep your pet fit and healthy this season, make sure you’re feeding them an appropriate diet and follow some simple indoor tips.
Feeding: Give your pet more food during cold weather than you do during hot months. Dogs, for example, may need up to 25 per cent more energy in the winter than they do in the summer, especially those who exercise outdoors. Pets need extra food because exercising outdoors in cold weather takes more energy. Ensure that you feed them energy dense food and complete, balanced nutrition. However, please be cautious that pets are more likely to be prone to gain weight during winter time. Overweight pets are more likely to suffer injury and illness than pets who maintain a normal weight range.
Exercise: Most Pets will not exercise by themselves, although they may play with another pet/family member or entertain themselves briefly with toys. So, it is our job to help keep them keep by increasing household activities. Take advantage of breaks in the weather by taking short walks with your dog. Even a few minutes of exercise will help make a difference.
Dry cleaning: Don’t neglect pet grooming in the winter. Your dog probably won’t get very dirty in the winter, and you may not need to bathe them. But if you do, it’s very important that you keep them warm after the shower. Towel him dry, or use a good dryer, and don’t let them go outside until dried. Instead of bathing them with water, you could try ‘dry’ bathing by brushing corn starch or baby powder.
The big chill: Don’t leave your pet outside for long because low body temperature (hypothermia) can lead to death. If the wind chill index is below 20 degrees, do not take small pets, older dogs and cats, or short-haired dogs outside. However, dress them in a knit sweater, if you wish to take them out. This will help them to curb the chill.
Hair shedding: Hair loss is a common complaint with dogs in India. Photoperiod (light intensity) is the main factor behind nutrition, genetics, health that can cause dog to shed hair excessively during some seasons. Every winter, dogs shed out their summer coat and grow a nice thick for the winter season. and there, is nothing that one can do to stop this process. However, we suggest visiting a veterinary doctor and getting your dog examined to rule out any parasites like fleas, ticks, mange or allergy, hormonal imbalance, bacterial or yeast infection that causes hair loss.
Bedding: Dogs exposed to extreme wet and cold weather conditions may become hypothermic or even develop frostbite if they live in an area where snowfall is common. Therefore, it is advisable to check there are no draughts near the sleeping area of your loved one. Dog owners may select from a number of bedding options for their pet during the winter such as pads, blankets or quilts and straw or hay. The pet parent can also add a thick blanket to the bed. Not only will this add extra warmth, it will also provide extra padding for painful joints.
Older dogs are usually more vulnerable to the adverse effects of winters. Dogs with health conditions like a hormone imbalance, heart problems, kidney disease or diabetes are not able to regulate their body heat appropriately. Older dogs who are suffering from arthritis can experience considerable discomfort as cold weather can make their stiff joints stiffer. Talk to your vet about medication, treatment options, and ways to keep your arthritic dog fit and warm through winter.
Vaccination, De-worming and regular health check are important considerations during winter periods.
* If your dog doesn’t sleep in your bed, make a comfortable warm bed for the pet.
* Keep them warm with jackets, sweatshirts and coats. But make them wear it only at evening till morning when it’s cold. Remember to take them off when it gets warmer in the afternoon.
* Bathing your pooches can get difficult and can make them fall ill as well, so try dry bathing them. You can also use dog perfumes and deodorants if they get smelly.
* Make sure to remove the dog clothing daily and nicely brush the hair to keep the fur from matting.
* Keep them away from electric heaters and blowers. Do not let them sit next to it.
* Virgin, organic and cold pressed coconut oil hydrates the skin and coat. A massage with it not only relaxes your pet but also leaves your pet’s coat with a lovely glossy finish. As an additional benefit, coconut oil on the skin helps small scrapes heal and eases irritation from fleabite allergies.
* Do not overfeed the dog. Make sure to give the dog warm food and avoid food like curd and rice at night. Do not give them cold water to drink.
* After giving your pet a bath, be careful to use conditioner to leave the coat protected. The general dryness of the season leads to static and your pet may get an unpleasant shock when it walks past curtains or lays down on mats. You can also use conditioner-based shampoos.
* Remember to dab on a bit of snout butter to keep those adorable noses gleaming. Paw butter works just as well, make sure you apply it on the paw pads just before bed so that your pet doesn’t march around the house with it and rub it off in seconds.
* Honey is a superfood that strengthens your pet’s overall immunity by fighting infections and digestive problems. It has plenty of antioxidants and does wonders for sore throats and coughs. Please speak to a veterinarian on the dosage as this varies from pet to pet. If he or she has never had it before, the doses will begin very small and be increased very gradually.
* Fish-based diet is ideal for this weather. They contain plenty of omega fatty acids that improve the health of your pet’s coat and skin.
* Hydration is always important, but the cold weather discourages your pet from drinking their usual quota of water. Make up for it by including soups and broths in their diets.
With this, you can try to increase indoor exercise instead of needing to head out into the cold.
BEST WINTER CARE TIPS AND OPTIONS FOR INDOOR EXERCISE INCLUDE:
- Playing hide and seek
- Laying short-range fetch
- Set-up a small obstacle course
- Get a manual rotating treadmill for pets
- Race up and down the stairs
- Play a tug-of-war
One thing to note, even when your own pup and kitten are safe and cosy indoors if you head out you should check under the hood of your car to ensure there are no stray animals sheltering that could get hurt when you start the engine.
Winter nutrition for your dog
Increase calories
If your dog loves winter and likes to spend his time outside, you must look at increasing the amount of food that you offer him. Instead of feeding one or two meals a day, move to smaller but more frequent servings. Add some warm, no-salt chicken broth to the food to make it more appetizing. If your dog is showing signs of food pickiness, this will definitely increase food intake by about 10%.
Reduce treats
Pay attention to what your dog gets to eat. If he is going to laze the winter away, then you must reduce empty carbs and definitely cut down on treats and table scraps. Focus on keeping his waist trim. If you can’t reduce or stop treats, look for healthier low-calorie options instead. Don’t let food be lying around for him to eat as and when he pleases, but measure it up carefully to monitor daily calorie intake.
Pay attention to coat
The only thing keeping your dog snug and warm in winter is his coat. And its condition is directly related to the nutrition he receives. Does your dog have food allergies? This can lead to a dry, rough and thin coat. Winter is a good time to evaluate what your dog eats and how it impacts his fur. Have you considered switching from kibble to raw food?
Maintain skin health
Your dog’s skin health is equally important during winter. Just like us, they can be prone to dry and cracked skin, which can worsen during winter. To prevent dry, chapped or cracked skin or paws, make sure your dog’s diet includes plenty of foods that contain a lot of omega fatty acids.
Supplement. Supplement. Supplement.
We can’t say this enough. Even if your dog is on species-appropriate raw food, winter is a time when he could need more supplements. It could be something that aids digestion or aid for those painful arthritic joints that swell up in winter. Talk to your vet and decide on the best supplements to help your dog make the transition through winter seamlessly.
Keep your dog hydrated
Winter is a dry season and this can increase the chances of dehydration in your dog. Always keep water out for him so that he can lap whenever he feels like it. If he seems to be drinking less water you can add some to his raw food and make sure he gets enough hydration.
Make a gradual change
Don’t make a sudden transition. That will mostly lead to the dog to rejecting his food, or worse, could cause digestive complications like diarrhea or vomiting, which can cause tremendous dehydration. Instead, offer new or changed foods slowly. Mix the new foods with the old half-and-half for the first few days. Increase the new food gradually while decreasing the old. Continue this over a week or 10 days until the dog’s food only includes his winter diet.
Reference-on request
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/winter-care-tips-for-your-pets/
