Winter Warnings

We have been blessed so far this year in the Queen City to have had such a warm and long-lasting fall season.  That said, we do live in Saskatchewan and already this week the weather is starting to turn colder.  Before we know it we will have our winter temperatures, snow and ice!  At Wascana Animal Hospital, we want to give our clients the "heads up" on some seasonal topics that could affect your 4-legged family member.

1. Ice!  It's hard to say what causes more damage to paw pads when out walking in the winter; the ice itself or the salt used to melt it!  Ice can be sharp and rough enough to cut paw pads and also cause frostbite on its own.  In addition, many salt defrosters can burn or irritate sensitive paw pads too.  We recommend being sure that you are using a pet-friendly salt defroster should you choose to use one.  You may also wish to forgo a salt melting compound altogether and do something more pet-friendly such as scattering sand or fine gravel for better traction on ice instead.  There are many places around Regina that have sand available for public use in the winter time; the closest place to our clinic for sand pick-up is in the parking lot of the Sandra Schmirler leisure center.  There are several options for protecting your pet's paws when out walking such as paw booties or a topical paw balm to provide a barrier to ice and salt.  It is important to inspect your pet's paws when you get home from a walk; be sure there are not any chunks of ice or debris stuck in the fur between the pads and keep the fur in this area trimmed to decrease snow and ice accumulation between the digits.  We recommend using a moist wash cloth or rinsing the paws in water when you get home from a walk to rid them of any ice or salt to decrease potential irritation.  If you see any discoloration, deep cracks or bleeding from your pet's paw pads, it is recommended that you have them examined by one of our veterinarians.

2. Freezing Temperatures!  As the temperatures continue to drop, it is important to monitor how your pet is adapting to the cold.  Most larger breeds of dogs with longer hair coats can handle the seasonal changes in stride.  However our short-coated smaller breeds in particular can cool off quickly.  Consider a jacket or warm vest when out walking with these breeds.  You may also wish to do shorter but more frequent walks per day rather than one long walk to prevent exposure to really cold temperatures for too long.  Remember that there are also other ways to exercise your pets during cold winter weather inside such as playing fetch, hiding toys/treats for them to find (especially on different levels of the house which can be entertaining) or using your treadmill to give them a brisk walk or jog.  

3. Decorations!  Along with the change of temperature we also see many homes starting to pull out their holiday decorations and put up the beloved Christmas tree.  Remember to keep things like exposed electrical cords and very small ornaments away from chewing mouths and avoiding decorations like tinsel which pets can eat and develop serious intestinal damage from.  Cats in particular being the curious, playful animals they are, can also be prone to injury while trying to climb the Christmas tree or play with ornaments so exercise caution.