"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame."Elizabeth Barrett Browning
|
| |
Cpr For Dogs
Anyone who has been to a CPR class is familiar with the basics of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. First you'll check to be sure the patient has a clear airway, then check to see if the patient is breathing, check whether the patient has a heartbeat and, if ...
Is Your Dog Annoying The Neighbors? How To Deal With Excessive Barking
Along with a baby's crying, the persistant barking of a dog is one of the most annoying sounds. But is there anything you can do as a dog owner to 'persuade' your pooch to stop barking? Here are a few suggestions from an experienced dog owner. The bark. ...
Keep Your Dogs Teeth Healthy
REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author information (Resource Box) ...
|
|
|
| |
Care for your pets in cold weather just as you care for yourself. They depend on you to be sensitive to their needs and health. Animals left outside when temperatures fall below 40 degrees are not only subject to hypothermia, but they can even die.
Here are some tips to help make your animal companions more comfortable and safe during winter's cold days and nights.
Keep your pets indoors, even if they have an enclosed cage or doghouse outside. Short-hair dogs and puppies are especially susceptible to frigid temperatures. An unheated garage or basement isn't always the solution. Use a thermometer to determine if the temperature is consistently above 40 degrees.
If for some reason you are unable to bring your dog indoors, check their outdoor sleeping quarters for the following necessities. Doghouses should be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around in and to allow for sleeping in a curled position, but it should not be too large. A large doghouse allows too much of the animal's body heat to escape. The floor of the house should be raised a few inches off the ground and dry fresh bedding should be spread inside. Cedar shavings are the best if you don't have a heated bed or mat. When using a heated mat, be sure it doesn't cover the entire floor of the house to allow the dog to choose the degree of warmth needed. A flap of carpet over the opening will help hold in the heat.
Heated water bowls not only keep the water from freezing, but the warm water also helps to keep the core temperature of the animal's body warmer.
Conduct regular 'paw checks' for dogs brought in from outdoors. Be sure to clean away snow
or ice from between toes and dry the paw pads thoroughly. Moisture, salt and other de-icers from sidewalks or roads can become trapped between the animal's toes and cause sores or irritation to the point of bleeding.
Car engines provide a warm, inviting sleeping place for cats left out in the cold or in a garage, but serious injuries can be caused by the fan belt when the car is started. Be sure to tap loudly on the car hood or honk the horn before starting your car. Of course, cats are just as susceptible to frigid temperatures as dogs, so the best plan is to bring them indoors for the winter. There are heated beds and mats specifically for cats if they must be left in a cold garage or basement.
Antifreeze tastes sweet and delicious to your pet, but it is a deadly poison. Clean up any radiator drainage spots with water immediately. Ask for brands of antifreeze that are now safer for pets and more environmentally sound.
Frequent brushing of indoor pets is even more important in winter to remove dead skin and hair and help stimulate the animal's oil glands. Low humidity can lead to dry, itchy skin and increased shedding.
Bottom line - use common sense when caring for your pets. Their life is in your hands.
High-quality heated dog beds, pads and water bowls, can be found at APamperedDog.com.
About the author:
Janet Winter is a web designer, travel agent and writer on many topics. She has a deep love for animals and delights in providing helpful resources and unique products for your pampered dogs at APamperedDog.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Wild Animals Should Be FreePennLive.com"Wild animals are not meant to be pets, and we must all resist our well-meaning and well-intentioned urge to want to care for wildlife," said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. "Taking wildlife from its natural ... |
|
Body grips often snag non-target animalsHerald and NewsBut Wildlife Services body-grip traps - which consist of two square bars of steel that snap together like the jaws of a crocodile - have killed more than 7800 animals by mistake over the past six years, more than any other agency tool.and more » |
|
