Welcome to the second part of keeping your pet healthy, happy, and safe this winter!

This new post focuses on protecting our cats and horses from winter pet challenges.

As we mentioned in our first blog (protecting dogs), our pets depend upon us to ensure their health, comfort, and safety, especially against winter pet challenges. Despite their fur coats, our pets are still challenged by the cold and wet of winter.

It’s critical to educate ourselves about the winter challenges for our pets. Keep reading to learn the tips for protecting cats and horses during winter.


Winter Pet Challenges: Cats

Never leave your feline out all winterIf you allow your feline to roam outside during the winter months, always watch the time (keep it short) and monitor their reactions to the cold. Do not let them out during the coldest times of the day or night.

Domestic felines (as opposed to feral felines) do not have coats to adequately protect them in winter.

  • Never leave your family cat outside all winter (even with a shelter).
  • Frostbite: Cats are highly susceptible to frostbite on their ears, nose, tail, and toes. Affected areas will be pale or bluish-white in color.Cats are very susceptible to frostbite! Immediately get your cat to your vet!
  • Hypothermia: If your feline begins to shiver outside, bring them inside immediately to prevent life-threatening hypothermia. Towel-dry them, including paws and toes.

Other signs of hypothermia may include unusual anxiety, crying, or lethargy.

NOTE: If your cat does not stop shivering in a reasonable amount of time, call or take your cat to your veterinarian!

  • Paws & Toes: Check between the toes for frozen snow, ice, dirt, orUse olive oil or petroleum jelly on kitty paws rock salt (you don’t want your cat licking any de-icing agents or chemicals). Also, check the paws for cracks and cuts. Massage moisturizing petroleum jelly or olive oil into your feline’s paws and between the toes.

 AVOID cortisone cream, tea tree oil, or other essential oils on your cat’s paws without checking with your vet first!

  • Lean Protein: If your indoor cat spends regular time outside, feed them more lean protein.
  • Dry, Flaky, and Itchy Skin: Add a small amount of olive to the food (less is more to avoid an upset stomach). Using a home humidifier can also help.
  • Holiday Risks: During the holidays, remember holly and mistletoe are toxic to cats (and dogs).

Protecting Horses in Winter

  • Shelter: During the winter, horses need access to a barn or, at a minimum, a three-sided structure to protect themselves.
  • Horse Blankets: Well-fitted blankets keep horses warm and dry.
    • Blanket horses in potential rain, ice, and/or freezing rain. But never put a blanket on a wet horse.
    • Body-clipped equines should be blanketed throughout the winter season.
    • Blankets should be used on very young/very old equines or those not yet acclimated to the cold.
    • Horses with a body condition score of three or less should always be blanketed.
  • Unfrozen Water: Ensure your horse’s access to unfrozen water. Horses need more water during the winter to prevent dehydrationHorses need more water during winter and colic.
    • Heated buckets, heaters, or de-icers will keep water from freezing. The University of Minnesota recommends warm water between 45° and 65° F. (Snow and ice are not adequate sources for water.)

Use the Henneke Body Condition Scoring for your Horse

  • Winter Feeding: Feeding your horse more (even unlimited) forage will create more heat and efficiently regulate their body temperature.
  • Special Care: If your horse requires special care during the summer months, that same care must be continued through the winter.
  • Equine Skin Care: Horses are prone to skin problems during the winter, including ringworm, lice, and mites. To learn more, click here: The Horse, “Winter Skin Problems.
  • Hoof Care: Keep up routine hoof care during the winter, including:
    • Trimming: Every 6 to 12 weeks.
    • Daily Picking: To remove packed ice or snow.

Hoof care is still critical during winter months


Additional Reading:

Five Ways to Protect Pets This Winter

Tips for Protecting Your Cat This Winter

Top 10 Winter Skin and Paw Care Tips

How to Care for a Cat’s Paws

Caring for Your Horse in the Winter

Tips to Protect Your Horse’s Skin in All Kinds of Weather

Winter Skin Problems

Under, Over, or Ideal (Henneke Body Condition Scoring Scale)

Product Images are Courtesy of EquiGroomer

Protect Your Horse During Winter

Winter is approaching, with fewer daylight hours, colder temperatures, and stormy weather.
Are you ready to protect your pets from the challenges of winter?

Every pet depends upon their owners to ensure their health, safety and wellness, especially during the winter!

Winter Poses Unique Challenges for Pet Wellness

Protect Your Cat in WinterBy educating ourselves about the unique challenges of winter, including wet, stormy, and freezing weather, pet owners can effectively keep their pets comfortable and safe while also preventing illness – or worse – for their beloved animal companion.

“It’s important to remember that, despite their fur coats, pets can suffer from the cold just like we do. So, it’s up to us to make sure we provide the extra care they need during colder weather.” Nina Downing, Vet Nurse of the UK’s People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (or PDSA)

Unfortunately, our pets cannot vocalize how they are feeling, whether they are sick or even suffering (and most pets will try to hide sickness or pain). Keep reading about how to best protect your canine friend from the dangers of winter!

(Our next blog post, at the end of November, will cover protecting both felines and equines.)

The Rules of Winter: Dogs

Despite the appearance of an impressive winter coat on many dogs, they still get wet and chilled. All dogs should always have access to an inside shelter for warmth, safety, well-being, and protection.

  1. NEVER Leave Dogs …

They should be kept in cars, in the backs of pickup trucks, or anywhere that is unheated to protect themselves from dangerous hypothermia.

  1. Use Coats & Boots

Is your dog very young or old? Are they sick? Or do they have a very thin coat of hair?

    • A well-fitted, waterproof coat can help protect dogs who are vulnerable.
    • Properly fitted dog boots can also be helpful in protecting tender paws.
  1. Maintain Regular Brushing

Maintain your dog’s regular brushing to help stimulate and distribute natural oils to combat your pet’s dry and itchy skin from winter’s cold and dry air.

  1. Limit Time Outside

Dogs will still need daily walks but never keep them outside for long periods of time. Even the hardiest canine who loves the snow canDog Paws Are Sensitive to Snow suffer negative effects from extended exposure to snow, ice and plummeting temperatures. It’s better to go out more often for shorter lengths of time. If your dog begins regularly lifting his paw(s), it’s time to go inside, warm up and check his paws.

  1. After Being Outside

After coming inside, immediately:

    • Towel-dry a wet dog (or cat).
    • If they have longer hair, use a blow-dryer (on a LOW setting at a comfortable distance) to completely dry them.
    • Carefully check their paws (especially between the toes) and remove any:
      • Frozen snow/ice
      • Commercial ice melt products
      • Salt
      • Grit or dirt

These can cause unwanted friction and subsequent pain for your dog. You also do not want your dog licking or ingesting any of the caustic items.

    • Gently massage paws (and between the toes) with a pet-friendly and food-grade wax or balm to heal and protect cracked pads and irritated skin. (You can also use this in hot weather.) For additional protection, use it on cracked noses!

Protect Dogs Paws and Noses this Winter


Want to make your own Paw Wax with healthy and safe ingredients?

Watch the DIY video from Rodney Habib here

 ~ OR ~

 Use the homemade Paw Balm recipe for dogs from Christina Walker

on her Everyday Dog Mom blog!



REMINDER
:
Come back for our next blog post, at the end of November,

to learn the best winter tips for protecting both cats and horses.


 Remember regular grooming is important even during winter months!

Winter’s cold and dry air can lead to dry and itchy skin for your pet. Regular grooming helps stimulate and distribute natural oils in their skin.

The EquiGroomer offers easy brushing with NO pulling, discomfort or damage to your pet’s topcoat or skin.

Get $5 Off our Gift Bags for the Holidays

Buy A Gift Bag for Your Cat

Buy a Gift Bag for Your Dog


The EquiGroomer gift bag is the perfect holiday gift for the pets 
and pet lovers in your life!

(Just click on an image to order – cat or dog.)

For individual or bulk orders, call 860-573-0604 or click here to send us an email.


Additional Reading:

Keeping Pets Safe and Healthy Over Winter

Keep Your Furry Friends Safe with These 9 Winter Pet Safety Tips

12 Coziest Dog Coats for Winter

Caring for Your Horse in the Winter

Product Images are Courtesy of EquiGroomer

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