Arctic weather predicted Thursday, OSU offers tips to keep animals warm

With the arctic weather forecasted to arrive Thursday, Janis Risley, FCS Educator for the OSU Extension Office offers tips provided by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in keeping outside animals warm in the winter.

The National Weather Service is predicting wind chill temperatures below zero starting Thursday into Friday which can be harmful not only for people but animals too, if not dangerous at most.

Risley said she had concerns about not enough information for Sequoyah County residents in regards to keeping animals who have to remain outside, even in cold temperatures, sheltered from wet, drafty and cold weather.

According to the ASPCA, the wind chill can make a dog colder than the temperature recorded on an outdoor thermometer and when a dog gets cold or wet, his body temperature drops and can cause internal organs to shut down. The dog can be at risk of dying even though temperatures are above freezing.

Animals should also have access to an insulated doghouse, garage or shed when temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. At the same time, dogs accustomed to indoor living or temperate climates should not be left outside in freezing temperatures.

“When your dog is wet, his core temperature drops and wet dogs do not automatically dry out from body heat. The temperature may drop so quickly that a puppy cannot dry out, leaving him vulnerable to hypothermia,” Risley said.

Tips provided by the ASPCA to keep the animal safe include some of the following: “Make the shelter accessible. You may not be at home when temperatures drop below freezing and weather changes from sunny to blowing snow. If your dog’s regular shelter is inside the house, shed or garage, install a dog door and train him to use it. If you do not want him in these areas in your absence, provide an insulated doghouse where he can take temporary shelter until you are home.

“Provide a dog bed for your outside dog. When he sleeps on concrete or the ground, the cold surface can pull heat from his body and chill his joints. Old blankets rarely help, as they pack down and provide little warmth retention. Fresh straw keeps outdoor dogs warm, but it must be replaced whenever it is wet or dirty.

“Put a clean dog bed in the sheltered area. Your outdoor dog needs a warm bed out of drafts and rain. A sleeping dog can develop hypothermia if he cannot maintain normal body temperature. Convert an old T-shirt into a dog night shirt for your shivering dog. Check pet stores for insulated dog beds that fit inside a doghouse, or electric pet bed warmers. Use electric accessories with double-insulated, low voltage, chewresistant cords and follow the product directions.

“Add extra bed insulation when temperatures dip below freezing. Use a foil emergency or space blanket under your dog’s bed. This makes a self-heating bed, as the mylar material reflects the body heat back to the dog and bed. Bubble wrap is effective but it must be tucked in so that a puppy or bed-chewing dog cannot tear it up. Replace bedding when it is damaged or chewed.

“Ask your veterinarian about winter nutrition. They may recommend more feedings per day for puppies, senior and frail dogs when they are outdoors. Small, frequent meals are easy to digest and help dogs maintain their energy.

“Feed room-temperature meals. Your outside dog may enjoy frozen fish bits and other cold foods in summer, but don’t make him use precious body heat to digest ice-cold meals in winter.

“Provide fresh drinking water 24 hours a day. When temperatures dip below freezing, water bowls and buckets ice over and your outdoor dog can become dehydrated if you don’t notice. Change the water frequently during the day to make certain your dog has plenty of fresh water readily available. You may prefer to use a water bowl de-icer during winter. Deicers are submersible heaters dropped into the water bucket. They turn on and off as needed to prevent freezing of the water. Heated water bowls perform the same function. Choose devices equipped with heavy-duty, chew-resistant cords.

Items needed to make a dog warmer include a doghouse, dog bed, foil space blanket, fresh straw, bubble wrap and towels, and water bowl de-icer.

“Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin, but these aren’t the only discomforts pets can suffer. Winter walks can become downright dangerous if chemicals from ice-melting agents are licked off of bare paws. To help prevent cold weather dangers from affecting your pet’s health, please heed the following advice from our experts: “Repeatedly coming out of the cold into the dry heat of your home can cause itchy, flaking skin. Keep your home humidified and towel dry your pet as soon as he comes inside, paying special attention to his feet and in-between the toes. Remove any snow balls from between his foot pads.

“Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. If your dog is long-haired, simply trim him and don’t neglect the hair between his toes. If your dog is short-haired, consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

Bring a towel on long walks to clean off stinging, irritated paws. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt and chemicals— and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes.

“Bathe your pets as little as possible during cold spells. Washing too often can remove essential oils and increase the chance of developing dry, flaky skin. If your pooch must be bathed, ask your vet to recommend a moisturizing shampoo and/or rinse.

Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage and can also prevent sand and salt from getting lodged between bare toes and causing irritation. Use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible.

“Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.”

“Remember, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside. If left outdoors, pets can freeze, become disoriented, lost, stolen, injured or killed. In addition, don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.”

“We just want to make sure the animals are taken care of through this winter blast. We’ve been receiving calls about it,” Risley said.