Royston Vets: Winter Tips For Your Pet

With winter comes considerably colder temperatures and darker evenings, potentially putting your beloved pets at higher risk of injury. Here are some top tips to ensure you and your pets are prepared for winter!

To keep your pet warm, consider a sweater/coat for them – especially if they are old/elderly or have short hair. If walking your dog in the dark, fit them with a high-viability vest or LED collar to ensure they do not go astray. For cats, consider a reflective collar that can be easily opened if it gets caught somewhere. Moreover, frosted pavements and salt can be irritable for their paws so check them regularly for any cuts/sores. Finally, antifreeze liquid is generally sweet and thus appeals to pets. Unfortunately, it can be very toxic to them to make sure to wipe up any spills right away.

Then, alas, Christmas. Try your best to keep your pet away from the tree as they could ingest pieces of decorations – leading to intestinal obstruction or perforation. Also, keep the festive food in a safe place: raisins, chocolate, grapes and sweets containing xylitol can be extremely toxic to cats and dogs and if ingested, seek veterinary advice right away. Try to be as precise as you can. The vet will ask you the weight of your pet and the amount and type of toxic food ingested (especially chocolate). If the amount of toxic food is risky, then it’s safe to induce vomiting.

For more info, visit www.bit.ly/RoystonVet