As we move into winter, the National Council of SPCAs encourages pet owners to take extra precautions in ensuring their pets are comfortable and warm through the cold months.
The NSPCA shares the following pet safety tips for winter:
- Make sure your dog is vaccinated against kennel cough and the normal five-in-one vaccine as cold air in the lungs will predispose them to getting bronchitis.
- Cold weather will exacerbate arthritis in all joints and this will be evident by your pet getting up slowly after lying down for a while, not being able to jump on couches and beds and struggling to walk up the stairs. Please consult your veterinarian if you think your pet has arthritis as it is a painful condition that can be treated by a veterinarian.
- Gauteng can get very cold at night in the winter and all animals should have access to proper shelter. All animals regardless of breed younger than one year old should be inside a house at night. Breeds with thick coats such as huskies, St Bernards, chows and German shepherd dogs might prefer to stay outside during the night but they should always have the option to come inside if they want to. Small breeds with short hair such as Yorkshire terriers, Pekinese, Dobermann pinchers and Pomeranians should be protected from the cold.
- Even though the animals are inside a house at night, the floor might be very cold so it is a good idea to put a few newspapers under the dog’s blanket to insulate against the cold.
- Make sure that your cat has a clean litter box that is inside the house because if it is too cold, cats will not go outside to use a litter box and it will lead to bladder infections.
- In a multi-cat household there should always be one more litter box than the number of cats in the house. The litter boxes should be in different rooms and not close to the cat food as cats are very territorial and can feel threatened if all the litter boxes are in the same place.
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