Once the temperature drops to zero we often think of how much we need to prepare ourselves for winter- whether it’s buying winter boots, salt for the driveway, or antifreeze for the vehicle. When thinking of everything we need to do for ourselves it is easy to forget that our pets need to be prepared too. Here are some reminders to keep your pets safe during the colder months:

1. Melt safely! Be sure to use pet safe products on your driveway, steps, and sidewalk. Salt can be harmful to paw pads, causing irritation and even burns. There are products designed specifically for melting ice and snow with alternative technology to avoid pad damage and irritation caused by ingestion.

2. Bundle up! If you are cold, it is likely that your pet is too, especially smaller dogs and dogs with shorter hair coats. Lots of pet stores sell pet vests and jackets, and booties. Booties with grips not only help your pet with traction but help protect them from sharp shards of ice and caustic ice melts.

3. Antifreeze is toxic! Make sure to keep all antifreeze products stored in an area that pets cannot reach. Dogs can easily chew through child proof caps, so make sure that antifreeze bottles are inside of a cupboard or too high for pets to access.

4. Guard your fireplace! Whether it is a wood burning fire place or a gas fire place, make sure that you have a guard surrounding it to keep pets from getting too close and potentially getting burned.

5. Keep pets indoors! Keeping cats inside during cold months increases their safety as they will often jump up under vehicles to keep warm. If your dog goes outside, make sure they have a dog house to shield them from wind and snow. There are even heated mats that can be put inside of dog houses. Make sure to never leave your pets outside in freezing temperatures, which could result in frostbite.

Stay warm out there, Edmonton!

by Liz, RAHT