Its going to be winters and all you have around you is cold weather that puts you through bone chilling breeze & that white blanket of ice that has covered you for the next few months to come! Well now as we all know that cold is a weather that can put us into some real health problems if not taken a good care, therefore same goes with our little precious pets, for who in spite their thick furry coats winters can chill their spines & can make them fall severely ill. Animals are usually very sensitive towards hard situations. No wonder god made them strong enough to face any type of storm, still a bad health care can make them weak enough to even stand the winters or summers outside our homes. Now every animal differs from each other, & so every animal requires different kind of care, that has to be changed from climate to climate. Be it a dog, a cat, a monkey, a mouse or a guinea pig, winters can make anyone shiver till death if not looked after properly.
Now let’s talk about how cats can be taken care of in winters, in order to keep them healthy & illness free in winters. First we need to understand that a cat in winters will always look for a warm place to sleep, and such places are usually the fireplace, the car engines or somewhere which is warm enough for them to hide & sleep. To ensure that the cat is safe, build the fireplace in such a way that the cat doesn’t have the direct contact with the fire, for his you can put grills or something to avoid the little crawlers & pets away from the fire till a distance. Now few things to take care of in order to keep your cat healthy in winters are:
1. Cats usually roll up into anything to keep themselves warm, therefore make warm little shelters in your courtyard or garage or in front of your house.
2. Do not let your cat stay outside the house for long.
3. Keep a close check on the intake of their water consumption. Winters can lower down the energy level which is used to stay warm, therefore make sure that your pet doesn’t go dehydrated.
4. Give your cat the warm wet food. It is easy to digest as it does not require much energy.
5. Take your cat for regular winter checkups to your vet.
In case of dogs also, a good care is required to be taken in order to not make them fall ill. A dog is usually stronger than a cat & can bear winters a little extra, but that doesn’t mean that they can be kept outside the house on leash for hours. You should keep a check over them as they can fall seriously ill in winters.
Few things to take care of in case of dogs, in order to keep them healthy in winters:
1. Make sure you have geared up your dog to go out in snow & play by making him wear a warm coat to keep his body warm.
2. Keep the dog hydrates by keeping a close eye on his water intake & not drinking much water can decrease the energy lever to a great limit.
3. Do not forget to protect your dog’s feet by grooming them timely, as they walk in a lot dirt, salt, snow etc., which can make them get quick injuries in their paws if not taken a good care.
4. Do not overfeed your dog. Dogs that stay indoors during winters can tend to eat to more due to the lazy weather, which can put up a very heavy amount of calories in order to get the energy levels, therefore make sure that the right amount of food is being given.
5. Take your dog to the vet for regular checkups.
This weather make sure that your pets are not struggling to stay warm, or spending most of the time outside the house in order to look for a warm shelter in winters. One should always remember that just as winters can be unbearable for humans; it can be chilling enough for animals too to kill them out of it, as their furry coats can sometimes not be enough to keep them warm enough. If a slight change in your pet’s behavior is noticed, like the decrease in energy, food intake or water intake, or it seems pretty low & does not act playful for long, then immediately consult the vet, as this behavior can be a sign of the illness that can make the pet live very miserably for the coming months, if not taken proper care.
Stay tuned for tips on how take care of a Guinea Pig & a Fish in winters!