There are several safety tips for the overall safety of one`s pets especially puppies. The main things which need to be avoided for your puppies in this freezing weather are to make sure that their health is protected at all times. Several winter health risks need to be kept in mind. To make sure that the puppies remain healthy and super active even in the super cold weather. It is essential that you should know how to keep your puppy warm. The two conditions which need to be avoided or kept in mind from the health perspective are the frostbite and hypothermia.
Frostbite
Frostbite is basically, a condition which many dogs or puppies face in the winters. When frostbite condition arises the body of the puppies pulls blood from the extremities or corners towards the center or the middle of their body to stay warm and fight the winter cold. Some of the parts of the puppies such as their paws, ears, and tails get extra cold which leads to ice crystals. This results in severe damage to the tissues of the body. Frostbite is not very obvious immediately as it takes time to surface up. There are a few signs which need to be kept in mind to detect frostbite condition in puppies. The skins of the puppies start becoming grey or pale and also hard and cold at the same time. The frostbitten areas or the areas affected by frostbite tends to become extremely painful which becomes very unbearable for the puppies. When the condition stays the same for a long duration, the skin of the puppies turn black and ultimately starts to fall off. In short, it can be said that frostbite occurs when the puppies feel extreme cold.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is another condition that occurs in the puppies due to the cold. Hypothermia is a very serious condition and creates major health issues for the puppies and even grown dogs. Hypothermia happens when a puppy spends way too much time in the cold. Similarly, when puppies are not well and already have health issues or issues related to circulation are exposed to extreme cold weather. There are also mild cases of such issues, in which the puppies start shivering a lot and their feet and ears start to become cold. As the condition gets worse, the hypothermia progresses and the puppy tends to go into depression. The puppy also faces weakness and lethargy. When the condition gets worse, the muscles start to turn stiffer. The heart rates and the breathing rates start to slow down drastically. Later the puppies start to response slowly and ultimately start to show almost no response at all. Hypothermia is s life-threatening condition.
Safety Tips for Your Puppy During Winter
The seven main tips which need to be kept in mind in this cold to make sure that your puppies are in good health and stay safe. By making sure that all these tips are concentrated on throughout the winters, the puppies or the dogs can easily be saved from having any of the major health issues such as hypothermia, frostbite and other such issues. The tips have been discussed below:
Avoid Thin Ice
The puppies need to avoid thin ice. This is so as the puppies can fall in with a light crack occurrence in the ice. By falling inside that crack the puppies can be exposed to freezing water which can lead towards frostbite or hyperthermia and can be fatal as well.
Protecting dog paws in winter
It is essential to keep the paws of the puppies and dogs well protected throughout the cold season. This is so as by exposing the paws to extreme cold the puppies can fall sick easily. There should be cold weather clothes for dogs, to make them feel warm.
Shelter Them
By keeping the puppies outside and not providing them proper shelter can also cause severe health issues. It is very easy to get frostbite or develop hyperthermiaconditions when there is no proper shelter provided. Some people think that can puppies sleep outside in the cold, but this is wrong. Therefore, it is strongly advised, to keep the puppies indoors in the extremely cold winters.
Do Indoor Exercise
As exercise is very necessary for puppies, it cannot be neglected or skipped daily. However, it is advised that the puppies are made to do exercise indoors. By doing so they can be protected from the cold weather and stay warm yet be able to exercise as well.
Don’t overfeed your dog
In winter, puppies start eating more, they become lazy and all they feel attracted to be food. However, it is not a good practice and should be avoided. Overfeeding the dogs in winters can make them gain a lot of fat and they can be exposed to several health hazards as well which can be difficult to deal with or cure in the later stages.
Make sure your dog is wearing a leash at all times, especially in the snow
It is also vital to make sure that the puppies or the dogs are kept tied to a leash at all times when they are outdoors. This is to avoid them going too deep in the snow and stay close to the owners as the puppies can run off and lost their way back which can lead to them staying in extreme cold for a long period.
Beware of Antifreeze
The seventh important tip is that the puppies should be aware of antifreeze, as many people use antifreeze to run their car engines in the cold weather, the liquid is easily in reach of the puppies or other pets at home. Antifreeze is an engine coolant that is made up of ethylene glycol. The liquid needs to be kept away from their access. This is so because, if a puppy drinks antifreeze he can die instantly. It acts like a poison for them which affects their brains, livers, and kidneys.
By keeping the above-mentioned tips in mind the puppies can easily stay safe and healthy in the winters.
