BALTIMORE (WJZ) –– As Maryland deals with an arctic blast for the next few days, pet owners are reminded to bring animals inside. Pets are also at risk for hypothermia and frostbite, due to the colder temperatures. Bring pets in from the cold or have a dry, draft-free shelter for them with access to food and water. The Maryland SPCA offers the following tips to keep your pet safe this winter: Pets should not be left outside for extended periods of time. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. I there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape. To read more on this story, click here:Pets Can Get Hypothermia, Frostbite Too
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South Dakota winters can be brutal, with an average annual snowfall of 41 inches. So, the Rapid City Police Department decided to provide some protection for its Belgian Malinois police dog, Jary, in the form of winter boots, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. But when a K-9 officer put the boots on Jary for the first time, it was immediately obvious the dog was not a fan of the protective gear. Even though he tried on the boots indoors, his gait looked as if he were trudging through big snow drifts. And after the police department posted video of the dog’s first tentative steps on social media, it’s fair to wonder if Jary was more chagrined by having to wear the boots or by the national notoriety that followed. Check out the entire police department video below: (Click on arrow twice to start video)
The Smithsonian National Zoo shared a video of its giant
panda Tian Tian frolicking in the snow.
While most D.C. residents hunkered down to ride out the
storm, at least one was having the time of his life.
The Smithsonian National Zoo shared a video of its giant
panda Tian Tian frolicking in the snow Saturday morning. In the video, Tian
Tian rolled down a snowy hill, covering himself in the white stuff.
Unfortunately, you won't get to see Tian Tian's snow dance
in person. The National Zoo is closed through Sunday because of the severe
weather. But hopefully, the adorable video above will hold you over.
Snow will continue to fall across the D.C. metro area
Saturday, creating near whiteout conditions when combined with wind gusts of up
to 30 mph. A blizzard warning is in effect for the D.C. area until Sunday at 6
a.m.
Do you know what to do if you see a dog shivering in the
cold? Even with their thick coats they are extremely vulnerable. If you see a
dog outside without shelter you should contact your local police department.
Just like humans, dogs are at risk for hypothermia, frost bite and even death
when left in extreme conditions.
Dogs should never be left outside when temperatures drop
below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17.7 degrees C). Breeds with shorter hair like
Labradors, Beagles, and greyhounds as well as puppies and older dogs are the
most vulnerable.
Warning signs include shivering, lethargy and clumsiness,
leading to coma and even death. Experts say it’s always best to keep you dog
indoors and not to leave them unattended for extended periods of time. Walking
your dog in the cold can also be painful for your dog’s paws. Keep them moist
and apply petroleum jelly to their paws before walks in the winter.
Please share and help keep every dog warm and safe this
winter.
What could wake a hibernating bear? An abnormally warm winter, apparently.
Yellowstone National Park’s 150 grizzly bears are on the move, according to the National Park Service, which confirmed the first bear sighting of the year on Feb. 9—almost a month earlier than usual. That could be due to climate change.
The past decade has been the hottest on record for Yellowstone, about 1.4 degrees above the region’s 20th century average.
Hypothermia occurs when body temperature falls below normal. A normal temperature for a dog or cat is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Hypothermia can be mild, moderate, or severe depending on how low the body temperature is. The most common cause of hypothermia is prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. Pets can also develop frostbite due to extreme cold. Illness and disease can also cause the body not to be able to regulate its temperature, which can also lead to hypothermia.
For animal lovers, seeing a dog tied up outside elicits a visceral response. Many times the chain is meant as a dog sitter, a way to get the dog out of its owner’s hair. The dog is stuck and if the owner is not paying attention, the dog could get tangled up and severely — or fatally — injure themselves.
The situation becomes even worse when the dog is left out in freezing conditions. A dog’s fur coat can only go so far, with shorter-hared dogs like chihuahuas and Jack Russell terriers succumbing to the cold quicker than heavy-coated dogs like Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes. In fact, a dog like the Jack Russell Terrier may start to shiver if it is left out for too long in weather that is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even leaving your dog in the car during these temperatures is considered neglect. A car cools down as quickly as it warms up, so if you are gone for more than 10 minutes, a dog will start suffering from the cold.
Huntsville, Ala. (WHNT) – With wind chills expected to hover around minus-5 degrees this week, you’ll likely feel cold even if you’re wearing a fur coat. That goes for the four-legged members of our families who have natural fur coats.
The Alabama Veterinary Medical Association put out a reminder for pet owners to be prepared to protect their pets against the severe cold.
We’ve all witnessed dogs left to the elements during the cold winter months. You can allow frustration, anger, and a sense of helplessness to drag you down. Or, you can do something positive. The topic of outdoor dogs is a thorny one to be sure. Families struggle with a variety of issues from allergies to ignorance, and you’re never going to convince every last dog owner to see things your way. But, that doesn’t mean groups like Fences For Fido aren’t making a difference. This Oregon nonprofit caters to dogs chained outdoors by providing much-needed fencing, insulated dog houses, and free spay/neutering services. So what’s one way you can help dogs left out in the cold? Find an organization like this one in your area and volunteer! A little bit of your time can go a long way toward keeping dogs warm this winter.
Help feral cats stay warm this winter! The shelter I built is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to help (You can also add a plastic/vinyl flap over the opening once a cat as begun to use the shelter to protect them even more from the elements). So if you really love cats, please share this video with your Friends.
Sweet pup Rocks is sporting a cozy sweater to stay warm in the frigid temps today! Take a look at the video below for some tips on keeping pets safe in the icy weather, and to see Rocks' cuteness in action.
Interested in giving this love bug a forever home? He will soon be available for adoption at our New York Avenue Adoption Center!
Veterinarians and other pet experts are worried the mild winter will present serious problems for dogs and cats this spring and summer.
"This spring came very early, back in February people started sending me ticks, and I was a little surprised, quite surprised," says University of Georgia veterinary entomologist Dr. Nancy Hinkle.
She isn't the only one.
Vets nationwide are worried the early arrival of ticks and mosquitoes will cause outbreaks of pet diseases like heartworms.
Chris Carpenter and Byron Blagburn are with the Companion Animal Parasite Council, and both say the exceptionally warm winter is to blame.
"We anticipate that we'll have more mosquitoes and, of course, since heartworm is moved from an infected dog to a non-infected dog by the mosquito, the mosquito plays a pivotal role," Blagburn says.
The council has set up a free website, Pets and Parasites.org, where you can look at county-by-county monthly updates on frequency of pet diseases.
"For you to see just how prevalent it is and it's not just limited to heartworm, we'll give you updates on tick diseases and other parasitic diseases that are prevalent throughout the country," Carpenter explains.
The council's forecast calls for extremely high levels of heartworm population in the South, with high to moderate levels elsewhere.
They advise that pets get parasite prevention medication year-round.
