11 tips to keep your dog healthy before winter
When winter comes you may notice some behavioral changes on your dog. Some dogs prefer to play and play in cold winter days while others prefer to hide under warm blankets and enjoy warmth and eating only.
In any case, you have to prepare with your dog for the winter, where viruses are frequent and spread in the air and there are some other health precautions that must be observed.
There is a common misconception in which dog breeders believe that dogs have thick fur so they easily adapt to the cold weather in humans. This is a mistake and not necessarily that the thick fur will provide sufficient protection for the dog.
Dogs will gain some traits just like humans. If you are accustomed to life in cold weather, you will adapt to these changes and adapt them. Similarly, in dogs, dogs that have spent most of their lives in the cold environment will adapt to them, unlike dogs that have grown up in the home or in care homes.
In all cases, animals in general and dogs in particular need some preparations in winter which we will explain to you in this article in detail
11 tips to keep your dog healthy before winter
Watch out for frostbite or frostbite
Although the Arab countries have mild weather, some countries have low temperatures approaching zero at certain times of the year, especially in December and January.
In many Arab countries, snow is prevalent in this season. In previous years, Egypt has been hit by snow and temperatures have fallen to near zero. This is one of the problems that breeders may face.
When the temperature is very low, the body tries to adapt to this decrease by maintaining the temperature of the internal organs important, so the blood is drawn and directed to these places, especially the internal organs and left limbs.
The extremities of the dog at this time will be severely cold because the blood is not pumped enough, these limbs are in the ears, claws and tail mainly.
When this occurs, the temperature of the extremes will be reduced and frozen and may be completely damaged.
Unfortunately, this process is not visible, you will not see any sudden change happening on the sides to let you down and freeze. But over time the sides may turn pale, and the parties may gradually freeze.
When exposed to heat, the dog will experience severe pain. Unfortunately, the frostbite bite is very bad and can lead to organ amputation.
Keep the temperature of the place where the dog sits and not leave it in open spaces such as the roof of the house, the garden or the balcony of the house because these places are not equipped and warm enough.
Sudden drop in body temperature
Low body temperature is the second risk that your dog may face in the winter. This may happen because your dog spends long periods of time at low temperature, or because of being wet in the winter or exposing the dog to cold weather during periods of illness.
You will notice in simple cases that your dog trembles, and you will notice the coolness of the limbs such as the ears and feet.
But in advanced cases it is possible to show signs of depression on your dog as well as will appear to be idle and general weakness as may harden the muscles and decrease heartbeat as well as less breathing and gradually decreases awareness of the dog.
Therefore, advanced conditions may threaten the life of the dog and lead to death if not serviced.
How do I know that my dog feels cold?
In general, if the weather is so cold you can not get out without a coat, this weather is definitely cool on your dog as well. So do not walk your dog during periods of low temperature especially in the evening, and avoid leaving him outdoors in this environment.
You will notice that your dog is crying, barking in a manner that foretells pain, or you may notice that it stops playing and will begin to look for a place to hide in because it feels cold.
In general, large populations of dogs may tolerate temperatures up to 13 ° C before they begin to worry if they fall below this figure, whereas in small dog species the temperature drops below 15 ° C. This weather without sufficient precautions.
Also, if the temperature is low there are some precautions to take and because prevention is better than treatment, you should follow the following tips in the winter with your dog.
1 - Keep your dog warm while walking out of the house
Some dogs have thick furry hair that protects them from the cold and helps them to get warm. Sometimes they may be cold enough, but most dogs do not have heavy fur to help them keep warm, especially when temperatures drop.
So be careful to warm your dog when going out in cold weather in the winter.
There are some clothes that are sold at pet stores that help to warm dogs during low temperatures. Make sure that the coat is a suitable size for your pet.
To be properly heated, you should choose a coat that covers the dog from the neck to the base of the tail, and should also protect the abdomen adequately.
But the coat will not protect your dog from frostbite because the coat will not cover the ears, claws or tail, so keep your dog out of the house for long hours in the harsh cold.
2 - Show your dog to the sun in winter
When going out with your dog in the winter, be sure to choose the times when the sun shines so you can help the dog feel warm on the cold days of winter.
Melt in the late morning hours from 10 am to 12 pm or from 3 pm to 5 pm. Avoid as much as possible in the evening.
You should also practice activities with your dog in times of sunshine. Sun rays supply the body with vitamin D. So make sure your dog benefits from Vitamin D and also benefits you equally.
3 - Do not leave your dog in the garden or the roof of the house in the winter
Dogs need to stay indoors and warm in winter with low temperatures.
So we always recommend a safe room with adequate heating in the winter.
Do not leave dogs outdoors in the winter without adequate heating, as this may lead to infection with avian diseases and possibly death.
4 - Provide a warm and comfortable bed for your dog
In addition to not leaving your dog in the open during the winter and cold weather, you should also provide a comfortable and comfortable bed for your dog and not let your dog sleep on the floor.
Choosing the right size for your dog is a very important point so keep the body temperature of the dog and therefore keep the dog joints from any sleep injuries on the tile or ceramic.
Choosing your dog's sleeping place is also important. Do not leave your dog sleeping next to windows or doors where it is very easy to sneak into it. It is always better to choose a well ventilated place while at the same time warm enough.
5 - Keep your dog away from the heater
Due to the extreme cold in the winter, the dog will try to find any source of warmth so the dog may try to sit next to the heater or contact it.
Of course, this may burn your dog's body due to the intense heat coming from the heater.
So make sure the heater is in places that are difficult to get from your dog and you should take precautions that prevent the burning of your dog's body inadvertently.
6 - Make sure to moisten the body of the dog
Due to extreme coldness some problems may occur to the dog's skin. Skin may become dry or crusty due to extreme cold.
So you can add some moisturizers to the body, as you can add some dietary supplements to your dog's food so as to help your body's moisture.
For example you can add fish oil, or coconut oil to your dog's food weekly.
You can also paint the claws, ear and tail of the dog with coconut oil if you notice a dry skin or cracking due to cold.
7. Make sure your dog does not get obese in the winter
Due to stay at home most of the time and lack of kinetic activity due to coldness, the dog may become obese because the dog breeder tries to feed the dog several times to resist cold.
So you should watch the dog's food table in the winter and be careful not to provide any additional meals as well as you can visit the veterinarian from time to time to see the weight of the dog.
8. Provide clean water permanently
Although dogs do not need as much water as they need in the summer, dog owners may fall into this problem and forget to provide clean water to the dog.
So be sure to provide a clean source of fresh water for your dog in the winter, and you should monitor your dog's habits and if not drinking enough quantities of water consult your veterinarian.
9 - Comb hair in winter necessities
Some believe that combing the hair of dog fur is done only in the summer, but in fact combing hair in the winter helps to isolate the dog's body and reduce as cool as possible.
Hair combing is more important if your dog is living outside the house, whether in the garden, on the roof of the house or even if he spends some time outdoors in cold weather.
10 - Clean the claws of the dog after walking
Due to winter rains, some water may be attached to your dog's claws and to the hair between the placenta, which increases the likelihood of some diseases that may occur in the wet ground.
So be sure to wash the claws of your dog when returning from abroad to avoid the risk of licking the dog to the foot and the transfer of any disease to him.
11. Talk to your veterinarian about your dog's care
Visit your veterinarian before the start of the winter is very necessary, the veterinarian will give you more instructions that relate to the situation of your dog in detail.
For example, dogs that are three years old or older become susceptible to arthritis in dogs that become more severe in the winter.
Cool air reduces the flexibility of the joints and reduce the amount of fluid between the joints so your veterinarian will show you some exercises that will maintain the flexibility of the joints of the dog and will avoid any problems.
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