Tip for week of Feb. 14:

Watch for bloody dog and cat tracks caused by cracked and frozen pads. Find the pets and help them get the care they need.

Paw pads do not protect dogs and cats from injury like your winter boots protect your feet

Dogs and cats can suffer from extreme weather just like people can, and their paws are no exception. You might be surprised to learn that injuries to thick paw pads and tender spaces between the pads are actually slow to heal, according to vetmedicine.about.com. Read about common risks to paws in cold and snowy conditions–which may be especially useful in the wake of recent storms in warm climates.

• Frozen pads: extreme cold, dry conditions cause pad surfaces to freeze or get overly dry, and they can crack open, causing bleeding. Companion animals who are susceptible to this need improved shelter, or better monitoring during playtime or walks.
• Ice balls between pads: consider a non-toxic spray “paw de-icer” for pets or try canine boots. Some rub petroleum jelly between the pads. If your dog has a lot of hair between the pads, keep the hair clipped short to prevent larger ice balls from forming.
• Salt and chemical de-icers: wash off their paws with a wet towel after walks, or use a bucket of warm water for paw-dipping, to ensure your pet won’t ingest toxic chemicals.
• Cut feet and legs: snow conceals sharp objects, so stay on known paths and walkways to avoid injury to your companion animal.

And a word of caution about antifreeze drips in the garage: it tastes sweet, and your furry friends may lick it; children might also! Even small amounts of antifreeze can be deadly! Wipe drips and spills immediately and clean the cement with a safe detergent. Some state legislatures are considering requiring antifreeze manufacturers to add a bitter flavorings to their formulations to prevent deaths of children and pets. Call your legislator to learn of any efforts in your state.

Weekly Watch Tip for Week of Feb. 7:

Watch for dogs running (exercising) with owners in frigid weather. Paws and lung tissue can freeze and dogs might not show obvious signs of distress. Speak with the owner.

Dogs and cats and other animals are not invincible!

Without thinking too much about it, many people seem to believe that animals have abilities to withstand nature’s worst, just because they are animals. Nothing could be further from the truth. Companion animals, domesticated animals, and wild animals are vulnerable to extreme weather to extents that are determined by type and breed, and also by the individual animal’s knowledge and experience. I’ve written this before: extreme winter weather will kill even healthy heavy-coated buffalo.

Runners in bitter winter weather might wear excellent gear from head to foot, complete with eye, nose, and mouth protection, and not consider for a moment their dog’s paws or lungs. And their valiant dogs might not show obvious signs of distress before collapsing. (Sled dog types are less susceptible to suffering in extreme cold weather.)

These runners might be intelligent, responsible pet guardians in most ways; they might love their companion animals very much. But could they have incorrect assumptions about animal invincibility? Yes, and vet clinics treat the four-legged victims of this misconception often during cold snaps.

Shout out if you see runners and their dogs braving the fierce winter cold to say that dog lungs can freeze. Even if you don’t appear to have an immediate impact, hopefully the runner will watch more closely for signs of discomfort in their dog.

Week of Jan. 3

Watch for dogs and cats anywhere near or on partially-frozen streams and lakes; they can break through. Keep your pets leashed. Speak with owners who let animals wander nearby.

A beautiful half-frozen New Jersey pond was a death-trap

A few days before Christmas in a New Jersey park, a man and his dog took a winter walk near a mostly frozen pond, but only the man came home. His dog wandered onto the ice and broke through. The man walked on the ice to try to rescue his canine friend, and he also fell in. He somehow managed to scramble out and went for help. He found police nearby, who immediately called the fire department. They used a ladder to pull the dog from the freezing water, and performed chest compressions to try to bring him back from death. But it was too late.

Where was the leash? With a leash, the dog probably could not have walked far on a half-frozen pond to even reach the dangerous thin ice. With a leash, the man might have pulled the dog out of the hole and across the ice, possibly saving his dog.

Did the man think his dog would somehow just “know” not to walk on ice? Or did the man just not think at all? Become fully aware of risks that threaten companion animals and their humans, and speak up when you see a problem. You may help save a life.