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Winter Needs For Outside Pets Provide proper shelter, warmth, food, water, and exercise for dogs and cats during the winter months.

With the winter season quickly approaching it is time to think about pets that spend a majority of their time outside.

Dogs are pack animals and should be considered a part of the family. It is my opinion that if the dog is going to spend it's life in the back yard or in a pen or worse yet at the end of a chain, then what is the purpose in owning the dog? That being said, there are always going to be outside dogs and these dogs need special care during the winter months.

Temperature – If the temperature drops below freezing, please bring the animals inside, whether they are cats, dogs, rabbits, whatever. If its below freezing and the animals do not have proper shelter they could freeze to death. (I've seen it and it's not pretty). If the animals are absolutely not allowed in the house then consider setting aside a special place for them to winter in the garage or a barn. If they are in the garage keep in mind that animals are also susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.

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Arctic breeds – Many breeds of dogs can be traced back to the arctic, in some ways these breeds are going to be better equipped to handle the cold weather because they will have a thick undercoat to act as insulation. I can not possibly name all the breeds that can be considered arctic but some include: Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Husky, Alaskan Malamute, American Eskimo Dog, Akita, Finnish Spitz, Norwegian Elkhound, Shiba Inu, Chow Chow, and Black Russian Terrier. Owning an arctic dog does not mean you do not have to provide a warm shelter. These dogs need shelter during the winter too.

Shelter – If you own an arctic breed of dog it will still need a warm shelter to retire to. This shelter should be sturdy, with a floor. The floor should be 1 – 2" off the ground. The cold ground can literally suck the warmth out of your dog's body. By elevating the floor of the shelter and building the walls so that they touch the ground, you leave a pocket of air under the doghouse that can act as insulation. The roof can be peaked and shingled. Size matters,. Your doghouse walls should be 1 ½ times longer then the dog and 1 ½ times taller then the dog, measuring from the ground to the shoulders. If the doghouse is made too big, the air inside will not fully warm and the dog will use a lot of energy trying to stay warm.

Warmth - All animals that are going to spend the winter outside need warmth. I know some dog owners who keep their dogs outside and provide wonderfully for them. Most of these people own hunting dogs or are very active and spend a lot of time with their dogs. These dog owners are over achievers and have heated doghouses Heated doghouses are definitely the way to go for outside dogs but take care not to use portable heaters as a heat source. They can burn your pet or start a fire. Bedding will also be needed. Straw and cedar can lead to allergy problems so I would stick with rugs and blankets that can be laundered.

If the temperature drops and your pet is shivering then it is time to come inside. Older pets of any breed are more at risk for freezing then younger pets. Older dogs also suffer with arthritis which can be more troubling during the winter.

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Watch for frostbite, usually on ear tips, tail, and foot pads. Symptoms to look for include: ice on the body, shivering, affected tissues become red, then pale, then black. Seek help from a veterinarian if you suspect frostbite.

Some short haired breeds or companion dog breeds lack an undercoat and will need a doggy sweater if they are going outside for any length of time. Longer haired dogs should have the coat trimmed around their paws so ice and snow does not collect around the toes and pads. The coat should be brushed daily and checked for mats; a matted coat does not insulate as well as a healthy coat.

Food and Water – During the winter an outside pet may require more calories in order to maintain a healthy weight. It takes more calories to stay warm so watch carefully, take your pet to the veterinarian for weight checks if necessary. An older dog or cat will not be able to withstand the cold as well as a younger animal so especially watch for weight loss in senior pets.

Water should be provided in plastic bowls and kept ice free. If your water dish is metal the animals tongue could get stuck to the side. Remember being told not to stick your tongue to the flag pole?

Heated water bowls can be purchased at pet stores and on the web

Play and Exercise – Outside pets need to play and exercise during the winter as well as when it is warm outside. Many times owners become fair weathered and stop exercising their pets during the winter months.

Don't forget your furry friends during the winter, many health concerns can be found during play and exercise – watch how your pet moves, is it limping? Limping and slow to move from a down position to a standing position and vice versa, and a hesitancy to go up and down stairs could indicate joint problems. Many times joint problems can be helped with medications prescribed by a veterinarian, don't let your pet suffer in silence.

Also watch your pet for weight loss. Outside pets need a fat covering to act as insulation against the cold.

Spending more time with your pet will allow you to notice changes in your pets appearance and the way it moves and catch health problems sooner rather than later.

Additional Information – Keep pets away from rock salt as it can burn their paws. If your pet does walk through rock salt, wash its feet with warm soapy water immediately.

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Keep pets away from antifreeze; a very small amount will kill dogs and cats. If you see your pet swallow antifreeze get it to your veterinarian immediately. The sooner treatment is started the less damage is done to your pet's kidneys. If treatment is not provided your pet will die.

Cats like to find warm places to curl up and nap. Unfortunately during the winter many cats find their way into the hood of automobiles. During the winter, hit the hood of your vehicle several times to wake and scare the animal from the engine. Let;s face it, cats live longer as inside pets.

As economy falters, more people giving up pets

Owners are having to decide between animal care and bare necessities

 

A growing number of Americans are giving up their dogs and cats to animal shelters as the emotional bonds between people and pets get tested by the economy.

From the Malvern, Pa., man who turned his two dogs over in order to help pay for his mother's cancer treatments to the New York woman who euthanized her cat rather than keeping it alive with expensive medications, rising economic anxieties make it increasingly difficult for some pet owners to justify spending $1,000 a year or more on pet food, veterinary services and other costs.

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The population growth at animal shelters in Connecticut, Nebraska, Texas, Utah and other states shows how the weak economy is also shrinking the pool of potential adopters. And it coincides with a drop-off in government funding and charitable donations.

The effect has been cramped quarters for dogs and cats, a faster rate of shelters euthanizing animals and some shelters turning away people looking to surrender pets, according to interviews with several shelters and animal advocates. Of the estimated 6 million to 8 million dogs and cats sent to animal shelters every year, half are euthanized and the rest adopted, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

"It's definitely discouraging for us," said Adam Goldfarb, a Humane Society spokesman. "One of our major goals is to develop and celebrate the bond between people and animals. It's so tragic when families reach a point when they can't afford to care for their pets."

With two children, a husband on disability and a difficult job search of her own, 23-year-old Mel Bail of Worcester, Mass., had begun feeding leftovers from family meals to her three cats — Rory, Ozzy and Mudpie — before recently deciding to give them up.

"When I couldn't pay my gas bill, I knew I had to find another home for the cats," Bail said.

But it wasn't easy to find a shelter that would accept them. "They're completely full," said Bail, who ultimately turned to online classified ads to find homes for Rory, Ozzy and Mudpie.

There is no nationwide data being collected on the reasons dogs and cats are being abandoned by their owners, but shelter managers and advocates for animals say the trend is undeniable — and probably a bigger phenomenon than they are aware of.

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"People are embarrassed to admit that's why they're giving up their pets," said Betsy McFarland, the Humane Society's director of communications for companion animals.

An Associated Press-Petside.com poll found that one in seven owners nationwide reported reduced spending on their pets during the past year's recession. Of those cutting back, more than a quarter said they have seriously considered giving up their pet.

The average annual cost of owning a dog is about $1,400, while the average annual cost of a cat is about $1,000, according to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association. The survey suggests there are some 231 million pets — excluding fish — in more than 71 million homes in America.

In Omaha, Neb., the Nebraska Humane Society's shelter began tracking for the first time this year those pets given up because of financial constraints. Through mid-November, more than 275 pets were given up because their owners said they couldn't afford to keep them.

Among them are two 9-year-old miniature schnauzers, dropped off anonymously with a note that said their owners could no longer afford to keep them.

Humane Society spokeswoman Pam Wiese said the obedience-trained purebreds came into the shelter up-to-date on vaccinations and dental care and were well-groomed.

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"It is really sad, because for these people, it is not an excuse. They are absolutely stuck, and they need to downsize and there is no one to take the pets," she said. "You can tell these have been much-loved pets."

In New York, Erin Farrell-Talbot recently made the decision to euthanize her 15-year-old cat, Buki, when she was told within days of losing her job that he would need thousands of dollars in treatment and medications costing $65 a month to live.

"When it came down to whether I was going to charge food for the month of September or give medicine to my cat, that was a clear decision for me," Farrell-Talbot said. "It was horrible. It killed us."

The Animal Humane Association in Albuquerque, N.M., saw 69 dogs and cats turned over through September because the owners couldn't afford to keep them. That compares with 48 in the same period in 2007 — a 44 percent increase, said executive director Peggy Weigle.

In response, Weigle's shelter began a program to open its emergency pet shelter — normally reserved for battered women needing a place to keep their pets for a while — to those suffering financially. So far this year 45 pets have been taken in through the emergency program, compared with eight the previous year.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Virginia Beach, Va., recently began a program called Help Out Pets Everywhere (HOPE) to provide food, medical care and temporary homes for pets belonging to families with financial difficulties. Eighteen applications were received within the first week.

The program received 18 applications within its first week. Some of those people have never experienced hardship until now, and therefore, neither have their pets, McNally said.

"It's been devastating," said Amy McNally, a spokeswoman for the program. "For somebody to say, 'I can't afford to feed my dog' — it's a humbling time."

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© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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