The fur of dogs and cats might seem to humans to be sufficient to ward off the cold. But pets, like people, need extra protection if they spend much time outside, animal experts say.
“You should treat your dog or cat just like you’d want to be treated,” said Stacee Santi, a veterinarian at Riverview Animal Hospital in Durango.
Santi said she could speak only about dogs and cats.
The popular household pets put up with cold pretty well. But, Santi said, if the temperature drops to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, they probably could use some help.
An insulated outdoor shelter or a heat pad in one can make a pet house comfortable, Santi said. A jacket provides warmth or, better yet, if possible, keep a pet in the garage when the day dawns frigid, she said.
Older pets are like older people, requiring extra attention.
“If you have a senior pet, don’t put it outside,” Santi said. “It would be like putting grandma outside.”
Judson Crossland, a professional photographer, and his wife, Angela, who trains teachers in project-based learning at Mountain Middle School, don’t wait until the thermometer drops to 20 degrees.
They outfit their two dogs with jackets as soon as the temperature reaches freezing.
Sally, an 8-month-old German shorthair, and Jasper, a 10-year-old Weimaraner the couple rescued from oblivion, spend the day with Judson Crossland at his studio in downtown Durango.
“But if we go out for dinner, we leave the dogs in the vehicle with their jackets and a blanket on the back seat for comfort,” he said. “If we camp, they wear their jackets and spend the night between our sleeping bags.”
If outings involve walking in snow, Crossland said, he smears Vaseline on the dogs’ paws because wet snow tends to clump on their pads.
Diane McCracken, who since 1976 has operated Spring Creek Horse Rescue in Durango, Ignacio and currently in Gem Village, said the greatest need of equines, besides food and water, is shelter in the winter.
“A three-sided shed with a roof is enough,” McCracken said. “It keeps them out of the elements and out of the wind.”
If equines are healthy and have adequate shelter, they don’t need a blanket, McCracken said.
But horses need drinkable water, McCracken said. If water is too cold, they don’t drink a lot, or they tend to get gastrointestinal problems, she said.
McCracken recommended a water-tank heater to assure that horses have water they can drink.
Ideally, pets should be kept inside during cold weather, said Chris Nelson, director of animal services at the La Plata County Humane Society. If the pet must stay outside, it needs sufficient bedding or shelter to stay warm, he said.
Pet stores nowadays carry a variety of comfort articles to make winter weather tolerable to animal companions, Nelson said. Insulated shelters, sweaters and even boots are available, he said.
The Weather Channel’s website, www.weather.com, offers more than news, forecasts and maps. It advises pet owners to be alert for hypothermia and frostbite.
“The tricky thing about frostbite is that it’s not immediately obvious,” a pet-care bulletin says. “The tissue doesn’t show signs of damage for several days.”
Hypothermia can occur when an animal spends too much time outside, the bulletin says. In mild cases, the list of symptoms includes shivering, weakness and lethargy. In severe cases, the animal’s muscles will stiffen and its breathing will slow.
A pet owner should consult a veterinarian if the symptoms are noted, the bulletin says.
“People do love their pets,” said Melia Dey, a sales associate at Creature Comforts in Bodo Industrial Park. “They’re like their children or grandchildren.”
A range of insulated igloo shelters, indoor and outdoor heated pads, heated water bowls, hooded snow suits and innumerable models of sweaters, coats and vests occupies a corner of the 8,500-square-foot store.
“We restock this section three times during the season, beginning in October,” Dey said.
daler@durangoherald.com
