Spring Break
Weatherproofing your pet
Shannon Hurley
Issue date: 12/10/07 Section: News
For these reasons, along with incidence of disease and violence, outdoor cats will generally live to be about five years, while their indoor counterparts can reach the teens and even twenties.
Edible décor
Because dogs eat just about anything they come across and cats can be sneaky, supervision is paramount during the holidays. Decorations such as poinsettias, lilies, holly, mistletoe and even Christmas tree water present significant threats to a pet's health.
Holly can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy when consumed by your pet, and live mistletoe induces gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, Web site Poinsettia ingestion results in similar consequences. To be safe, artificial alternatives should be used.
Unsupervised pets may also venture under indoor Christmas trees and drink the water. Toxins and fertilizers from the tree seep into the water causing harm to pets.
Cold weather necessities like coolant and antifreeze are also particularly dangerous to an animal's well-being. Though it's obvious that consumption of these products is dangerous for pets, car leaks in driveways or streets are not always easy to see. Dogs can bring in the chemicals from outside and accidentally consume them when licking their paws.
What's worse, these toxins will result in certain death to pets. Using goods that contain propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol will help to keep animals safe.
Mittens for mutts
Though many pets have extra layers of fur and protection against the cold, some may be especially sensitive to the cold, like puppies, or lack an adequate coat to stay heated.
"My 3-year-old standard schnauzer's paws are sensitive to snow which means he usually does his business pretty quickly so he can get back inside," said Paul Simmons, a senior microbiology major. "It's completely opposite with my 2-year-old border collie-lab mix though, she loves to romp around in the snow and wants to play in the cold for hours."
Edible décor
Because dogs eat just about anything they come across and cats can be sneaky, supervision is paramount during the holidays. Decorations such as poinsettias, lilies, holly, mistletoe and even Christmas tree water present significant threats to a pet's health.
Holly can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy when consumed by your pet, and live mistletoe induces gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, Web site Poinsettia ingestion results in similar consequences. To be safe, artificial alternatives should be used.
Unsupervised pets may also venture under indoor Christmas trees and drink the water. Toxins and fertilizers from the tree seep into the water causing harm to pets.
Cold weather necessities like coolant and antifreeze are also particularly dangerous to an animal's well-being. Though it's obvious that consumption of these products is dangerous for pets, car leaks in driveways or streets are not always easy to see. Dogs can bring in the chemicals from outside and accidentally consume them when licking their paws.
What's worse, these toxins will result in certain death to pets. Using goods that contain propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol will help to keep animals safe.
Mittens for mutts
Though many pets have extra layers of fur and protection against the cold, some may be especially sensitive to the cold, like puppies, or lack an adequate coat to stay heated.
"My 3-year-old standard schnauzer's paws are sensitive to snow which means he usually does his business pretty quickly so he can get back inside," said Paul Simmons, a senior microbiology major. "It's completely opposite with my 2-year-old border collie-lab mix though, she loves to romp around in the snow and wants to play in the cold for hours."
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