5 common winter illnesses for pets
Just like humans, animals are prone to getting sick in the cold winter months. Below are five of the most common illnesses, what you can do to prevent them, and the best course of treatment should they be unavoidable.
Hypothermia
- What is hypothermia? Low body temperature caused by exposure to cold.
- Cause: Extended exposure to cold weather and especially wet fur that freezes.
- Prevention: Limit the amount of time spent outside during the winter months, protect your animal’s paws with booties, and consider a sweater or jacket to help keep them warm.
- Symptoms: Shivering, lethargy, listlessness.
- Treatment: Swaddle them in warm blankets, with a hot water bottle, and go to the vet as soon as possible.
Frostbite
- What is frostbite? Tissue damage, usually to the extremities.
- Cause: Extended exposure to cold temperatures, snow, and ice.
- Prevention: Just like with hypothermia, you want to limit the amount of time spent outside during the winter months, protect your animal’s paws with booties, and consider a sweater or jacket to help keep them warm.
- Symptoms: First degree frostbite exhibits as pale, hard skin on their fingers, toes, and nose that becomes red and swollen when warm. Second degree leads to blisters on their skin, and third degree is a darkening of the skin over time, making gangrene a risk.
- Treatment: Apply warm water to affected areas, contact your vet immediately, do NOT[…]
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