McHENRY COUNTY – Cold intolerance amongst animals varies depending on factors such as age, breed, and health, according to a Jan. 26 McHenry County Health Department news release, and should be taken into account, as well as signs of distress, to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
The signs of distress include shivering, tail tucked between legs, whining or anxiety, reluctance to move, lifting paws, and snow or ice buildup in paw pads or coat, according to the news release.
Maryellen Howell, director of the McHenry County Animal Control provides four tips to keep animals warm throughout the colder months, according to the news release.
Howell said if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pets, so even outdoor pets should be brought inside until the severe cold has passed. Avoid shaving pets to their skin and bathing them as often, Howell said, because a longer coat will provide more warmth.
Karen Larsen, practice manager at Pet Vet, said arctic breeds with double layered hair coats can sustain the cold longer, because that’s what they were bred to do. Arcic breeds include huskies, malamutes, bernese mountain dogs, anatolian shepherds, and akitas.
“All those dogs have hair coats that are designed to insulate and to keep them warm in the winter and tolerate longer and colder temperatures,” Larsen said.
Breeds with shorter hair, on the other hand, such as pitbulls, chihuahuas, and doxins, “don’t have any insulation, so they’re going to be less tolerant of the cold than the longer hair breeds,” Larsen said.
Howell said pets should not be left alone in a vehicle, as it can cause them to freeze to death. She said outdoor cats sometimes seek shelter underneath cars, so McHenry residents should bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give cats a chance to escape.
Larsen said wild, or feral cats that live in the neighborhood or reside in a barn are good at hunkering down in a corner where they’re out of the wind and protected to stay warm.
“The feral kitty population in the winter – their hair grows thicker, and then in the spring they start shedding that extra hair coat,” Larsen said.
Pet owners are advised to properly dry their pet’s feet and stomach after a walk to remove ice, salt and chemicals from their paws, Howell said. Massaging Vaseline into paw pads before going outside can help protect from chemicals in salt, she said.
If an animal is in immediate distress, McHenry residents should contact law enforcement, according to the news release.
