The winters are here and understanding how to take care of your dog during the season is important. Change in weather conditions, decreasing temperature and other dangers of winter may pose a number of expected and unexpected health threats to them.
Therefore, being a responsible pet parent, you have to take care of your best friend just as you would for yourself with proper clothes, food and restriction from unnecessary outdoor activities. Dr KG Umesh, Waltham Scientific Communication Manager, South Asia, Mars India said, “By taking some basic precautions and paying attention to the needs of your four-legged friend, responsible pet owners can help their dogs make it through the winter in good health. To keep your pet fit and healthy this season, make sure you’re maintaining an appropriate diet and following some simple indoor tips.
Feeding: Give your pet more food during cold weather than you do during hot months. Pets need extra food because exercising outdoors in cold weather takes more energy. However, be cautious that pets are more likely to gain weight during winter time and are more likely to suffer injury and illness than pets who maintain a normal weight range.
Exercise: Most Pets will not exercise by themselves, hence take advantage of breaks in the weather by taking short walks with your dog. Even a few minutes of exercise will help make a difference.
Dry Cleaning: Don’t neglect pet grooming in the winter. Your dog probably won’t get very dirty in the winter, and you may not need to bathe them. But if you do, it’s very important that you keep them warm after the shower. Don’t let them go outside until dried.
Hair Shedding: Hair loss is a common complaint with dogs in India. Photoperiod (light intensity) is the main factor behind nutrition, genetics, health that can cause dogs to shed hair excessively during some seasons. However, we suggest visiting a veterinary doctor and getting your dog examined to rule out any parasites like fleas, ticks, mange or allergy, hormonal imbalance, bacterial or yeast infection that causes hair loss.
Vaccination, De-worming and regular health check are important considerations during winter periods.