The Amazing Adventures of Archibald Esq.

Health Hound: Staying Warm in the Cold

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Winter is upon us, and it’s worth remembering that even one day of cold temperatures can be harmful to the four-legged if their two-leggeds don’t take the proper precautions.

Sensibly enough, a good rule of thumb is if it’s cold outside for a two-legged, then it will be cold outside for four-leggeds. Most dogs develop a warm undercoat during the winter months, but short-haired dogs (like us smooth coated dachshunds) may like to wear a warm coat on nippy days.

When coming in from a long walk, make sure to check the pads of a hound’s paws, and remove any packed ice that may have formed over the course of walking. Excessive licking between the pads of the paw may indicate a problem. Make sure there are no pebbles or irritants in the paws, but if the licking persists, don’t hesitate to consult your local veterinarian as excessive licking of paws and legs is often a sign that there’s something wrong. Awooo!

Other areas of concern in wintertime include hazardous toxins. Antifreeze is a highly toxic chemical that many people use during the wintertime. It is toxic to animals but if they come in contact with the chemical they like to lick it. So store antifreeze appropriately where your pet cannot get to it.

Sometimes people change their car’s antifreeze in parking lots or by the side of the road — and it can leak out onto the ground where dogs can find it and ingest it. Which can be fatal. Yes: FATAL. So always be sure to dispose of this chemical properly. And strongly discourage your hound to lick the ground in parking areas!

Two-leggeds in charge of the health and wellbeing of four-leggeds should also be careful when using electric heaters indoors. Hounds are wont to lean against heaters and get burned. They may also take to chewing the wiring and getting themselves electrocuted!

Last but not least, if you happen to be keeping warm with a kerosene heater — be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning and equip your house with a carbon monoxide alarm.

Stay safe! Stay warm! And enjoy the crisp days of winter!

Awoof! Archie

Posted 10 Dec 08