Winter Hints

Chilly winds, frosts and low temperatures can bring discomfort to our pets, especially those that live outdoors, but there are simple steps that can make our pets warm up to winter.

Arthritis is condition which causes inflammation and pain of the affected joints. Cooler temperatures exacerbate arthritis and the resulting lameness and PAIN is seen as increased stiffness in movement. This can be extremely debilitating especially to the elderly or those with a previous injury. Some pets are pain tolerant and can hide their symptoms. I have known seemingly normal dogs which have shown dramatic improvement in general daily activity after anti-arthritic therapy is instituted.  Some signs that arthritis is affecting your pet include limping, stiffness when walking, difficulty rising, climbing stairs, reluctance to walk or play, licking at joints and many more.  If you see any of these signs in your pet, please contact us for an arthritis assessment on your pet.

All pets can benefit from a warm coat. For your arthritic pet, a coat when outdoors can retain body heat and reduce the cold reaching the all-important joints. While we encourage activity, long slow walks are preferred to explosive type exercise like ball chasing.  Slow controlled exercise helps the joints to move and increase their range, whereas explosive exercise and play can cause the arthritis to worsen! There's a great range of winter wear available for pets, we have a great selection for large and small and everything in between in our store.

Sheltering your outdoors pet in an "animal-house" or kennel in winter is very important. Poor bedding, wind and drafts decrease the circulation around the joints they are resting on. So keep them up off the ground on a raised bed or mattress. Even old blankets are great. For those pets known to "feel the cold", a microwave heated WHEAT BAG has great value (Please note: when hot water bottles go cold, they act as a heat "sink" and can make pets lose heat rather than keep warm).

If you use the garage as a pet winter retreat, be careful where you store common household poisons.  Chemicals such as anti-freeze, ratsack and snail bait are all sweet tasting to pets, and ALL CAN BE FATAL. Keep harmful substances well out of paw or nose reach in the garage. The only safe place for poisons are locked cabinets and latched cupboards.

If any of the above applies to your pets, or you have unanswered questions from this article, don't hesitate to phone us on 02 6884 9900 or contact@dmvs.com.au . We care for you and your pets.