Some cat tips: Cats should be kept inside as much as possible. Cats can freeze outside during these low temperatures.

Another good reason to keep the cats indoors is that cats frequently sleep under cars, under hoods & in wheel wells. I’m sure if you own a cat that goes outside, you have seen or experienced one of these. I personally had taken in a stray that was found in a wheel well of someone’s car. She was pregnant, and had a litter of kittens. I finally departed with the kittens & had the Mom spayed. It was wintertime. I get a knock on the door; the tenant down stairs had run over the poor cat that sought shelter under his car when it was warming up.

There are some dog tips that are just as real. Please never allow your dog off a leash during a snowstorm. The dog can lose their scent & lose their way home. Again another story of a customer that lost his 14-year-old dog. She went out in their yard during the storm. Due to the storm, a fence was blown down & the poor old dog with failing eyesight wandered away & was hit by a car.

Remember that ice & snow needs to wiped from your dogs paws as they enter the home. We need to clean the animal’s paws to remove all traces of ice melt. This is a chemical that can be toxic if the animal is allowed to lick it off their paws themselves.

Always be aware that short haired & smaller dogs require a coat or sweater. There is quite a selection now days. Shorthaired dogs do not have the extra fur that will keep them warm. It is our job to keep them warm.

Older dogs as well as puppies, just like people, are not tolerant to the cold. They say to paper train your puppy during the winter months, rather than train it to go outside. Also remember that there will most likely be bowel or bladder accidents during these months. When the snow starts getting deep, animals find it difficult to navigate around in the snow to relieve themselves. These dogs rely on us to provide them with a trail. So when shoveling remember to make an extra little path for the dog to find an elimination area.

The most important thing to remember is the deadly nature of antifreeze. This chemical in even the smallest of doses can kill an animal. Unfortunately the antifreeze is sweet & all the creatures are attracted to it. So please be careful to not leave antifreeze open & certainly not leave puddles.

This is my final story for today. Last spring when cleaning the back deck, Marc & I came across a baby raccoon. I initially thought the creature had died from the cold. After speaking with our neighbor, we found out that he had flushed out his radiator during the day. Later that night he saw a baby raccoon lapping up the puddle. So we found out that the poor baby died as a direct result of antifreeze. So again please be careful. Thanks & try to stay warm.

Anne Marie Hirsch
Owner of Lakeside Grooming
She presently owns 8 cats & 2 dogs
e-mail questions to: lakesidegrooming@townedigest.com