12/01/2025
Winter Dangers
With the snow sticking around it is important to remember how to stay safe with your pet and what dangers to look out for.
❄️ Anti-Freeze Poisoning - The worst of all the winter-time chemical spills is antifreeze, which can leak from a car’s radiator. Ethylene glycol, as it’s officially known, is highly dangerous. It is sweet tasting and palatable and even a relatively small quantity can cause potentially fatal kidney damage. In the early stages, your dog may appear drunk. If you know or fear your dog has ingested ethylene glycol contact your vet without delay. The prognosis becomes poorer the longer the delay between ingestion and the beginning of treatment.
❄️ Salt Grit - Salt and other chemicals used to grit roads and pavements can be an irritant to your dog’s pads, especially if they have any small abrasions, so we would advise wiping their paws with a cloth and warm water when you get home.
🥶 Hypothermia- Slim dogs with a short hair coat, such as greyhounds and chihuahuas, can feel the cold and you may find that as your dog gets older he starts to feel the cold more. Dogs are just as sensitive to cold weather as people, and hypothermia is a risk if they’re exposed to extreme temperatures. Most dogs will be fine without a coat while exercising, but if you are likely to spend long periods outside you should consider buying one. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that some breeds, such as Alaskan malamutes and St Bernards, are well suited to cold environments and are unlikely to need a coat. Indeed they may well be uncomfortable with one on.
☃️ Ice balls - If we get a cold snap it’s great fun to get out and about with your dog. But it’s important to keep a regular check on their paws as ice and snow can ball up in the space between their toes and there is also the risk of frostbite.
