By: Hafsah Tihami

The easier it is to keep the animals you love the tougher it is to manage them at per their ease. Dealing with conditions from environmental to behavioral changes often gets arduous for owners. Most life-threatening conditions arise from silly mistakes committed due to inattention. This blog will help you to overcome and become cautious about these mistakes to avoid your animal being in trouble. 

Starting from the feed, your pet’s daily requirements for proteins & energy must be fulfilled. You can consult a veterinarian for the requirements and as per need select the commercial food products. Most foods available have 18-32% or 26-36% proteins. For proteins, most sources are animal sources like fish, chicken & turkey & for carbohydrates, cereals are added. The recommended foods are royal canon (dogs, kitten, adult, and 11months variants), mera (finest fit, classic), happy dog, and Nutra gold. Next tackling weather changes isn’t easy. Most animals reach live threatening state after being exposed to extreme hot or cold weather. Our country Pakistan has extreme variations in temperature like extreme hot summers, while on the other hand cold winters. Summer is the longest season. With the comforts of summer seasons, consequences for pets come in handy. Things get really intense when the temperature gets high in peak summer months beginning from May to mid of July. Even at night temperature stays high. In these circumstances, rising parasitism (canine heartworm), opportunistic infections, as well as the temperature itself is a serious threat. Here follow few instructions to keep pets safe. It is lovely to spent outdoor time with these companions but you being over-eager can spell danger. Avoid taking your pets outside. Reduce your pets’ exercise time. Limit it to early morning hours. Even the healthiest of pets can catch heat stroke & sunburns. Follow your pet’s signs like panting, rapid respiration, open mouth breathing & drooling of saliva as it will reflect his body battling to cope up with activities and body temperature. Do not rely only on fans since they do not cool off pets as they cool off people. Give your pet proper baths 3-4 times per week in summer. You can trim your dog’s long hairy coat but you never shave it. These layers of coats protect them from sunburn & overheating. Always have an emergency kit available with things that your veterinarian will recommend. Then, never leave your pets inside cars/vehicles parked for inside temperature gets rapidly increased within minutes.  72 °F outside the car may heat up to 116 °F within an hour. Your car will be a death trap for your pet. Pet may die due to heatstroke. Your pet will pant to evaporate the moisture from the lungs, but if humidity is high they will not be able to do that.

Well most of us are somehow more aware of risks posed by warm weather but the threats cold weather can pose, most of us remain unaware. Pets have their cold tolerance ranges that are based upon their coat & body fat, health & activity. Consult a veterinarian to determine the temperature limits of your pet. Keep your pets inside the house. It’s a common disbelief that cats & dogs tend to be more tolerant to cold due to their fur, but it is untrue. They suffer sudden hypothermia, frostbites & cold shocks when left outside for a long period of time. Thick/ Long coat pets are colder tolerant but that doesn’t mean the risk doesn’t exist for them. On contrary, thin/short hair coats suffer chills more often as they get less protection. If you are having short-legged breeds (spaniel, bulldogs & corgi), they have their bodies & bellies near to the ground so may become cold faster. Pets having kidney diseases, hormonal imbalances & diabetes face a harder time regulating their body temperature so are more susceptible. Cover your animal with a sweater or coat as you like for yourself. Shorten your walks with dogs, to protect them from weather-associated health issues. If you can’t keep them inside, then provide your pet with cozy sleeping places with safe options to change their posture as per their needs. The bedding should be thick, warm & wind directions prevailing away from it if kept outdoors. Feed your animal well in winter. Make fresh water available 24/7. A good metabolic rate generates energy and heat in the body, but do not overfeed. Some owners believe that extra weight will give extra protection from cold, but the health risks caused by overweight do not make it worth it. Maintain the body condition of your pet in a healthy range. You can consult a veterinarian to know about your pet’s nutritional requirements in winter. You should be a keen observer to recognize the problems. If the pet seems anxious, shivering & whining seems weak & looks for warm places like your lap, these are signs of hypothermia. 

Check the paws for signs of cold-weather injuries, like cracked pads & bleeding. Provide them with a warm environment and always visit a veterinarian if things get out of your hand as soon as possible.

The author, Hafsah Tihami, can be reached at hafsahhp1@gmail.com