Mary Allen
When dogs and cats romp through the snow, they also have to deal with the snow in their hair. It is particularly annoying between the balls of the feet and on the ears. In addition, one often finds a wide variety of grit, stones, and ashes as well as salt. Paw care must therefore be taken immediately after a walk: Washing out residues of litter and snow from between the toes and then applying some fat (Vaseline, milking fat) protects the skin and keeps it supple. If it is also well greased before the walk, it is well protected from the aggressive water. This also applies to the nose leather: it tends to become brittle and cracked in winter. The lying areas on the elbows or hocks, which are mainly found in older dogs or dogs that are mainly kept in kennels, are now sore quickly and benefit from a little fat.
The wintry temperatures themselves do not bother dogs and cats much. They have excellent insulation due to their fur and a layer of subcutaneous fat of varying thickness. Body movement generates waste heat, which – as with the heating of a car – is used to maintain body temperature. Just as a car only warms up after it has been running for a certain amount of time, an animal also needs a certain amount of time to warm up. It also cools down quickly during breaks. A break should therefore only be as short as necessary.
After a winter walk, a small snack is allowed. And then a cozy and cuddly warm resting place is a real treat for people and animals.
Colds: The order of the day in winter
Respiratory infections:
The common cold occurs in all animal species as well as in humans. In addition to the appropriate pathogens (viruses such as bacteria), cold stimuli of various kinds are triggers. After a sometimes highly feverish phase, the purulent stage occurs. The greatest risk of infection, e.g. for other animals of the same family, is in the feverish phase because the pathogen is often only excreted for hours to 2 days. Light infections can be eliminated by warmth, rest, and, if necessary, inhalation of chamomile tea. If symptoms persist for more than 2-3 days, an examination and treatment should take place. In particular, purulent sputum must be treated. Many serious lung diseases started with a delayed little cold.
Urinary tract infections:
A urinary tract infection can occur in two ways: First, a pet can literally “get a cold.” The inflammation then rises via infection of the urethra and is associated with cold irritation of the abdomen. These are often patients who suffer from urinary tract infections more frequently. There is an organic immune deficiency here. However, the much more common route is hematogenous, i.e. via the bloodstream, and is usually caused by a cold of the upper respiratory tract or intestinal inflammation. The pathogens have reached the bloodstream and spread throughout the body in the sense of blood poisoning. Since the kidneys are very well supplied with blood (about 20% of cardiac output flows through them), germs can very quickly get stuck in the microscopically fine kidney filter. In some cases, very violent antigen-antibody reactions occur, which can also significantly restrict organ function in the long term. Occasionally, this even leads to the excretion of bloody urine, which is particularly visible on a light-colored surface such as snow. Any bloody excretion should be clarified immediately and, if necessary, treated with kidney-penetrating antibiotics. Kidney function can usually be preserved if the reaction is rapid. Once curtailed, full recovery is impossible.
Gastrointestinal infections:
The most important precursor to intestinal infection in winter is eating snow. Dogs and cats have a lot of fun letting the snow melt in their mouths. Nevertheless, this is often the beginning of vomiting and later diarrhea. Play with your animal in the snow, but for this reason, only allow them to eat snow to a limited extent. Throwing snowballs is just as interesting. The same applies to the absorption of cold puddle water.
Some dogs even jump into the cold Rursee in winter. As long as they are used to it, there is nothing wrong with that. Finally, a “hardening” also takes place in the animal. But after a bath in cold water, good shaking and vigorous movement are particularly important to warm up the body again.