The season is changing, and as the temperatures are more steadily remaining around the zero degree mark, we are all taking precautions to ensure we stay warm and that our children stay warm. It’s also important, however, to be aware of the animals around us, who also like to stay warm in cold weather.

“Every different breed of dog is a little different, with their hair coat,” Kristin Caldwell, Veterinary Technologist with Prairie Animal Health Centres. “Some dogs have a double coat, so they’re quite warm.”

“An Alaskan malamute, even a Pomeranian, is a lot warmer outside than a chihuahua or a Labrador, who just has a thin, short hair coat,” she explained. “So, when you see animals that are starting to lift their paws, they’re not wanting to exhibit normal behaviour, or run after a ball or play, or they’re even shivering, at that point it’s time to come in.”

She said the other side of the changing weather is the precipitation, which, for many including pets, compounds the cold.

“The weather keeps getting cold and warming up, which can also be hard with pets, getting wet and getting chills, so it’s also important to make sure that you can thoroughly dry off your pet, so their internal body temperature doesn’t get too low,” said Caldwell. “When you get really wet and you’re cold for a long period of time, and it lowers your core body temperature, then we allow, just like ourselves, risk of disease and compromising our immune system.”

With cats, whether it’s your own or your neighbour’s, or even a feral cat, it is important to remember to be vigilant with vehicles throughout winter.

“Cats will seek warmth,” she said. “They will sneak into garages, they’ll sneak up under cars, so especially when you’ve come home and your engine is warm, and then you leave shortly after you’ve arrived home, it is important to check under the hood or give it a knock and make sure that you don’t have a stowaway underneath that hood, as cats particularly will like to climb up there and keep warm.”

Remember: if you’re cold, they’re cold.