Some tips from the ASPCA for keeping your pet safe during very cold weather.  Read them as some may surprise you!

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.
    
2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
    
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

Tri-State residents are urged to practice caution over the holiday season as there is a significant uptick in pet-related emergencies, many of which are avoidable.

Some of these problems include gastrointestinal irritations that cause vomiting and diarrhea, such as pancreatitis from eating foods high in fat and an increase in animals being struck by vehicles.  

Here are some additional safety tips doctors from BluePearl:

•     Keep holiday decorations out of reach. Ingestion of metal or glass ornaments, ribbons and tinsel is a medical emergency. They can cause severe damage to the gastrointestinal tract.

•     Place holiday plants high off the ground. Ivy, holly, poinsettia, lilies and evergreens can be toxic to animals if ingested.

As the hot days of summer come upon us, BluePearl Veterinary Partners recommends taking certain precautions to ensure your pet doesn’t suffer from heat related injuries.

It is best to keep pets in an air conditioned environment during the heat of the day and to limit strenuous activities such as running and playing. If your pet does become overheated, spray the animal down with room temperature or cool water, but never ice water. Ice cold water causes a decrease in blood flow to the skin and heat can’t escape the body, which makes heat exhaustion symptoms worse.