Winter Care Advice

Keep the animals in your life warm and healthy in winter by following these essential tips.

Dogs

■ Coats and jumpers can keep dogs with short coats warm and snug in winter.

■ Try to make sure your dog gets a walk no matter what the weather is like.

■ If it is unsafe for you to go out, make sure you provide other enrichment for your pet.

■ Trim the hair around your dog’s feet to help prevent painful iceballs forming between the pads and toes of the feet.

■ If you walk on treated pavements wash your dog’s paws after a walk because salt and grit can irritate their footpads. This will also prevent them from licking it off their feet.

■ If your dog is less active during the winter months, don’t forget to cut back a bit on what you feed him.

Cats

■ Most cats prefer to spend more time indoors, but if yours is the outdoors type ensure he has a warm place to shelter. When it’s really cold, keep him inside – pet cats can develop hypothermia and frostbite.

■ Cats are often tempted by the warmth to crawl into a car engine resulting in them being seriously injured or even killed when the engine is started. They might also venture somewhere they shouldn’t

DOG of the month

NAMe: coco

AGe: 5

BreeD: french Bulldog

Coco is a sweet little dog who will happily curl up in your lap and sleep for hours! She loves sleeping in and duvet days but she hates to go out in the rain. Coco is looking for an adult-only family that has no other pets. She has a few quirks, particularly around food preparation and they will need to be managed in the home. She can be shy during the getting-to-know-you process but you’ll be rewarded with the best little pal at the end of it.

If you think Coco could be the four-legged friend you are looking for, you can find out more by visiting Dogs Trust Merseyside’s page at www.dogstrust.org.uk. You can also follow the doggy ‘tails’ on Twitter @DT_Merseyside and Instagram, @dogstrust_merseyside and get trapped without food or water. If in doubt, keep your cat inside. Buy a litter tray and some litter in preparation.

RABBITS & GuINEA PIGS

■ Position a hutch so that wind, rain, snow or sleet can’t blow in. Cover the front with an old blanket or sacking and add extra bedding.

■ If the weather’s particularly bad, move the hutch into an unused garage or shed. It’s better to keep guinea pigs inside in winter, in a conservatory or unused garage.

■ You can get insulated water bottle covers for winter, nevertheless, check them regularly to make sure your pet can access water.

■ Your pet still needs to have access to their run during the day so they can get their regular exercise.

■ Provide lots of good quality hay as rabbits and guinea pigs need more calories to keep warm.

our thanks to the Blue cross for their photos & help with this feature.