[N/A] How cold is too cold for your pet?
- Thread starter Pi1otguy
- Start date
How cold izzzit?
2 degrees F.
Pancho has gone to the right place out in the snow, but she RUNS back inside a little quicker than before.
I just saw my resident squirrel jumping from tree to tree across the three trees in my front yard. I guess the ground is too cold.
2 degrees F.
Pancho has gone to the right place out in the snow, but she RUNS back inside a little quicker than before.
I just saw my resident squirrel jumping from tree to tree across the three trees in my front yard. I guess the ground is too cold.
cameronbm
Pre-takeoff checklist
Well its -12 here and my horses are all out standing in their field
They have free access to a barn should they wish to get out of the weather. I should point out that the ones that are wearing blankets are all more than 30 years old -- I figure they've earned the distinction.
Bruce
They have free access to a barn should they wish to get out of the weather. I should point out that the ones that are wearing blankets are all more than 30 years old -- I figure they've earned the distinction.
Bruce
dsb137
Filing Flight Plan
Collies like snow...
Pi1otguy
Pattern Altitude
Ok, so I guess the answer is that the animal well clearly let you know before anything happens. This may seem like a stupid question, but I'll ask since I've only been in snow about a half dozen times so far. I've held snow barehanded for a few minutes before and it starts to hurts after a while. I'm pretty sure my feet wouldn't be happy either if I took off my shoes and walked around. Now scaling it down for smaller mammals and looking at Dave's collie makes me wonder, do you guys have to take any precautions against frostbite from them walking in snow? I mean other then keeping snow/ice from accumulating between toes and such.
gibbons
En-Route
Capjac
Pre-Flight
I do not put anything on my pups feet. She has never had any problems with snow/ice build up in her paws, but my inside dogs have. Had a Cairn that had long hair around his feet and he would get snow balled up and begin limping. Had two rat terriers that would get cold feet and try to walk without putting their feet down, funny but sad.
Dogs that are used to being outside have tougher pads on their feet, so I think that probably helps them, along with being acclimated to the weather.
The only problem I have in the winter is when the snow crusts over, it will cut her ankles making her limp. I just keep her in the pen when it gets that way.
Dogs that are used to being outside have tougher pads on their feet, so I think that probably helps them, along with being acclimated to the weather.
The only problem I have in the winter is when the snow crusts over, it will cut her ankles making her limp. I just keep her in the pen when it gets that way.
Juliett
Pre-Flight
When her feet get wet I've been wiping her paws off when she gets back inside. The snow is now cold enough that her paws stay pretty much dry.
Like I said she doesn't seem to want to walk throw the snow when it covers the deck. I've been clearing a path for her.
I think the pads on the paws are thick enough to keep them from being too sensitive to the cold.
I did see her licking her paws yesterday.
Last edited:
wby0nder
Cleared for Takeoff
Beware that pets can pick up salt and other snow-melt substances on their feet which when licked off can make them sick. The harm might not be immediately apparent; it can be cumulative so even a little is undesirable.
dsb137
Filing Flight Plan
I know that they put 'booties' on sled dog's feet, but I don't know that that is for frostbite... A sled dog team will burrow into the snow to keep warm when they stop... I've seen some BC's with stuff frozen to their feet, and other than brushing it off before putting them up, nothing was done with seemingly no ill effects... BC's are a pretty tough lot, and they seem to be bred for rough climates... That pic of Mic makes him look pretty big, but it's all fur... I don't know about other dogs, but Collies seem to be OK for the duration of their work, not that they won't push and shove to get next to the fire when it's quitting time...
YeashIknow. There's no salt in the back yard.
Rock salt hurts their feet.
I had a dog that when we walked down city sidewalks in winter used to lower her belly to the ground and lift all 4 paws in the air.
Here's is a very mystified and annoyed puppy. The snow did come up nearly to her belly.
I could see the gears turning. She had to decide whether bounding out into the cold stuff or stopping short and having me being mad at her were worth it. She choose the comfort over the daddy.
In the end I got a round tuit and hand-shoveled the whole deck to make Princess happy. Otherwise, I would have been perfectly OK waiting for the stuff to melt on its own. Then I asked myself exactly what I was getting out of this deal.
I could see the gears turning. She had to decide whether bounding out into the cold stuff or stopping short and having me being mad at her were worth it. She choose the comfort over the daddy.
In the end I got a round tuit and hand-shoveled the whole deck to make Princess happy. Otherwise, I would have been perfectly OK waiting for the stuff to melt on its own. Then I asked myself exactly what I was getting out of this deal.
Attachments
Pi1otguy
Pattern Altitude
Watched him a few more times and realized he's not cold. He's shivering because he's afraid of being left along in our yard. I guess it's because its not his yard and alot of cats pass through at night possibly leaving some scent trail. I can't even get within a dozen ft without him barking and running away.
60 degrees is cold? I keep my house at 58 when I'm not here and at night when I am asleep. My poor cats!
I think "too cold" depends on both the breed and if the individual animal is acclimated to the temperature. Here is a picture of my cat, who is an indoor cat with a wimpy house cat coat, wishing she was outside with the neighbor cat who doesn't seem to mind the cold at all. Of course, if my cat got out, she would be inside in an instant. Ewww, what is this cold wet, white stuff...
Your neighbor has a beautiful cat. The cat I had growing up in St Louis, after a big snowstorm, I tossed her out into the snow to see what she would do (about 28" of powder) and she freaked out for a moment, then stopped when she saw the birds at the bird feeder. Then it dawned on her that she could use the snow as cover to stalk the birds. After that, she was fine in the snow.