Cold Weather Tips
by Jay Bianco| Maltese Dogs Cold Weather Tips |
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by Jay Bianco |
| 1998© All Rights Reserved |
As winter's cold weather moves in across much of the country there are a number of things you should do to "winterize" your Maltese.
Warm your Maltese slowly by wrapping in a blanket and placing a hot water bottle or a heating pad under the blanket, not directly on him or her. A hair dryer may be directed toward your Malese for passive warming. If your Maltese does not quickly show signs of consciousness and a normal shivering mechanism, it can be placed in a tub of warm (105 to 110 degrees F.) water until veterinary care is available. Frostbitten tissues appear leathery and hair may appear white; handle these fragile tissues gently. The extent of the damage may not be obvious for several days.
Ice-melting chemicals and salt placed across sidewalks and roads can cause severe burning to your Maltese's footpads. Whenever possible, avoid walking your dog through these substances, and wash off his footpads when you return home. There are also products available such as Musher's Secret
which can be applied to your dog's footpads prior to going outside, that may help reduce the pain
that is often caused by road salt and chemicals.
Tinsel and Other Christmas Tree Ornaments
After the weather turns, it may take more than a month before your Maltese's coat reaches its optimum thickness. Shorten your walks or the time your Maltese spends outdoors and remember, that a Maltese dog does not develop a warm, insulated coat.
Or add more filling to your Maltese's bed. Beds provide a barrier from cold floors and your Maltese should have one. If you already have one and it's more than a year old, consider adding new polyfill so your Maltese can create more of a nest which will help them better retain their heat. Place the bed away from drafts, preferably near a heat register.
Especially useful for older Maltese and dogs with thin coats that are less tolerant to cold, they slip in between the liner and cover of beds and do an excellent job of keeping your dog warm.
Put one on for walks and before you let your Maltese out to relieve itself. Accidents are much more common in the winter since dogs often don't fully empty their bladders because they're hurrying to get back inside.
Hair between toes is a magnet for snow which can develop into ice-balls and lead to frostbite. Keep toe hair trimmed and remove snow from paws after a romp. Boots will prevent snow from becoming lodged between toes and also help prevent cuts from ice or crusty snow.
It doesn't take long for cars to lose heat and become fiigid. Even a few minutes in a feeezing car can cause hypothermia which can cause permanent damage or even death.
Cold exposure or hypothermia is most likely to affect your Maltese if it were to lose body temperature quickly. Especially susceptible are puppies and small breeds such as a Maltese. Frostbite can occur without suffering serious hypothermia. Areas most prone to frostbite are the tail, tips of the ears, and the footpads.To treat cold exposure cases:
Cold weather dries out the air in your,home which dries out your skin and hair as well as your Maltese. It is especially important during the winter to provide extra fatty acids for your Maltese in the form of a supplement like Vitacoat, Vitatabs Granules, or Vitacaps (especially if your Maltese has allergies). Supplements help keep your dogs skin well lubricated to control dander and itching and nourish hair follicles to prevent the coat becoming dry and brittle. You may also want to add a biotin supplement which can help your dogs body break down fatty acids so they can be used efficiently.
Be very careful that your Maltese doesn't get access to anti-freeze. If ingested, anti-freeze (ethylene glycol) is often lethal -- even in very small quantities. Because many
dogs and cats like its sweet taste, there are an enormous number of animal fatalities each year from
animals drinking anti-freeze. Poisoning from anti-freeze is considered a serious medical emergency
which must be treated by a qualified veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
When ingested by a dog (or cat), tinsel may cause obstruction of the intestines, and the tinsel's sharp edges can even cut the intestines. Symptoms may include: decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, listlessless and weight loss. Treatment usually requires surgery.
