December Holiday Safety & Winter Ailments
While this is often a time with cherished memories, it can be also very stressful for people, plants and animals. Here are a few challenges winter and the holidays can bring.
Busyness – this certainly can apply anytime during the year, maybe more so in December.
Good for you and your animals is to take time once or twice per day to spend quiet time, maybe with soft music and very slow concentrated petting from head to tail. Do a quick physical and grooming every few days. Maybe rotate this time with different family members.
Other stresses – Noises, visitors’ stresses, people spending the night so different rooms, smells, too much attention, too little attention, emotions of everyone. Try to not relocate pet hang out spots (beds, cat trees, crates, etc.) Maybe make a holiday T-shirt that says “Ignore me right now, I’m chilling” or another that says “let’s Pet” or “lets play”. Most importantly – pay attention.
Possible dangers
Doors – Kids and visitors may let animals out
Holiday decorations
Candles
Advent calendars with chocolate and candy (especially xylitol – called birch sugar – and sorbital)
Trees – tether them securely, so they cannot fall over
Put cloth/straw/wood/non-breakable decorations low where animals may brush
Avoid tinsel & treated tree water
Presents UNDER the tree. May be best higher on a table.
Opening present time can be lots of fun with paper balls to chase, or roll up into. Be watchful of ribbons, foods and small pieces.
Foods
Alcohol, eggnog with a lot of alcohol could be very tempting.
Raisins – mince pies & other raisin containing – don’t panic if they eat a few
Many still eat grapes with no problem, but good to avoid.
Over feeding.
Holly mistletoe, poinsettia, gift plants you are not familiar with
Check-in, Checkup
As mentioned, pets can’t exactly articulate if they’re feeling bad, so it’s up to you to take notice. Every now and then, check your pet’s paws for signs of cold-weather damage or salt/ice in the pads. Beware of stiffness, coughs, sneezes, even hair coat changes – just as you do year around. Pets with respiratory conditions, or breeds with restrictive airways may experience increased breathing difficulties in cold air that constricts airways. Also take notice of any behavior changes, which could be symptoms for cold-weather triggered illnesses.
Arthritis
For some animals, winter is the worst time for joint pains.
For others, cold weather triggers other muscle pains.
For those in warm climates, they may get a lot more exercise in the cooler weather, so may also develop pains and stiffness. The homeopathic modality in this case would not be cold weather, rather worse from the exercise.
For more on arthritis, check out the forum at Holistic Actions – you can search and read for free, or become a member and post your concerns.
Schedule a coaching call with me if it persists.
Itchy skin
This is a common problem in the winter for both pets and their parents: dry, itchy skin. If it gets worse, excessive licking and inflammation can happen too. Humidifiers, Omegas, massage, brushing, flower essences, and all of the soothing treatments available. Article at my site.
Harsh winter weather can cause pets’ noses and pads to become cracked, chapped and calloused. To protect and treat this area, use balms, booties, great nutrition, and observing what triggers it as each animal is unique. Maybe for one they are fine until 20 degrees F, or fine except when dry and over 100 degrees in southern areas.
Healthy animals rarely have many skin problems and can tolerate a wider range of climates.
Intelligent Threads
Rarely do I really push products yet this is one that I feel rather strongly about for any kind of pains, including arthritis & maybe itchiness. At the AHVMA conference, a friend dragged me over to a booth as they were mostly packed up and said I must buy the socks. There was no time to ask about the technology and I bought a pair to wear as I was driving from San Diego to Florida. They seemed to help my sporadic toe pain, cramps and even leg pain. It was not dramatic. My friend and host in New Orleans had recently developed severe plantar fasciitis. Being on her feet at her homeopathic veterinary clinic all day, none of her holistic treatments had resolved the pain. I offered the pair I had been wearing for 5 days and within 2 minutes all her pain was gone, and stayed away all day – until about 8PM. She immediately ordered a pair. I have spoken with several veterinarians who have had great success with the pet products over the last 10 years.
Booties & Feet
If thick fur – no need
If already not as steady on feet/legs.
If cold enough for frostbite.
Freshly salted walkways.
- Trim down paw hairs(especially on long-haired dogs) to prevent ice balls from forming between pads and toes.
- Rub a wax product directly onto their paws. Musher’s Secret Paw Protection Dog Waxis a popular option among pet parents. It forms a breathable yet dense barrier that not only protects against the salt and cold but also helps with ice accumulation.
- Wipe down your pup’s feet, legs and belly when you return from your walk, just in case those areas picked up antifreeze, deicers or other toxic chemicals.
Clothing
Jackets, leggings, hats and more. If they need warmth in the house and therefore are wearing the clothing for a long time, I would try for organic cotton, organic wool alpaca wool, especially from people that are local and making things locally.
For outdoor wear waterproof is smart.
More severe cold weather problems
Hypothermia can occur when your four-legged friend is exposed to low temperatures for longer periods of time and can be fatal if not treated immediately. In 35 years of practice with animals from all over the world, I never had any with frostbite or hypothermia. Pets suffering from heart ailments and diabetes are at an increased risk of hypothermia during the cold months, especially if they get very wet from melting ice or snow.
Symptoms include shivering, weakness, lethargy, non-responsiveness, heart changes and depression.
To check if your pet has hypothermia, take its temperature with a rectal thermometer. Hopefully you have trained your dog or cat to love having you do this for them. If the temperature is below 95°F, wrap the animal in blankets and take them to the vet, give rescue remedy or Stress stopper, consult your acute homeopathy notes.
Warmth – your body, blankets, moderate heating pads, massaging. Pay attention to changes in any of the signs and keep checking the temperature every 15 minutes. Once up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, turn off the heating pad as they can then overheat. By then they should be up and wanting to play anyway.
Frostbite
As a cold body draws blood from the limbs to the core in order to maintain a safe body temperature, ice crystals form in the tissues of the tips of the ears, tail, nose and paws, which can lead to tissue damage.
The symptoms of frostbite depend on how far it has developed. First-degree frostbite is characterized by hard skin on the nose, toes, ears or tail that becomes red and swollen when warmed. Second-degree frostbite leads to blistering on the skin, and third-degree results in darkening of the skin over a course of several days, increasing the risk of gangrene.
If you suspect your pet has frostbite, be sure to bring them inside right away and apply warm water to the frostbitten areas to help melt away the ice crystals, and restore normal blood flow. Massaging areas not affected can help. If any pain, do not massage that area. Head to the vet if concerned.
Antifreeze
While less toxic antifreezes are now available (added bitters or propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol), they are less used than I previously thought, so antifreeze poisoning is still fairly common when it comes to household pets and can be fatal. An article in 2022 said, “The Humane Society Legislative Fund estimates that at least 10,000-90,000 animals die each year from antifreeze poisoning.”
Small amounts, but not just one lick, are toxic – ½ teaspoon per pound. This would be ½ a shot glass for a 20# dog. The sweet taste of typical antifreeze attracts many different mammals and leaky cars are common.
First you will notice your dog acting drunk, and maybe increased urination. If within 30 minutes of being outside, especially on a walk, get to the vet ASAP. With quick treatment, the kidney damage can usually be reversed. Call your holistic veterinarian immediately as well, for deeper energetic treatments may be needed for complete recovery.
Prepare for blizzard/evacuation/ power outages
GPS dog collar may be good anytime of year.
Check out this great article by Jody –
https://jodylteiche.com/is-your-pet-disaster-prepared-checklist/