West Newsmagazine 1-9-19

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Weather Advisory: Taking care of
Fido when the mercury falls
By JIM ERICKSON
When the temperatures start to fall and
the four-legged member of the family isn’t
all that excited about making the trip outdoors
for some exercise or to check out
the good looking French poodle down the
street, what’s an owner to do?
The response, according to those well
versed by training or experience, is there
isn’t a one-answer-fits-all reply.
“Dogs tend to be more tolerant of the
cold than we humans are, but a good rule
of thumb is that if outdoor conditions are
not comfortable for you, they may not be
for them either,” noted Dr. Evan Klein, a
veterinarian who works with the Petropolis
Pet Resort in Chesterfield. Problems caused
by cold weather are more commonly found
in younger and elderly animals, he added,
but some situations are going to pose difficulties
for almost any dog.
Dr. Emily Leonard, of Cherry Hills Veterinary
Hospital in Grover [Wildwood],
said pet owners might believe that preventatives,
such as those for flea, tick and heart
worm, are not necessary during the colder
months. However, that simply isn’t true,
she said, because our climate in Missouri
is conducive to those pests living all year.
“It is so important to use those preventatives
year-round to make sure your pet
is protected from the diseases that are
carried by fleas, ticks and mosquitoes,”
Leonard said.
Just like snowflakes, no two dogs are
exactly alike. Fred Brenner, of Ballwin,
offers an experience with his two female
bloodhounds that illustrates how two dogs
close to identical in age and size can have
different behaviors when it comes to cold
weather and the elements that often accompany
it.
After December’s wet snowfall dumped
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Fred Brenner’s bloodhounds Ellie [left] and Scout
Klein said he recently saw a dog traveling
in the back of a pick-up truck. The
temperature was just above freezing, he
said, but the wind chill on the animal as the
vehicle sped down the road was considerably
less than that.
Dressing for the weather helps humans,
but Klein said he’s not certain that dog
coats and sweaters are that helpful for pets.
“They aren’t harmful, but does every dog
need that kind of thing? I think not,” he
observed.
In regard to dog boots or socks, Klein
said, “If you can get them to stay on and
your pet isn’t trying to get them off all the
time, they can help protect a dog’s paws,
especially when it’s snowy or icy.”
One thing is certain: There’s no shortage
of designs, materials and colors of these
outerwear products available. At Pet Supplies
Plus in Ballwin, pet owners can find
everything from hats to boots to Cardinals
and Blues attire.
[Jim Erickson photo]
about 5 inches in his yard, Scout T. Bloodhound
[the T stands for “The”] enjoyed
running through it and doing an imitation
of a canine snowplow, Brenner said. Ellie
[same middle initial and last name] didn’t
go for such antics and quickly let it be
known she preferred the warmth of the
family home, thank you very much.
Scout is just over 2 years old and tips
the scales at 120 pounds. Ellie is 2 months
older and weighs 109 pounds. Neither
would be considered small or in the puppy
stage.
The dogs don’t mind cold weather walks
and engaging in their passion of searching
for intriguing scents. However, because the
dogs’ long ears are constantly are on the
ground doing what they are supposed to do
– stirring up whatever scents are there, they
do get cold, especially if it’s snowy or icy.
When they return home, Brenner’s solution
See TAKING CARE OF FIDO, page 46
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