Calgary does not ease into winter. A week of pleasant autumn walks can end with an overnight drop of twenty degrees and snow on the ground by breakfast. Pets feel that swing more than we do, because nothing about their routine changed. A few adjustments made now cover the whole season.
The first freeze is harder than the deep cold
By January, most households have adapted. Coats are by the door, walks are shorter, the outdoor water bowl has been put away. It is the first sharp cold snap that catches people out, because the dog still expects the same hour outside and the cat still wants the same evening patrol.
Pets have not grown their winter coat yet either. A short-coated dog in late September is carrying the same coat it had in August, and a cat who spent the summer out until dark is suddenly out in below-freezing air.
Who feels it first
- Short-coated and thin-coated breeds. Whippets, boxers, pit bull types, pointers, and most small terriers lose heat quickly.
- Small dogs. More surface area relative to body size means faster cooling.
- Puppies and kittens, who cannot regulate temperature well.
- Seniors, especially with stiff joints or a heart or kidney condition.
- Very lean pets, and any pet recovering from illness or surgery.
- Outdoor and indoor-outdoor cats, who often have nowhere warm to wait out a cold night.
Thick northern breeds cope far better, but even a husky gets cold when wet, and wet plus wind is the combination that causes trouble in the shoulder season.
Frostbite happens at the edges
Frostbite takes hold where circulation is poorest and coverage is thinnest: ear tips, tail tip, paw pads and the scrotum of an intact male. It is easy to miss on the day, because frozen tissue is numb and pale. What you see first is skin that looks grey or waxy, feels cold and firm, and then becomes red, swollen and painful as it warms.
If you suspect frostbite, bring your pet in rather than working on it at home. Do not rub the area, do not use direct heat like a hairdryer or a hot water bottle against the skin, and do not warm it and let it re-freeze on the way, which does more damage than leaving it cold. Wrap your pet loosely in a dry blanket and phone our urgent and emergency care on the way in.
The signs of a pet getting too cold overall are different: shivering that stops, huddling, slowing down, stumbling, sleepiness, and cold ears and paws. A pet who stops shivering and becomes quiet is colder than one who is shivering hard.
Paws take the worst of it
Between the frozen ground, the grit and the first spread of ice melt on Bowness sidewalks, paws work harder in October than in August.
- Check between the toes after every walk and pull out any ice balls, which build up fast on furry feet.
- Trim the fur between the pads so snow has less to cling to.
- Rinse and dry paws after walking on paths that have had ice melt put down. Most ice melt products irritate skin and cause stomach upset if licked off.
- Watch for limping, licking or a dog who suddenly sits down and lifts a foot.
- Boots work well for some dogs and not at all for others. Introduce them indoors first.
Two things people forget every year
Cats and warm engines
A cat looking for somewhere warm will climb onto a tire or up into the engine bay of a car that has just been parked. It is a quiet, sheltered, warm space, and it is the reason we see terrible injuries every winter. Before you start the car on a cold morning, bang on the hood and check the wheel wells. It takes three seconds. Ask your neighbours to do the same if there are outdoor cats on the street.
Water bowls freeze
An outdoor bowl freezes solid overnight well before the deep cold arrives, and a pet who cannot find water drinks from whatever is liquid. That is how animals end up drinking from puddles under parked vehicles, which brings us to the other hazard of this season. Our guide to antifreeze poisoning in Bowness and NW Calgary covers why that is so dangerous and how fast it has to be handled.
Practical adjustments for the next few weeks
- Shorten and split the walk. Two fifteen-minute outings beat one long one when it is below freezing.
- Get the coat out early for short-coated dogs, and make sure it covers the chest and belly, not just the back.
- Dry your dog properly before they settle, especially the chest and legs.
- Bring cats in before dark and keep them in overnight once the frost starts.
- Provide an outdoor shelter for any cat you cannot bring in: a raised, insulated box with a small opening away from the wind, and straw rather than blankets or hay, both of which hold damp.
- Expect stiffness. Cold makes arthritic joints harder to move, so watch for a slower start in the morning and a reluctance on stairs.
- Do not leave a pet in a parked car. The advice flips in winter but the reason is the same: a car becomes an icebox as fast as it became an oven in July.
- Keep the indoor air in mind. Furnace heat dries skin, so expect more dandruff and itching, and keep beds away from vents and space heaters.
If your pet is older, or slows down noticeably as soon as the weather turns, that is worth an examination rather than an assumption. Cold reveals problems that summer hides, and our medical services team would rather look at a stiff senior in October than in February.
Frequently asked questions
How cold is too cold for a walk?
It depends on the pet more than the number. As a rough guide, most healthy medium and large dogs are comfortable down to about minus ten with a normal walk, small and short-coated dogs need a coat and a shorter outing well before that, and below minus twenty nobody should be out long. Wind and wet make every one of those limits stricter.
Does my dog really need a coat?
Short-coated dogs, small dogs, puppies, seniors and lean dogs benefit clearly. Double-coated northern breeds generally do not, and can overheat in one. If your dog shivers, lifts paws, hunches or wants to turn back, that is your answer regardless of breed.
My cat lives outdoors. What is the minimum I should do?
Give her a dry, insulated shelter off the ground with straw bedding and a small entrance out of the wind, use straw rather than hay or bedding that holds moisture, keep unfrozen water available, and feed a little more, since staying warm burns energy. Better still, bring her in overnight once the frost starts. Most outdoor cats adapt to being inside faster than owners expect.
Is ice melt dangerous?
Most products cause irritated paws and an upset stomach rather than a crisis, but the irritation is real and a pet who licks a lot of it off can become properly unwell. Rinse paws after walks, store the bag where pets cannot reach it, and choose a product labelled as gentler on paws for your own walkway.
My dog eats snow constantly. Does it matter?
Clean snow in small amounts is harmless. The problem is what is in it: ice melt, antifreeze, grit, and whatever was on the ground underneath. It also chills a dog from the inside and can trigger vomiting. Bring water with you so there is a better option.
Should I change how much I feed in winter?
Ask us rather than guessing, since winter portions are exactly what nutrition counselling is for. Pets who are genuinely outdoors and active in the cold may need more, while the far more common Calgary pattern is a dog who walks less and gains weight over the winter. It is easier to adjust now than to take the weight off in March.
Speak to the team at Bowness Animal Hospital
If your pet struggles when the temperature drops, or you are unsure how cold is too cold for them, phone us and we will work it out together.
Published by the team at Bowness Animal Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Bowness Animal Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Bowness Animal Hospital
Unit #52, 7930 Bowness Rd NW, Calgary, AB T3B 5C2
Phone: (587) 391-3911
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM; Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Sunday and statutory holidays closed