Sick Dog Winter Hazards

From LoveToKnow Dogs

Winter’s seasonal dog health problems loom now that the weather is turning cold, meaning we must watch out for sick dogs and winter hazards that could affect our beloved pets.

The mistletoe plant.

Major Dog Health Problems: Antifreeze and Windshield Wiper Fluids

Antifreeze is a wonderful tool for getting your car ready for the winter months, but it’s deadly for your pet. To make matters worse, antifreeze has a sweet taste and smell, so dogs are highly attracted to this substance. Ethylene glycol is the component in antifreeze that cause sick dogs, making it a major winter hazard.

If you suspect your pet has ingested antifreeze, call your veterinarian immediately, or get your pet to the nearest vet clinic. Caution is the key to preventing dog health problems resulting from this harmful poison. Do not allow your pet in the area where you store antifreeze. Wipe up any spills from the antifreeze container or your car. Windshield wiper fluids also contain methanol or ethylene glycol, the toxic ingredient in antifreeze.

Holiday Plants Can Become Dog Health Issues

Many plants associated with the holidays are harmful to our furry friends. This means sick dog winter hazards can put a real damper on your holiday festivities.

  • Mistletoe - You may want to kiss your beloved under this parasitic plant but keep it away from your pooch. Mistletoe can cause diarrhea, vomiting, shock and death within hours of ingestion.
  • Poinsettia - Many families decorate the hearth and home with this colorful Christmas favorite, but if you have pets, you may want to decorate with the artificial version. While research has been done that shows this plant is not as harmful as once believed, it does produce an irritating milky sap that is harmful when swallowed.
  • Holly - The leaves and berries of the holly plant are harmful if swallowed. Signs of ingestion include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
  • *Lilies - These plants can cause irreversible kidney damage.

Food Items That Cause Dog Health Problems
  • Chocolate - Chocolate is abundant during the holiday season when everybody is baking for friends and family. While all types of chocolate are hazardous to your dog, baking chocolate is the most lethal. Baking chocolate has the highest concentration of theobromine, an ingredient in chocolate that is hazardous to dogs. In high doses, chocolate causes epileptic seizures and death.
  • Coffee - Liquid coffee, coffee beans, espresso and other coffee products are harmful. The caffeine in these products does not react with a dog's system the same way it reacts with a person's system. Caffeine causes seizures, diarrhea, erratic heart rates and death in canines.
  • Macadamia nuts - These nuts, often found in cookies around the holiday season, cause muscle weakness, tremors, and vomiting.
  • Yeast dough - The ingestion of raw yeast dough can lead to serious alcohol intoxication due to the fermentation process. The rising of the dough in your dog can also cause bloat, a potentially deadly disorder.

Cold Temperatures Are Hazardous To Your Dog‘s Health
  • Hypothermia - If your dog is left outside for any extended period of time during the winter months in cold weather climates, be alert for signs of hypothermia. Hypothermia is a severe drop in body temperature. If you suspect your dog may have hypothermia, wrap him up in a warm blanket and bring him inside. A warm bath may help as well.
  • Frozen Water Dish - If your dog's water is left outside in the cold, chances are the water in his water bowl will freeze. Without fresh water, dogs can dehydrate.
  • Exercise - Pets, like people, tend to get less exercise in the cooler months. Create indoor activities you can perform with your pet to keep you both in shape.

Sick Dog Winter Hazards Summary

Awareness is half the battle when preventing a sick dog and winter hazards correlation.


 


Comments

Hi Sunny,

It really does sound as though your dog has been affected by something she ate. If there was grizzle/fat on the bone, this richness might have temporarily upset your dog's digestive system. However, there's a possibility that she ate something else you don't know about. If she isn't returning to normal over the next 24 hours, you'll want to call your vet for an appointment. In the meantime, make sure your dog is still drinking plenty of water, and withhold food for that same period to give things a chance to settle down. When a dog experiences diarrhea, every meal puts pressure on the colon to release prematurely, and this results in watery stools because the colon hasn't had time to extract the extra water from them.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I do hope your dog is feeling better very soon.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi, I live in Alaska and it was just Thanksgiving. I have a cross-breed Border Collie/Aussie mix and she doesn't get as much exercise now as she usually does in the summer. However, we do walk her each day, let her out regularly, as needed and play with her each day. Last night she was whining at the door and pacing, which is not normal. She sleeps through the night normally. When I got up to take her out I saw that she had a bowel movement inside the house that had some discoloration to it. It was firm, but had a white-ish tint to it, faded to green then brown. Later she had diahreeah. I was concerned that the bone from the Prime Rib we had at Thanksgiving could have caused this. Otherwise, she has a pretty normal diet and is regular. Today she still has the loose stools that were yellowish in color. Any thoughts? Coincidentally, we have human flu symptoms going around the house. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

-- Contributed by: Sunny

Hi Monique,

I can't be sure of what's going on, but there's a possibility that these two issues are unrelated but going on at the same time. As for the vomiting and lack of appetite, I think it's worth consulting your vet about. As for the doggie door, I would thoroughly explore the area around the outside of it for signs of a wild animal taking up residence nearby. Sometimes raccoons and woodchucks will take up residence under a deck, porch or crawl space, and they tend to scare/upset family pets when they do. It's definitely worth checking into.

Thanks for your question, and I hope these suggestions prove helpful.

-- Contributed by: Kelly
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