My Pup Hates Winter. Here’s How IHelp Him Get Through The Dog DaysHumans aren't the only ones that hate the biting cold and the icy surfaces in winter. Help yourfurry friends get through the season in tact.

Feb 6 by Sarah Bergen

Winter is tough on everyone—our immune systems, skin, and lips struggle to make it through theseterribly chilly months. With an endless array of vitamins, lotions, and lip balms, it’s not impossible to makeit through without having too much damage done. But we often forget about the wear and tear that thesecold days take on our furry friends. Winter can take a toll on our pets, too—and if ignored, you could belooking at an expensive trip to the vet. But there are some easy steps you can take to keep your pet happyand healthy this winter.

With the temperature fluctuating around the freezing point, there’s no escaping the ice and snow. Toavoid broken bones and sore bums, salting your stairs and sideways is a must. But typical ice salts arechemical-laden and are harmful to pets, children, and the environment. These salts stick to and burn thepaws of our pets, who can then drag the salt into the home and put children at risk, because the chemicalscan burn human skin and can be extremely harmful if ingested.

Luckily, there are safe alternatives that are just as effective at eliminating ice without posing harm to thehealth of our furry friends and family. Safe Paw is a safe, eco-friendly ice melter that can be found atmost pet stores, but can even be picked up at ShopRite. If you’re taking your companion our for a walkand can’t avoid their paws being exposed to harmful ice salt, you can pick up a pair of dog booties or oneof the many paw protector products, a waxy substance that is applied to the paws before venturing outinto the cold. But be warned—I have encountered very few dogs that will happily walk around in dog

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booties.

Just as our skin takes a beating from the bitter February temperatures, our pets often develop dry, itchyskin in the winter. Applying some moisturizing lotion to their fur will probably just make a mess, andletting them bite and scratch at the problem could result in open wounds, a nasty infection, and anexpensive bill at the veterinarian’s office. But there are inexpensive, easy ways to improve your pet’s skinhealth.

My own dog has always had skin problems—from flaky, itchy patches to red, bloody hotspots—and anexpensive trip to the dog doctor never seemed to do much good. Lucky for me, I ended up working at apet supply store to earn some spending money in between semesters of college—and I learned all of thetips and tricks for caring for my best friend.

Adding oil to your pet’s food can do wonders for their skin, much like taking a fish oil supplement canpromote healthy hair and skin in humans. Some options include coconut, hemp, and olive oil. Whenadding anything to your pet’s diet, it’s important to take it slow and keep an eye out for any adverseeffects. For example, I first tried hemp oil with my dog, which upset his stomach—but coconut oil worksmiracles for his skin and while he might not like the taste, it is worth it to prevent the endless scratching.Try adding a teaspoon of oil to your pet’s dinner and see how it agrees with them before making it a partof their daily meal.

If your dog has already been scratching away all winter and is in need of immediate relief, I canrecommend a product that I have also seen amazing results with my own dog. Vetericyn is a non-toxic,steroid- and antibiotic-free wound and skin care product that comes in a spray or a gel that is easy toapply. It’s not the cheapest product on the shelf, with a 4oz spray bottle priced $17.99 online, but theprice tag is surely cheaper than a trip to the veterinarian and the results are amazing. Originally designedto treat horse wounds, Vetericyn can be used on any animal and is effective at treating open wounds, skinirritations, burns, hot spots, and insect bites. I personally use it on my own skin for burns and mosquitobites, and will always keep a bottle in the house.

With these inexpensive, hassle-free products, you, your pet, and your children can make it through thiswinter without stressful, costly trips to the veterinarian or pediatrician.

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Sarah BergenSarah is a journalism student at Rider University. She enjoys writing aboutenvironmental issues, sustainability, and health. She loves to exercise, cook, andhang out with her dachshund, Brody.

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