Winter is just around the corner. The days are getting shorter and before we’ll know it, it’ll be dark at 16:00. With every season come new challenges to keep our pets safe and happy! Their wagging tails and head bonks can be deceptive. It is up to us as pet parents to protect them from the elements.

Cold rainy weather and pets

Raincoats and winter jackets are important to keep our friends warm. What better time to make them look like little furry models! If you have a snowy winter, boots for pets are also encouraged. Roads and sidewalks are often sprinkled with salt and pea gravel. Their pads can become cracked and sore, and there’s also the danger of them licking that nasty salt off to clean themselves. Make sure you clean their feet once indoors. Remove any snow or gravel and dry their feet with a warm towel.

NHV Heal-care ointment is a holistic salve that soothes inflamed paws. Apply to the affected areas 3-4 times daily. You can even rub them along the limbs and the back to bring some relief from winter aches. There’s no harm if your pet ends up licking it, it is all-natural. But it helps to let it sit for a while. Booties or baby socks work really well while the healing process works its magic.

Sore and inflamed joints hurt more around the winter, the body stiffens up and movement is uncomfortable

Just like humans, pets too can feel the cold in their bones. Brrr. Sore and inflamed joints hurt more around the winter, the body stiffens up and movement is uncomfortable. You can help your younger pets by simply including some bone broth in their daily meals. NHV Turmeric is great for pets of all ages. It is anti-cancer, helps reduce inflammation, keeps the vitals healthy and, ensures no damage from the harsh season. For older pets, you might want to also consider getting our herbal blend Old Timer. It helps pets with hip and joint issues and arthritis. For pets with osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, or spondylosis, or for tripawd dogs and cats, we’d recommend getting our Joint Support Kit.

This calming half-wrap is something you can do on your own and it helps soothe them and aids movement in colder temperatures.

Food, celebrations and pets

It’s that time of year again! Most vet clinics register a high number of cases of ingestion of harmful foods by pets around this time. We recently got a call from a pet mom asking for help with a little dog who had reached up as far as he could and grabbed a bag of raisins and had polished off the whole bag. The caring owner knew that grapes and raisins aren’t good for animals and she rushed him to the ER. He was presented with acute pancreatitis and was gravely ill. It became a critical situation and it was only after he was out of the woods, that we could start helping him with liver detoxification with Milk Thistle. But not all pets are this lucky.

Even the smallest of dogs can climb, jump and sometimes move things around so they can get a better sniff of what is up on the counters and tables. Remember to always push your bags and groceries far away from the edges and put them high up. Our purses or backpacks may contain products that are harmful to pets – medication, chocolate, candies, etc. Lotions, lipsticks, and even those scented pens and crayons can cause diarrhea and tummy upset if digested by our furbabies.

When your pet ingests something that they shouldn’t have, seek medical attention right away! Call your veterinarian and explain exactly what they ingested, when it was ingested, the size of the package, and the contents. This will assist your veterinary team to give you accurate and quick advice. You can also contact your local poison control at http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean. (rates may apply)

How can NHV Natural Pet Products help when there has been an accidental ingestion?

Even after seeking medical attention, your furbaby is going to be rather under the weather and it isn’t surprising that they may have diarrhea or excessive bloating and gas. This is where we come in. Milk Thistle helps detoxify the liver and undo the damage that the poisoning may have caused. BK Detox helps cleanse the blood of all impurities and toxins and works towards restoring healthy vitals. Yucca supports appetite loss and digestive issues. It has powerful anti-inflammatory support as well as reduces unpleasant odors in the urine or feces. Plantaeris is a herbal formula that helps maintain normal bowel function and relieves spasms of the digestive tract and reduces discomfort as well. A splendid addition to helping your pet feel like himself again.

ANTIFREEZE ALERT

While we are talking about our pets ingesting what they shouldn’t, we would love to add the importance of purchasing non-toxic antifreeze. Antifreeze is sweet to taste and our pets like the lick it. Ethylene glycol is the ingredient in antifreeze that makes it lethal and it doesn’t take a significant amount to cause damage. Less than 3 ounces of antifreeze is enough to poison a medium-sized dog. Antifreeze poisoning causes brain, liver, and kidney damage. Immediate attention is crucial.

Take a moment to review the sign and symptoms of ethylene glycol poisoning

• Seizure/convulsing/shaking
• Weakness
• Foaming at the mouth
• Fainting
• Uncoordinated and wobbly
• Unresponsive
• Vomiting/nausea

Extra Tips

Give your tires a good kick and give the hood of your car a good couple of knocks before getting in and starting the car. In the cold weather, our furry friends will try and find anywhere warm to cuddle up. The neighborhood cat might be curled up under the hood or laying on top of the tires. Creating some noise will hopefully awake the pet and give them time enough to escape.

With the seasons changing and fall and winter here to stay for a few months, it may bring on allergies for your pets. Allergies can include coughing, sneezing, loss of appetite, congestion, dermatitis (skin infection), and itchy and watery eyes. Stimmune is one of our popular supplements that provides support and boosts the immune system and also helps strengthen the body against infection. In addition to Stimmune, we have a complimenting product called Ouch Away. This is a powerful herbal spray that will assist in healing dry scaly skin.

We’ve put together some of our winter products in a Winter Health Kit for a reduced price to make it easier for pet parents to shop the whole bundle for their pets. If you want the Heal Care ointment, Yucca, and Old Timer together, this kit is for you. Feel free to reach out to one of our Pet Experts whenever you need us.

We’re excited to have a white Christmas in Vancouver this year, we’re excited to see pets in cute jackets in decked-up halls. We’re excited to make snow angels together with our pets. But most of all, we’re excited to help your pets have a safe and happy festive season. We love your pets, naturally!