The following is a “pass along” article from Just Labs magazine.
Pass Along JL
December 2011
Coming Soon: Winterize Your Lab
by Kimberly Button
Winter last year was rough. Really rough. While harsh winter weather can be an inconvenience for you, it can definitely be a health hazard for your Lab. Not only does your Lab have to brave the elements for potty breaks and exercise – no matter what the temperature is – he also has less protective gear and an increased exposure to potentially toxic materials that are commonly used in cold-weather conditions.
Just like you pull out the heavy sweaters and coats from the back of the closet, your pet’s lifestyle needs a few changes, too, in anticipation of the temperature dropping. Here are a few steps to take to prepare your Lab for the cold (but hopefully not long!) days of winter.
Diet
You might find yourself starting to crave hearty soups and calorie-laden casseroles during the winter to stay warm, but does your dog need a change in his diet, too? “Overall, for most urban and suburban dogs that wear coats and spend much of their winter indoors, there really isn’t a need to increase calories for the winter,” says Dr. Bruce Silverman, VMD, MBA, with Village West Veterinary in Chicago, Illinois.
If your Lab is especially active and spends a lot of time outdoors, though, Dr. Silverman says that “increasing calories probably isn’t a bad idea.” He suggests increasing your Lab’s diet by 10-15 percent, whether you increase the amount of food that you give your dog, or find another type of food with a higher calorie density.
Dr. Ihor Basko, DVM, CVA, author of Fresh Food & Ancient Wisdom: Preparing Healthy & Balanced Meals for Your Dog, suggests increasing the fat content of your pet’s diet to help him better handle the physical challenges of winter, which might be especially important depending on where you live. “If Labs are living in a high-altitude environment, where the climate is dry, they will need diets with more fat to help them stay warm during the winter,” Basko explains.Ender
“Winterize Your Lab” by Kimberly Button appears in the upcoming January/February 2012 issue of Just Labs. If you are a subscriber, that issue will soon mail! Visit our Coming Soon page for a full Table of Contents!
If you are not a subscriber and would like to read the rest of this article, sign up to receive a no-obligation issue or call 1-800-447-7367. Make sure you tell our circulation representatives that you’d like the January/February 2012 issue!
January 20, 2012 at 6:26 am |
Very good advice now that we are in the deep chill.