As the mercury begins to dip in Northern Illinois and around the United State, we are offering guidelines to help protect your animal companions:

· Keep your cats inside. Outside cats can freeze, become lost or stolen, injured or killed.

· During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes choose to sleep under the hood of cars. Before starting your car, bang loudly on the hood and wait a few seconds to allow the cat time to escape.

· Never let your dog off the leash in snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm. Dogs frequently lose their scent in snow and ice and can easily become lost. Another important reason to make sure your companion pet is either micro chipped and/or wears an I.D. tag.

· Wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when they come in from the sleet, snow or ice. Salt and other ice melt chemicals could hurt your dog if ingested while licking their paws.

· Antifreeze, even in very tiny doses is lethal poison for dogs and cats. Its sweet taste make animals even more attracted to it. There are animal friendly products which contain propylene glycol rather than traditional products containing ethylene glycol. Call your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4ANIHELP) if you suspect your animal has been poisoned.

· If you have a shorthaired breed, consider getting a warm coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck for your dog. Look for one that covers the dog from the base of the tail on top to the belly underneath. While this may seem like a luxury, it is a necessity for many.

· Never leave your cat or dog alone in a car during the cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold. Your companion animal could freeze to death.

· If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take them outdoors only long enough to relieve themselves.

· Puppies do no tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs and it may be more difficult to housebreak during the winter.

· If your dog spends a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities, increase their supply of food, particularly protein, to keep their fur thick and healthy.

· Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep and is far away from drafts and off the floor. You should consider a dog or cat bed or basket with a warm blanket or pillow in it.

· If you have a breed of dog that tolerates the cold and it spends a lot of time outside, make sure that it has a dog house that protects it from the elements. In the winter months, hay is a better bed for your dog than a blanket or rug. Any item made of fabric can absorb moisture and freeze which makes for an uncomfortable sleeping arrangement.

· Most importantly, the water bowl will freeze in the cold, so make sure your outdoor dog has fresh water several times a day, and a fresh, clean supply of food daily.

· And remember, if it is extremely cold outside even an animal accustom to staying outside, who has a thick winter coat may not survive at night outside in below zero temperature. Be kind and bring them inside.