Pets and Livestock in Winter 2023

Harsh winter conditions and cold temperatures a concern

By Christina Reed The Hired Pen

Like humans, critters like Sonny boy, love to warm up in the sun during the long winter months. Provide yourself and your pet with fresh sunlight (Vitamin D) and fresh, unfrozen water. And, just like humans, pets don’t do well outside below 45 degrees for very long, unless you’re a cold-weather-breed, like a Siberian Huskie or Alaskan malamute. However, Frostbite is real for people (mountaineers, hikers, skiers, snowboarders, and backcountry enthusiasts), pets (like malamutes and huskies) and stock and game (like horses, mules, donkeys, cattle, sheep, goats, or poultry).

Eastern Sierra, CA—It’s been official for a while. It’s been cold, unusually snowy and icy, and with sub-zero temperatures for the majority of the day, well....It’s been challenging to keep pets and livestock safe. No doubts.

So, with newly accumulating snow, or remaining snow in our yards / pastures for weeks, what’s a pet owner to do with this winter situation? Start with Shelter from the elements. Then, progress to short times outside in the harsher elements. Like people. Pets and livestock suffer from the cold extremes and elements...like frostbite, hypothermia, starvation, and death. And, like people. This death happens quickly in winter, and it is preventable for the most part.

Safe Temperatures

Frostbite, which can mean amputation of limbs in humans and animals, begins much sooner than you might imagine. Your pup’s nose, ears, tail, and paws, like yours, are most susceptible to tissue damage, which could mean limb removal. Cold weather-breed puppers have thick fur, and more designed for the harsh snow climates, like huskies and Malamuts. However, your old puppers, small puppers, kitties, hairless critters, and health-challenged animals / livestock / and pets can’t handle cold temperatures all winter. It’s just not healthy.

Here’s what happens to you and your critters when exposed to long-term cold temperatures. First: your body directs blood to the brain, heart and lungs. Your vital organs. Blood vessels to your arms, hands, paws, limbs become constricted, as blood is re-directed to your vitally, dying organs. Then, skin, paws and flesh become pale or lose blood, and turn bluish-white (later, red and puffy), or your skin becomes shriveled and remains cold to the touch. Ice crystals around the nose is not good in humans or pets... large or small!

Like humans, once frostbite starts in, the treatments need to be immediate, and depend on the size of the

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