Creating an Outdoor Emergency Animal Shelter

Few parts of the United States have been spared from extreme cold weather this winter. When temperatures dip well below zero and snow piles up, most people and pets are lucky enough to be able to wait it out inside where it’s warm and dry. However, feral animals, outside pets, and even some wildlife need a little bit of help to survive winter storms.
Building a simple winter animal shelter is simple and inexpensive, and it can be very rewarding to catch a glimpse of a furry creature taking shelter in your new hotel during a storm.
Whatever you use to build your shelter, it should be warm, dry and out of the wind. The shelter should be small enough that an animal’s body heat is held within the shelter. Plastic storage bins and Styrofoam coolers make excellent, inexpensive, temporary shelters that can be cleaned up and put away after a storm. Rubbermaid even provides instructions on their website for how to use their bins to make a shelter for small outdoor critters.
Here’s how to build a simple outdoor shelter for small animals:
Put the lid on a plastic bin or Styrofoam cooler then cut a six inch square or round hole in one side, two or three inches up from the bottom of the bin. (Leaving a few inches on the bottom of the bin will keep out snow, rain and snow melt.)

1. If you have a second larger bin, put the smaller bin inside the larger bin and insulate between the two with fiberglass insulation, Styrofoam insulation, Mylar, straw or old blankets, towels or sweaters. (Since Wise Company food envelopes are made of Mylar, you can rinse them out, tape them together into panels and line the box.) To line the shelter, don’t use old blankets, towels or folded newspapers as they can actually absorb body heat.
2. Line the smallest bin with straw (not hay) or old pillowcases stuffed with packing peanuts, Styrofoam insulation (not fiberglass) or shredded newspaper. Straw is best because it allows animals to burrow.
3. Cut a lightweight door flap from an old tarp, towel or blanket. It should be light enough that an animal can push it aside but heavy enough to block wind and keep heat in.
4. Place the shelter in a secluded spot where animals won’t be disturbed.
5. Point the door away from the direction of the wind.
6. Weigh down the top to keep it stable in wind and ensure the lid is secure.
7. Leave food and water near the shelter, but not inside as water can spill and freeze. The best plan is to lean a piece of plywood against the shelter, your house or a nearby outbuilding and place bowls underneath it. The plywood will protect the food and water from the elements.

One animal lover posted her instructions, a materials list and step-by-step instructions here, and another here.

Tigger on top-Cheeto in tub

Our outside cats enjoy their Tubs, they provide safety and warmth year round.

Winter storms come and go quickly but extreme temperatures can be deadly for humans and animals in a matter of minutes. If you’ve got a snow day this week, consider building an outdoor shelter as a project in between DVDs. Stay warm and safe!

How to Help Your Pets Weather the Cold Winter

By: Susan Rubinowitz

Winter continues to hold us within her icy grip, and pet owners need to take precautions to keep their animals safe and healthy.
The danger may be worse than what the thermometer reads. The wind chill factor can drop the temperature by 20 or 30 degrees. In other words, if the thermometer reads 34 degrees, the wind can make it feel like zero.So even dogs and cats that stay outside in warmer weather may have to be brought inside in extreme cold snaps. ``Be attentive to your dog's body temperature and limit time outdoors,'' advises the SPCA.

Provide Adequate Shelter
An adequate shelter means your pet is kept warm, dry and away from drafts. That is easy enough to do in most homes, but remember that tile and uncarpeted areas can get very cold. If your pet lives in a shelter of his own, make sure that it is raised off the ground, has dry bedding and is insulated or heated. Make sure also that your pet has a constant source of clean water – not snow. Thermal heaters are available to make sure the water source doesn't freeze.

But portable heaters and fireplaces are potentially deadly hazards for small animals. Screen all fireplaces and place portable heaters out of their reach.

Never leave antifreeze or windshield wiper fluids on the garage floor or anywhere within reach. Many of these products taste sweet and are attractive to pets – and are extremely deadly.
Wipe snow and ice off your pet's feet – even clean between the toes – after outdoor walks and be especially sure to clean paws of lime rock salt or calcium chloride salt, both of which can cause vomiting and diarrhea if the animal licks it.                

Avoid Frozen Areas
Nothing's more fun than cavorting with your dog in the snow, and regular exercise is important when your pet's been house-bound much of the time. But take care that your dog isn't close enough to a frozen lake, river or pond to jump in and get injured.
Dr. Gail Golab, assistant director of the American Veterinary Medical Association, warns that roaming cats and wildlife like to climb onto car engines for warmth in winter. ``There's a large number of people who let their cats outdoors, even in winter,'' she said. ``One of the things they tend to do is seek out warm places.'' So look under the hood and honk the horn before starting the engine.
Animals get frostbite, too. Just a short exposure to sub-zero temperatures can produce frostbite of the feet, nose or ears. Frost-bitten skin is red or gray and may peel off. Treat it by applying warm, moist towels to thaw the affected areas slowly, until the skin looks flushed. Then contact a veterinarian for further care, says Golab.

Extra Calories for the Cold
If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, especially if he's a working animal, feed him extra calories because it takes more energy in winter to keep his body temperature regulated.
But be careful not to overfeed a dog or cat that's spending most of their time on a warm rug in the living room, said Dr. Sandra Sawchuck, staff veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.

``They're probably getting less activity, so they may even need less food,'' said Sawchuck, who's seen her share of plumped-up animals.
Many dogs just don't want to eliminate waste in deep snow, she said. In those cases, make a more comfortable bathroom by shoveling the snow away in a certain place, she recommended. ``Get the dog out there and back very quickly,'' she said.
Booties and coats can help your dog stay warm, but letting a thick-coated dog like a poodle go without grooming can cause more problems than it solves. The fur can get wet and matted, making it an irritant, so don't bypass grooming sessions for too long, she said.
Most importantly, remember that your pet is smaller and thus more vulnerable to the chills you feel, said Sawchuck.

Great Tips to Help You Give Your Dog Medications

Giving medication to a pet can be a real challenge. I've found that a lot of people hate it just as much as their dogs do! Unfortunately most dogs need some kind of medication at least once in their lives so today I want to share some resources which can make the process much easier.
How to Give Pill Medications - This article has some very good tips on how to get your dog to swallow pills.   
How to Give Topical Medication - Learn how to apply topical medication with the least amount of stress to your dog. 
How to Give Ear Medication - Many pets are especially fussy when it comes to medications for ear mites and ear infections so these tips are very useful.
 How to Give Eye Medication – These medications can be a real challenge but a few shortcuts can make giving them easier.

These instructions are worth printing and keeping in a first aid or health file for your pet. You never know when you will need it.

I hope these tips help. 

X-Ray of Dog Drinking – This Is the COOLEST Video!

Brothers Bentley & Buddy

I think this is video is very cool, so I'm excited to share it with you today. 

Water is important for our dogs. They've got to drink plenty of water because their bodies are comprised mainly of water, perhaps as much as 75% water for an 8-week-old pup. 



We would die without water. Water is the substrate in which all the chemicals of the body are dissolved, all cells are bathed, and all cell contents are suspended. It is also the essential vehicle of the circulatory system.

This video shows how a dog drinks and takes water into his mouth in slow motion.

This video shows how a dog drinks by radiograph.




Have a great day. And always make sure your dog has plenty of fresh clean water.