winter safety.

jarko_, Flickr By Dr. Marty Becker, via Vetstreet Winter and summer both present challenges to keeping pets safe and comfortable, but winter is actually easier to prepare for since it's more about preventing exposure and less about the summer problem of preventing accidents. With one major exception: In cold weather, you always need to be aware of the possibility that a chilly cat could be cuddled against the warm engine of a recently parked car or in the dryer on a pile of warm clothes. Always check your dryer before using it, and thump the hood of your car before starting it to send any sleeping cat on his way. With very few exceptions, my snow country neighbors would never ...

Flickr/chazferret With temperatures dropping, staying inside is looking like a mighty good option. But it's hard to hole up in the house when you have a pooch that needs to go for a walk three times a day. While you can bundle up to face the freeze, your pet just has their coat to keep them warm. Which brings us to the age-old dilemma: Should I put clothes on my pet because it is cold? We chatted with veterinarian Dr. Jill A. Richardson -- an expert in pet safety, vice president of My Dog Walks, a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network and an instructor for the Penn Foster Vet Tech Program -- about her medical opinion on the pet-iquette for dressing doggies in the winter. Big ...