Now that winter is finally arriving, I wanted to take a couple minutes to remind you of some precautions you need to take with your pets.  Here are some recommendations from the ASPCA:

Bundle pets up in the winter

• Take extra care of elderly and very young pets — they are most susceptible to the effects of cold weather.

• Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm. Dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

• Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. Short-haired dogs may benefit from wearing a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck coverage, with coverage from the base of the dog’s tail to the belly.

• Thoroughly wipe off your dog’s paws, legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt or antifreeze while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice. The salts and other ice-melting chemicals can be irritating to his skin and mouth. Signs of ingestion of these chemicals include excessive drooling, vomiting and depression.

• After being outside, also check your dog for signs of hypothermia. These signs include: shivering, low body movement, muscle stiffness, lethargy, shallow breathing, a weak pulse rate, and disorientation. If you suspect your pet has hypothermia, seek veterinarian care immediately.