COLD WEATHER: As the CWB warned of a cold snap arriving yesterday, Kaohsiung vets provided advice on how to keep pets — from reptiles to rabbits — comfortable
Taipei Times
Date: Jan 21, 2019
By: Hsu Li-chuan and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Kaohsiung-based veterinarians have recommended that pet owners keep their animals
Fish swim in a tank fitted with a heating device in an undated photograph.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
warm, as cold weather was forecast for the next few days.
Cats and dogs common in Taiwan prefer temperatures from 20°C to 30°C, Jonghsin Animal Hospital’s 16th Agricultural Zone Branch veterinarians said, adding that while their fur is usually enough to keep cats and dogs warm, those that are old, short-haired, small or have chronic health issues could be more vulnerable to the cold.
A cat or dog that is uncomfortable in the cold could quiver or become lethargic, while signs of severe distress include weakness, stiff muscles, slowed breathing and heartbeat, and even loss of consciousness, they said.
Owners should provide indoor heating or an outside shelter, they said, adding that heat pads for beds should be wrapped in blankets or towels to avoid contact burns.
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