Clarissa Kell | Daily Press Puppermint Patty, an 8 month old cattle dog mix, receives a treat from Delta Animal Shelter Director Sue Gartland while playing outside in the snow at the shelter.

ESCANABA — The cold temperatures of winter are here and with it comes hazardous weather for pets spending any length of time outdoors.

Delta Animal Shelter Director Sue Gartland said it is important to remind the public as the temperatures drop to below freezing with wind-chill factors, animals are affected by the weather changes just like humans.

“When they are giving the wind-chill factors — take that into account if you’re walking your dog, if your animals are outside,” she said. “Really limit the amount of time that they are exposed to the elements.”

During the winter months, the animal shelter sees an increase of animals arriving with frostbite.

“(Frostbite) usually effects the ears and the tail and feet of animals,” Gartland said.

In some cases, frostbite can be so severe the damaged skin falls off or has to be removed. Once frostbite damage occurs to tissue, there isn’t much that can be done, Gartland said.

Veterinary Sue Laskaska of Bay Veterinary Clinic said if an animal comes in with a fresh case of frostbite, the frostbite wound is treated just like any kind of wound.

“We’d treat it just like any other kind of open wound with cleansing it, antibiotics, therapy — if it is really extensive sometimes we will have to anesthetize them and trim away diseased, wounded edges and surgically close it,” she said.

In cases of frostbite on painful areas of animals, like the pads of their feet, Laskaska said pain medication is used as well to treat the animal.

An adult cat named Nicole currently at the animal shelter has an ear slightly missing from frostbite. Although not a fresh frostbite wound, the cat’s tip of the ear is missing and there is a slight wrinkle to the edge.

Gartland said cats often lose ears because of frostbite. She said the shriveled look at the edge of old frostbite wounds are also very common.

“The take away is if it is too cold for a human to be out for any length of time, it is usually too cold for an animal to be out for any length of time during those very, very cold days,” she said.

Another element to the winter months pet owners have to consider is the salt products used to melt ice on sidewalks, driveways and roads.

Gartland said if people take their animals out for walks on sidewalks or places salt is used, to either put protection on the pads of their feet or to wash the feet off with a washcloth once inside.

If salt is left on the pads of animals feet it can cause a chemical burn.

Laskaska said there are a number of different types of salt products on the market, some more caustic than others. Caustic means able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical reaction.

She explained she had seen a case recently at Bay Veterinary Clinic of salt and ice getting stuck in the areas around the pads on a dog’s feet.

“He was a golden retriever and because they (the breed) have so much fur between their foot pads the salt and the ice chunks get stuck in there, and he ended up with this nasty, wet, moist dermatitis between all of the webbing between his foot pads. He couldn’t find a good foot to walk on, he was just miserable,” she said.

Other things to consider during the winter is shelter and water for outside animals.

Gartland said it is always recommended to keep outside animals protected from the severe elements of winter.

“If you do have an outside animal, make sure there is proper shelter with warmth inside and insure that there’s fresh drinking water — as water freezes quickly,” she said.

Laskaska reiterated the necessity of proper shelter for animals. She said a big problem she sees as a vet is animals being brought to the clinic because of exposure.

“It is great to have a dog house and put hay or straw in it for an outdoor dog, but if the door is facing the prevailing winds it does them no good at all because the wind is blowing right in the door, keeping them cold,” she said.

Gartland said overall people need to be aware of the weather conditions and take appropriate precautions with their pets.