Seasonal tips to keep your pet healthy and happy throughout the year.

Winter

While winters in Alabama are generally mild, they can still be cold and unpleasant for your pet if they're kept outside too long. Make sure your pet always has an adequate shelter to help them stay dry, warm, and comfortable when the weather turns nasty. Better yet, limit their time outdoors on these days and keep them inside with you, where we know they'd rather be!

Spring

Fleas, ticks, and heartworms are a threat to your pet for most of the year in our neck of the woods. Prepare for the spring onslaught of pests by making sure your dog or cat is negative for any parasitic diseases and stocking up on flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives! Both dogs and cats need to be on preventatives all year-round to stay protected from parasites and the diseases they spread.

Summer

If the summer heat is too much for you, it's also too much for your pet. Even milder summer days can be risky, especially if your pet is walking on hot pavement or doesn't have access to fresh water and shade. Keep your pet indoors with the air conditioning on for most of the day to protect them from heatstroke, which can be deadly! Also, never, ever leave your pet in the car while you're out running errands; cars are extremely dangerous as their inside temperature can increase by 20 degrees in a matter of minutes.

Fall

The candies and home-cooked foods of Halloween and Thanksgiving aren't just irresistible to humans. All too often, dogs and cats end up in the ER after eating foods they shouldn't. The following should be kept well away from your pet to keep them safe:

• Chocolate
• Grapes and raisins
• Xylitol (artificial sweetener)
• Hard candies
• Macadamia nuts and walnuts
• Turkey bones
• Garlic and onions
• Pumpkin pie
• Alcohol