How Colder Weather Affects Pets & How CBD Can Help
There are many things that your pup may love about the fall and winter seasons, like jumping into piles of dried leaves, riding along with you to get your pumpkin spice latte (and grabbing a pup cup), and sniffing out the tasty smells of cider and donuts at your local pumpkin patch. However, the colder weather affects pets. It can negatively affect the way they feel, just like us humans. (To learn more about how the fall season affects us, click here to check out our latest blog.) The good news is that CBD can help!
When the temperature outside starts to shift, along with the barometric pressure in the air, your pet may experience side effects like increased discomfort in their joints, weight loss, dry skin/irritation, and behavioral changes.
Similar to the way that people experience joint discomfort when the colder months roll in, pets may also deal with their joints aching. The way your dog experiences the temperature depends on variations such as their age and pre-existing conditions like arthritis. If your dog struggles with health issues, is very young in age or very old in age, they will almost certainly have a more difficult time with very cold temperatures.
The fall and winter seasons can trigger metabolism changes in pets; the process of keeping the body warm uses energy, and energy calories. For this reason, some dogs may need a slight increase in calories during the colder months to balance this out. If calories are not increased, you may notice your pet losing weight from their altered metabolism. If they are generally very active this will apply more than if they are more, say, couch bound. Keep an eye on them as the weather gets colder and if you notice changes in weight you can adjust their food intake accordingly.
Dry skin and skin irritation are also common issues during the fall and winter months as the humidity in the air lowers and the temperature gets colder. Weather affects pets who may experience itchy, irritated, and dry/flaky skin. Aside from how the outdoor weather affects pets has on pets, being indoors more during these months can increase indoor allergies, such as dust mites or mold. Incorporating an indoor humidifier, reducing baths, and keeping your dog properly hydrated can help.
Just as humans experience behavior shifts in the colder/darker months, the same may be said for our furry friends. SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, can also affect dogs. This can be attributed to sun-regulated chemicals such as melatonin and serotonin. Both need sunlight to be produced and this is generally reduced in the fall & winter months due to the seasonal shifts.
Signs to look for in your pet could include lethargy, a general behavior of seeming down or sad, and a decrease in activity/play. With being indoors more, they may also suffer from a good old case of boredom, which while not dangerous may cause them to be destructive indoors, chewing up remotes and furniture in an effort to supplement the entertainment of exploring outside.
Even though weather affects pets, luckily, CBD can help with a multitude of symptoms that pets can experience in the fall and winter months. It may help behavior management, support overall health, and help pets cope with stress. Our Healthy Roots CBD Pet Num Num Chews are an awesome way to incorporate CBD into your pet’s routine! These chews each have 5 MG of CBD, and 60 of them come in each full-size container.
In addition to CBD, Num Nums have extra calming ingredients such as chamomile, magnesium, and valerian root to help relax and soothe. The chews are packed with peanut butter flavored goodness that will literally have your pet drooling (even humans are tempted by the tasty smell). In addition to our Num Nums we also offer Pet CBD Oils in three different MGs depending upon your pet’s size and weight. To check out our full line of CBD for pets and shop now, click here!
Now that you know the changing seasons can be spooky for your pets for more reasons than that halloween costume you’re going to make them wear this year, you can better prepare and help them have the best season yet!
