During the colder months, and especially during the holidays, pets have a lot to worry about. Here are eight pet-friendly tips.
1) Make sure decorations are secure and can't be knocked down, chewed or swallowed. Ornaments, tinsel and ribbon look like toys to cats. Low-hanging ornaments are especially tempting. If swallowed, a piece of tinsel or ribbon can cause a cat's intestines to bunch and twist, requiring immediate surgery.
Bart Ah You
— MCT 2) Decorative holiday treats can be dangerous to pets. Keep cookies, candy bowls and other goodies out of reach from dogs and cats. Chocolate, in particular, can be lethal to dogs.
Leilani Hu
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 3) Some common holiday plants -- such as mistletoe, holly and lilies -- can make pets sick. Sharp pine needles from Christmas trees can be dangerous if ingested, too. Lilies -- and even the water in a vase of lilies -- can be lethal to cats. Also, watch out for antifreeze outdoors. Pets think it tastes great, but antifreeze is lethal to dogs and cats.
Toby Talbot
— AP 4) Don't leave pets out in the cold. They need a comfortable place to stay warm and dry. Besides bathroom breaks and daily exercise, it's best to keep your pet indoors.
No Photo Credit Listed
5) Bundle up. Breeds with very short fur -- such as Chihuahuas, boxers and greyhounds -- have a hard time keeping warm, making even brief walks uncomfortable. Feel the tips of your pet's ears; if they feel much colder than normal, your pet may be chilled. Consider purchasing a doggie sweater or coat to keep your pup protected when outdoors.
Matt Volz
— AP 6) Keep your pets close. Icy sidewalks -- or snow at higher elevations -- make it difficult for animals to track a scent and find their way home. Make sure your pet always wears an ID tag and has a microchip registered with a national database.
Jose Luis Villegas
— jvillegas@sacbee.com 7) Don't leave pets unattended in the car. Your vehicle can become a freezer in winter, holding in the cold. Your pet could freeze to death.
8) Check under the hood. Cats (like Pebbles pictured here) and other small animals may try to find warmth in your car engine. Bang on the car's hood to scare any animals out before starting the ignition.
Source: International Fund for Animal Welfare
Jay Mather
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo
KEEP RODENTS OUT
1) Watch out for rodents. Winter is when they're looking to come indoors. Don't let them. A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime. Fill all those little holes and gaps around the house.
Anne Chadwick Williams
— awilliams@sacbee.com 2) Pull anything that's piled against the house at least a foot away. Don't give rodents a place to hide.
Source: Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware home expert
Darron Cummings
— AP
KEEP YOUR FURNACE OPERATING SAFELY
As nights grow colder, our furnaces get more use. Before switching on the heat, make a safety check.
1) Check your furnace. Change the filters and make sure the vent connections are in good order. Make any needed repairs before it gets really cold.
Randy Pench
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 2) Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure their batteries are fresh and the detectors are working.
Steven Senne
— AP 3) Make sure heat vents are unobstructed. While the furnace was not in use, furniture or other objects may have been placed on top of heat vents, creating a hazard.
Eric Vance
— AP
BE SAFE AROUND FIREPLACES, WOOD STOVES
During the cold winter months, many people use wood-burning appliances for heat. Here are six safety tips.
1) Have chimneys and stovepipes inspected and cleaned annually by a professional. Leaves, creosote, bird nests and other materials may cause clogs.
Jim Cole
— AP 2) Use only seasoned firewood to help prevent creosote buildup.
Florence Low
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 3) Leave glass doors on fireplaces open while burning a fire to ensure complete combustion. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen, which should be closed when the glass doors are open so embers can't escape. Keep an appropriately rated fire extinguisher handy.
OWEN BREWER
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 4) Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures. Keep air inlets on wood stoves open and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Not doing so may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
Florence Low
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 5) Ashes should be placed in a metal container, which should not be stored in the house or garage or on any flammable surface, such as a deck. The ashes should cool for at least four days before disposal and any hot spots should be doused with water.
ALAN MARLER
— AP 6) Before you strike that match, check for local burn restrictions. Enter your zip code at www.whentoburn.com for a live "burn status" for your neighborhood. The Sacramento Metropolitan, El Dorado, Feather River, Placer and Yolo-Solano air quality management districts provide daily woodburning messages about restrictions: Click here
Source: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
David Zalubowski
— AP
STAY SAFE ON WET ROADS
Here are five safety reminders for driving in rainy or foggy weather.
1) Check to see that the windshield wipers are in good condition. Replace as needed.
Renée C. Byer
— rbyer@sacbee.com 2) It's the law to use the vehicle's headlights anytime you have your windshield wipers on continuously.
NATI HARNIK
— AP 3) Reduce your speed and allow more time for your journey. The maximum posted speed limit may not apply to wet or icy road conditions.
Randy Pench
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 4) If you encounter fog, slow down. Drive with your lights on low beam. Don't stop on a highway, unless it's an emergency. Watch your speed.
Andy Alfaro
— aalfaro@sacbee.com 5) When traveling it's recommended you carry tire chains and tighteners, flashlight and batteries, flares, small shovel, windshield scraper, water, blankets, snacks and drinking water. A cellular telephone with a backup power source might be the single most important safety item available.
OWEN BREWER
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo
SAVE ENERGY
Give your home's doors and windows an energy-minded checkup for the cold months ahead.
1) Examine the inside of your windows and doors for "drafty" spots or areas. This indicates "air infiltration" -- air leaking in from outside -- that can lead to reduced energy efficiency. Make sure there is adequate weatherstripping and caulking around each. This ensures a weather-tight, secure seal.
Brian Baer
— Sacramento Bee Staff Photo 2) Look for "burnt out" or faded areas on your furnishings and carpeting. This could indicate that damaging UV rays are entering your home through windows or doors. Consider replacement with more energy-efficient units containing "Low-E" coatings on the glass.
Guillermo Arias
— AP 3) If your windows no longer open or close easily -- or if they need to be propped open -- it could mean key components are damaged or need adjustment. Or the whole unit may need to be replaced.
ERIC PAUL ZAMORA
— Fresno Bee Staff Photo 4) Check the fit of your windows or patio doors. This takes two people. At night, one person stands outside the window or door. The other stays inside and, with a small flashlight, traces around the edge of the unit with light. If the person outside sees light coming through the window or door edges, this indicates poor fit or installation and energy loss.
Randall Benton
— RBenton@sacbee.com 5) Clean the coils of the refrigerator. It's the hardest-working appliance in your home. For most refrigerators, all you need to do is remove the plastic toe kick. It just pops off. Then with the crevice attachment on your vacuum, suck out that dust.
Sources: Gary Pember of Simonton Windows; Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware's home expert
