Animal welfare and veterinary organizations are warning that dogs and cats exposed to New York’s bitter cold can develop frostbite and hypothermia, and that even short periods outside in low temperatures can be dangerous. Brutal heat wave headed for NY: Here’s how to keep your pets safe

The advisory, issued as local conditions shift to heavy snow and low temperatures, draws on guidance from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Together the groups emphasize early recognition of cold-related distress and explain how winter weather can rapidly overwhelm an animal’s natural insulation depending on size, coat and exposure time.

“Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin, but these aren’t the only discomforts pets can suffer,” the ASPCA said in a statement. The organization added that “if the temperature feels too cold for you, it’s also too cold for your pet,” underscoring the shared vulnerability of people and animals during severe weather.

Citing the potential for more severe outcomes, the veterinary organizations note that both dogs and cats “may experience frostbite and hypothermia if exposed to extreme cold.” Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine is listed as a source for information on signs of cold distress in pets, while the AVMA provides additional context on the health risks animals face in low temperatures. How does cold weather affect your dog’s health?

Those risks are not only immediate. Long-term or repeated exposure to cold weather can lead to hypothermia, which strains the heart and metabolism and in severe cases may contribute to organ dysfunction and even death, veterinarians warn. Prolonged cold can also cause frostbite to sensitive areas such as the ears, nose and paws, with tissue damage that may become permanent.

The local Democrat and Chronicle has drawn attention to the topic for New York owners, summarizing the concerns raised by the national organizations as snow moved in and temperatures dropped.

The veterinary and welfare bodies make resources available to help owners recognize when animals are in distress, and they explain the hazards that long or repeated exposure to cold can create. Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine provides guidance on how cold weather affects pets and emphasizes monitoring animals closely during frigid conditions. 10 Ways to Keep Your Pets Safe When It’s Bitter Cold Outside provides broader context about how cold affects body systems.

Organizations also outline practical measures owners can take as part of routine care during extreme weather. They recommend limiting time outdoors in extreme cold, keeping walks short and bringing dogs inside, and providing a warm, draft-free bed away from unheated areas or vehicles, which the guidance notes can act like refrigerators and increase risk of hypothermia or frostbite. Additional protections, such as coats or sweaters for short-haired or vulnerable animals, are included among the measures suggested by the groups. It’s a Myth That Dogs & Cats Are Fine in Cold Weather

The risk is not limited to dogs. Cold weather poses similar core threats for cats and small mammals—including hypothermia, frostbite and potentially fatal outcomes with prolonged exposure—so the guidance stresses that none of these animals should be left outside for long in freezing conditions. Dogs’ risk varies more by size, age, coat and conditioning to cold, the organizations say, factors that determine how quickly an animal may lose body heat.

As New Yorkers contend with snow blankets and piercing cold, the message from the ASPCA, Cornell and the AVMA is consistent: winter conditions can escalate quickly, affecting paws, skin and core body temperature, and owners should be alert to the signals their animals give. The groups continue to update and post resources to help caretakers recognize cold-related problems and respond before conditions worsen.

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