Don't Forget to Winterize Your Pets.

• Position: Pet care during winter weather - Brief Article

Just as your car may need a little special attention as cold weather approaches, so does your pet, especially if it stays outdoors throughout the winter months. "Extreme cold, inability to avoid drafts, inadequate ingestion of water or food, or wet freezing conditions are particularly hazardous conditions that can cause illness and, in some cases, death," cautions C.B. Chastain, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery and associate dean at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine. He offers the following checklist for keeping Rover and Mittens safe and warm throughout the holidays:

* Keep pets out of garages if possible. If not, make sure that they can't reach rat and mouse poisons, poisoned rodents, or antifreeze. "Antifreeze tastes good to pets, but it is a potent poison to their kidneys." Another garage hazard for cats is their tendency to rest on warm engine blocks. Bang on the hood before you start your engine if you have doubts concerning your cat's whereabouts.

* Outdoor...