Dr. Larry and I haven't been able to decide just when the Ask Dr. Larry posts should be scheduled. This is partly because he's still moving... far, far away! And partly because the move has made our connecting difficult - he's just getting his broadband up and running.
I'm thinking Wednesdays will be good days for the Ask Dr. Larry Q&A sessions. This Wednesday might not work - because of the aforementioned, but I'll do my best to have a new Q&A on Wednesday the 21st and every Wednesday, thereafter. Please send along your inquiries via 
comments (which are moderated) or email me here.
Today, I had to share this Q&A because Dr. Larry answered an important question for me. The real question came from my Mom. She's suffering through the extreme cold here in Upstate NY right now, and when I was telling her how Carmel just won't give up her daily walk, she said, "Why would she want to go outside for a walk when the temperature is like 17 below, outside?"
Dr. Larry said, "Well, for one reason, Carmel probably wasn't watching the day's weather report, so she didn't know how cold it was outside. " Dr. Larry is quite the jokster, don't you think?
Then he said, "Seriously, your dog is habituated to going for a walk with you no matter what the weather conditions are. Dogs looks forward to this special time, even if it's 20 below... and blowing snow. They may have a change of heart when they stick their nose out the door, but probably not.
"A short walk in frigid conditions is usually no cause for concern. Carmel is a German Shepard mix, right? She'll be fine. Short haired dogs may like to have a sweater if you take them out in the winter for longer walks. One note of caution: IF there is SALT or some other ice melting substance on the ground, make sure it doesn't adhere to the pet's feet or get stuck between his or her toes. Those substances can burn the sensitive tissues between the toes. It's always a good idea to check this out after a stroll in the snow."
Hmmm... that's good advice - about the salt. And, the sweater for smaller dogs. I sure hope everyone who has a pet is taking extra special care in this cold weather.
Lots more to talk about tomorrow... y'all come back, hear?
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