With temperatures expected to reach -40 C with windchill, a Swift Current veterinarian is giving some tips on how to ensure pets can stay safe.

Sarah Allin is a veterinarian at Associate Pet Hospital, and said that animals are at as much risk as humans when temperatures are as low as they are.

"Short-coated, small-breed dogs may need jackets if they are going outside, a lot of our longer-haired dogs can handle a little more cold, but in this kind of cold, any animal needs to have some sort of shelter."

Saying that even if the animal stays outdoors, it must have shelter which includes bedding which is raised off of the ground.

When looking to see if your dog is suffering from cold exposure, Allin gives some symptoms to look for.

"You may be able to feel it along their gums, that kind of thing, or they may become more lethargic, I mean that's pretty extreme cold once it gets to that point, so the best advice would be don't allow them outside any longer than you yourself would want to be out in this cold."

She said that they have not dealt with any cases of animals showing those symptoms.

Allin said that for stray dogs, this cold may present some real challenges, and said what you should do if you come across a stray dog displaying those symptoms.

"If you do find a stray animal which is showing those symptoms, cold gums, or very lethargic, that kind of thing, hypothermia is a definite possibility, so gradual warming would be suggested in those cases."

She said that a call to the SPCA would be the next step in the event of finding a stray animal suffering from hypothermia symptoms.

Another potential danger which can be present during winter is the chemicals which are more present in the colder months, as Allin explains.

"Things like antifreeze, there may be more accessible to that, and it's very toxic to animals, so we need to be careful that we're not allowing them exposure to that," she continued. "Just walking your pest outside, when there are products on the sidewalk, de-icer, that kind of thing, we don't know what's all there."

She said that to limit exposure to chemicals which may line sidewalks, you should wipe their paws and check for any cracks or bleeding.