checkin on pets is no joke

Had a real scare on Monday morning. We had a temp around 10-15 degrees out and it was some pretty dry air so one of those real cold mornings that puts the chill in ya (at least if you don't have that kind of cold often). I had fed my dog buster earlier in the morning and he was doin alright. He doesn't go in at night much even though we have a nice woodshed where he can get in out of the cold. Well, I busted up his frozen water and tossed out the ice before refilling it. Buster loves to chew on ice and it didn't really strike any red lights in me at that time. Later on in the morning dad went out to the shop to get something and found buster layin on the shady side of the shop in the snow. He was laying in real funny position and acted stiff as a board. Dad hollered for me and we got him into the shop, built up a nice warm fire, and I started rubbing him down with a good warm sheet. It took a while but he came around and got to moving around like his normal self. If dad hadn't been out there it would have been the end of the line for buster. Needless to say he now stays inside at night until this cold spell passes whether he likes it or not. So, when you hear 'em talkin about checkin on pets during cold weather it ain't really something to take too lightly. I almost lost my best buddy because of that cold. God bless.

--old fashioned farmer

casey