How to keep your pets safe and warm during the cold snap

How long should you leave your dog outside during these frigid temperatures?

Kim Hessel with the Heaven Can Wait animal shelter says when you let them out, keep it short.

"10 minutes at the absolute most, and if you have a chihuahua, like a small breed, something that's got no coat, even less, even less. They just can't take it. So, if it means maybe cleaning up a little pee accident in the house, so be it."

And if you suspect your pet is suffering from hypothermia here are the signs to look for.

"Shivering, of course, lethargy, muscle stiffness, shallow difficult breathing, pale skin, low heart rate, dilated pupils. These are all serious symptoms that your dog or cat is hypothermic."

Hessel says if your pet has hypothermia, you should call a veterinarian, to just use your common sense, and if needed, keep your pets inside until the weather becomes a bit more bearable.