Heating Season and Skin Problems in Pets

When the heating season begins, households feel warm and cozy even while it’s cold outside. However, this period has certain downsides. Have you noticed that the warmer your home is in autumn and winter, the more uncomfortable your own skin feels? It becomes tight, dry, and flaky.

Dry indoor air affects pets in the same way. In this article, Animal Clinic explains how low humidity impacts your pet and what you can do to help.

How Dry Air Affects the Skin, Coat, and Eyes

Radiators and additional heating devices drastically reduce indoor humidity, often to a critical level. This can lead to various dermatological and general health issues in pets:

• Excessive shedding
• Formation of mats
• Itching, causing a dog or cat to scratch until wounds appear
• Dry, cracked skin — especially noticeable on the nose and paw pads
• Drying of the mucous membranes in the eyes and respiratory tract
• Eye irritation, burning, and itching due to moisture evaporating from the eye surface
• Long-term exposure to dry air may even impair vision

Dry air disrupts the skin’s natural moisture balance, slowing down cell regeneration. To prevent these problems, it is important to maintain healthy humidity levels at home.

How to Humidify Indoor Air in Winter

To keep your pet comfortable during the heating season — and to maintain healthy skin and a shiny, non-shedding coat — you should humidify the air. Here are several effective methods:

• Use a humidifier and maintain indoor humidity between 40–60%. Alternatively, place bowls of water near radiators and change the water daily.
• Set the heating to 23°C (73°F) if your radiators have a thermostat.
• Do wet cleaning at least once every couple of days.
• Air out your home in the morning and evening.

Be sure to move your pet’s bed away from direct heat sources and prevent them from sitting on the radiator — this can cause both external and internal burns.

If you notice changes in your pet’s skin or coat, don’t assume the problem will resolve on its own. Have your pet examined by a veterinary dermatologist at an Animal Clinic location in Kyiv or the Kyiv region.