It's not just you! Your pets are cold too

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Trudging through the snow, dodging slip and fall hazards, and driving on icy roads are the norm in Central Illinois at the turn of the year.

It's not just people weathering the storm, your pets are too.

"A big thing we're getting a lot of calls on is lifting up feet, acting like the feet are hurt or injured," said Dr. Travis Mansur, a Veterinarian at Fairview Hospital for Animals. "That's a frozen paw. Their feet are so cold that they think they've injured the foot."

If you see your dog lifting up their paw, it's likely a cold foot and just needs to be warmed up.

The salt thrown onto streets and sidewalks can effect your animals as well.

"[Salt] can definitely get into the pads, it can crack pads a little quicker, but the big thing is salt poisoning," Dr. Mansur said. "You definitely don't want your animal eating the salt, licking up the salt, but salt in the feet can be a problem too."

As a tip after taking your dog on a walk, Mansur says to use a warm washcloth to wipe the feet off. That will get rid of the salt and help warm them up.