Cold in bed and memory foam.....for a pet.

lostinrates · 4 March 2016 at 11:41AM

Hi old stylers.

I've been away from Mse for a while, and while the pet board might be a more obvious place for this question I hope to solve it with an old style approach and wisdom.

I have a sick dog, who has lost a lot of weight. She is doing a lot better now, but she is skinny and prone to getting cold.

She has a very lovely orvis memory foam bed, which is comfortable for her bony bits, and it has 'edges' which should protect her from draught, but she is still cool. As I understand it ( I am not an expert on mattresses!) its not ideal to use an artificial heat source with memory foam.....so no heat pad or similar..... Would it really be that awful? If I put a couple of hot water bottles on the bed before she got in it so at least it was warm before she got into it? Would it damage the memory foam? I'm thinking of seeing if she would like a 'den' or tent made of a duvet over the bed too.

She loses a blanket through the night when she turns over.

Any other ideas?

GwylimT · 4 March 2016 at 11:44AM

There something called a snuggle safe which you microwave for around eight minutes and it stays warm for hours. Depending on the fur you can use a jumper, but it only really works for short haired dogs.

lostinrates · 4 March 2016 at 11:51AM

GwylimT wrote: »

There something called a snuggle safe which you microwave for around eight minutes and it stays warm for hours. Depending on the fur you can use a jumper, but it only really works for short haired dogs.

She has a house coat, but she is finding it intolerable. ( she is a greyhound, so very short coat, soft skin). I think she has that 'feeling ill, feeling sensitive thing ' going on, but also she cannot take any risk of pressure or pulling around her front, and I think her 'clothes' are just feeling to restrictive in her chest/neck, even though she has lost so much weight.

.

It would so much be the easiest solution

I'll have A look for snuggle safe, thank you!

Pooky · 4 March 2016 at 12:30PM

You can buy self heating mats which are a layer of wadding with the silver foil style coating to one side (it's not crinkly like the foil blankets you can buy). I got some for my moggy when he'd had an amputation last year - they work a treat, reflecting back the animals own body heat - all 5 of my cats fight over them now.

I got mine in "family bargains" - around £4.99 I think - they must be available online somewhere too

NewShadow · 4 March 2016 at 1:49PM

I'm not sure of the materials your bed is made from, but this one is apparently orthopaedic foam pads and a heat mat - http://www.dog.com/item/kh-mfg-orthopedic-heated-dog-bed/495663/

I wouldn't suggest buying it, but a materials comparison may help you figure out if buying a heat pad might work.

You suggested a duvet tent - I think that's a great idea, smaller spaces are easier to heat, but there is the chance he won't like the risk of being tangled in the fabric.

If you had a suitable cupboard or dresser, something like this might be an option for making a solid but enclosed space? (tassels optional)

carriebradshaw · 4 March 2016 at 6:41PM

definitely go for the tent /den idea, our boy has a felt igloo that we bought from zooplus a few years ago and he is as warm as toast in there and he sleeps very soundly.It's way bigger than it looks inside he's got so much room and he's a big dog.we do cover him up but he usually kicks the blanket off so we halfcover the door opening with another blanket, so he can still get in and out , still has air but it's a lot warmer this way. The mattress inside was rubbish but you can use the memory foam one you've got inside it

lostinrates · 4 March 2016 at 7:26PM

Ok, the den idea seems like a good one. Heat reflective blankets seems a better idea than the normal blankets I have been using too. And the snuggle safe thing too.

I feel more hopeful. She is getting very spoilt sleeping in our bed and while its fine for a treat she is too big for it to be a longtime option in a marital bed.

carriebradshaw · 4 March 2016 at 8:34PM

this is the one we've got although he's got hid own mattressa nd cushions inside

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_beds_baskets/soft_dog_beds/dog_beds/275408

Purple_kitten · 4 March 2016 at 10:41PM

We find the vet beds work very well.

lostinrates · 4 March 2016 at 11:03PM

Purple_kitten wrote: »

We find the vet beds work very well.

I LOVE vet beds! we have so me that are about thirty years old ( um, or so) and still wash ok, and some newer ones. They are unbeatable, we throw them over the 'plush beds' and on floors and in cars and they are invaluable, but they just aren't sufficient for what this girl needs right now.

. They are far too often over looked as a fantastic basic for dog owners, I agree, but this bony girl is really in need of a little more

.

Despite being very loved, she looks very grim, and at the vets and vet school where she was, they had her on duvets not vet beds, because she is too bony to be just on vet beds. ( sadly, she eats duvets, and now she feels a bit better but not well enough to do much, duvet eating would be just the ticket, and we are really worried she might get some duvet fluff in her lungs so the vet and I ruled that out immediately. ( which is how she ended up between my husband and I last night

). Tbh, even if its somewhere she'd just be happy to go for a couple of hours right now, it would be a good thing.

She cannot have food temptation like bones or anything because she cannot yet eat by herself

.

I think we have some good things to try.

. Thanks old stylers!

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Cold in bed and memory foam.....for a pet.

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