COLUMBUS (WCMH) — With winter weather comes unique health concerns for your pets.

Veterinarian Michelle Gonzalez says winter weather causes a lot of injuries for pets.

“We tend to see lots of injuries, orthopedic injuries, like fractures, ligament tears and that kind of stuff,” says Gonzalez.

But you should also be checking your pet’s feet and ears for any possibly frostbite. If you see something suspicious, get them medical attention immediately.

“It’s going to be redness like on their pads. Most pet pads tend to be black and really rough. So if that is starting to get ulcerated, little holes, little sores and starting to get painful then that is something we definitely want to do,” says Gonzalez.

Also, don’t forget to regular treat your pets for fleas and heartworm.

“Fleas and mosquitos are still active during those times, not as often, but they’re still out there so it’s really important to keep your pets protected against these things even in the winter time.”

And if you plan on boarding your pets at any time, you’ll need to make sure they are up to date on their vaccinations.

“So some people scramble at the end to try and get the vaccinations. And that may be enough to get the boarding facility to accept them but if you vaccinate your pet today it is not going to be protected tomorrow. There’s a period that the vaccines need to develop proper immunity.”

The safe bet is to keep your pet’s vaccinations updated throughout the year.