# heating pad, is it safe?



## tofu (Apr 18, 2006)

hi everyone, i'm thinking of getting a heating pad to put in Tofu's crate. his crate already has a thin pillow under and a couple layers of fold over fleece blanket. it's already warm and thick, but you how they are, cold all the time. i just feel very bad when he's sleeping alone and the weather is getting cold. my question is that is it safe to use in the crate, like placing it between his bedding. i plan to have it on all night for him. i'm just afraid something might happen during the night, like it might shock him, etc. I know, i worry and fuss so much when it come to him  is anyone using it and how does it turn out for your baby? thanks alot


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## canadiandawn (Jan 11, 2006)

I put a heating pad under the crate for the pups in the daytime. I wouldn't trust having it in the crate because if they decide to chew it, that wouldn't be good.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

i would say its safe as long as the heat stays on low....but i know they also have special heating pads for dogs that dont get too hot. this is one i found at petsmart
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441774855&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025625&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1162093090214&itemNo=1&Ntt=heating+pad&In=Dog&previousText=heating+pad&N=2023689
this one is form petsmart too but its more expensive bc its a bed, but i really like it
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441774854&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025628&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1162093090184&itemNo=0&Ntt=heating+pad&In=Dog&previousText=heating+pad&N=2023689

this one i found at petco
http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=8239&Nav=1&N=22+30+4886&Ntt=heating+pad&sku=817864&familyID=9376&


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## hnj22 (Jul 14, 2005)

I use a pet heating pad thing for Corky and have since he was a baby. He get SO cold so easily. It is a round disc that you heat up in the microwave.
I heat it up for him twice a day - once in the morning before I go to work and before he goes to bed. Mine came with fleece cover and I wrap it in a baby blanket also so it doesn't get too warm for him. It is usually still lukewarm every 12 hours or so when I reheat it! He LOVES it and can't sleep without it. He gets his flannel blanket and huddles up to his heater and works himself under the blanket. It is adorable!


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## jezapach (Jan 30, 2005)

*rice socks/bags tip*

I use a regular heating pad on low for Mandy... she has done fine, but I do worry about if she starts chewing the cord. She hasn't been much of a chewer yet... I may switch to rice bags. I used to put plain old cheap rice (uncooked) in a sock, tie it off and microwave a couple of them to use in the puppy crate. They hold their heat amazingly for quite a while - 2x/day would probably do.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

if you decide to get a plug in pad get one with a thermostat and set it on low heat make sure its not directly on the plastic tray but fairly deep down in the blankets (this will avoid any hot spots as itll warm the blankets rather than directly warming her!) make sure that the pad is way up againts the wall of the crate and try and thread the cord tightly through the back (leave as little as possible to avoid chewing and then spray a little bitter apple or rub some hot pepper into the grooves of the wire)

the other option (and in my opinion the safest) are the snuggle safe pads, they are a microwavabel plastic disk that holds its heat for 12 hours! they come with a fleece cover but you can burn yourself on them so i do suggest wrapping it once or twice in a blanket. the nice thing with them is theres no cords to chew, they hold their heat exceptionally well, and theres no other parts to chew either.

i used one for the pups this litter and LOVE them, the one i have is staying around and is gonna go in the chis big bowser bed for the winter (i dont like having the heat on too much because im sensitive to the dryness and dont have a humidifyer)
I even used it in the travel box when i took the pups at 3 days old to the vets for their dewclaws done, the vet had never seen the snuggle safes before and asked me if i needed to plug a heat cord in (to keep the babies toasty) i told her no and showed her the snuggle safe, she whent out and bought 10 of them and now uses them in her clinics recovery kennels and in c-section cases, she loves them!!!

hope this helps!


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## sullysmum (Mar 6, 2004)

What about a hot water bottle wrapped in a pillowcase?


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

hnj22 said:


> It is a round disc that you heat up in the microwave.


That's what I used with Carl when he was a baby. I bought it from Petsmart but I can't find it on their website for some reason.
I would wrap it in a fleece blanket. It stayed warm for 12+ hours, and I would always find Carl sleeping on top of it :love5:
I'll have to use it again this winter!


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## Tamic332 (Oct 28, 2006)

Bitsy loves rice bags...and just plain blankets... We know someone who got a chi through a rescue and the owners had put a heating pad in with it. The poor thing ended up with a permanent scar in the shape of the heating coil inside the pad. Im sure they would be safe on low, but the thought of that scared me from using them for good.


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## tofu (Apr 18, 2006)

foxywench said:


> if you decide to get a plug in pad get one with a thermostat and set it on low heat make sure its not directly on the plastic tray but fairly deep down in the blankets (this will avoid any hot spots as itll warm the blankets rather than directly warming her!) make sure that the pad is way up againts the wall of the crate and try and thread the cord tightly through the back (leave as little as possible to avoid chewing and then spray a little bitter apple or rub some hot pepper into the grooves of the wire)
> 
> the other option (and in my opinion the safest) are the snuggle safe pads, they are a microwavabel plastic disk that holds its heat for 12 hours! they come with a fleece cover but you can burn yourself on them so i do suggest wrapping it once or twice in a blanket. the nice thing with them is theres no cords to chew, they hold their heat exceptionally well, and theres no other parts to chew either.
> 
> ...


do you know what it's call or where to buy it? i'm going to try online to see if it's available. i don't really trust Tofu with the cord heating pad, he's kind of a chewer. i don't think i can sleep knowing that he might chew on it. thank you


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## tofu (Apr 18, 2006)

thank you so much for your help everyone. at leat i can narrow down on what to look for


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## Pauline Leland (Oct 9, 2006)

Hnj22 & Foxywench,

Thanks for telling us about the Snuggle Safe Pad. It sounds perfect for Boop, and I just ordered one. 


Tofu,

Google for "Snuggle Safe Pad" and you'll get a list of vendors. PetsMart is out of stock, but other places have them. I ended up ordering from Jeffers Pet where the disk and a cover are $19.98 plus about $6.00 shipping. Oh, then there were the toys that pushed the total up a bit, LOL.


Pauline


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

Welcome!!!
i like to pass products along that ive had good luck with and this is one of the best products for small dogs!
just watch your fingers when you take it out of the microwave and check your wattage. our microwave is higher wattage so i microwaved for 4 mins instead of 5 and it stayed warm for 12 1/2-13 hours...but they get hot so watch you fingers and handle carefully. the fleece covers are important lol.


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## jenn_in_switzerland (Jun 26, 2006)

I use a hotwater bottle; Bella seems to like her nice new "water bed"!!!


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## TyNequin (Nov 5, 2006)

Please be careful. When my chi started having seizures we left her overnight at the vet. She was sedated and the vet put her on a heating pad to keep her warm. Buffy was super sensitive to the sedation drugs and never moved until morning. She was burned by the pad even though it was the one the vet put her on. Buffy recovered from her burns but still has the scars. Please be very very careful. Don't use a heating pad on a sedated dog and make sure that the pad is not to hot.


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## tofu (Apr 18, 2006)

the snuggle pad arrived two days ago, Tofu snuggle up to it all night. obviously he love it. thanks for all the help everyone!!


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

welcome, as i said i LOVE those things!


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