CHICAGO (CBS) -- With extreme and dangerous cold settling in Chicago for the next few days, veterinarians on Sunday emphasized the importance of protecting pets from the bitter cold.

Actual air temperatures Sunday night will dip to a low around -2, while highs Monday afternoon will peak toward 10 degrees. Wind chill readings will range from -15 to -25 degrees.

Lincoln Park veterinarian Dr. Jacob Schanks advised that for dogs, time outdoors should be sharply limited.

"For normal walks, you know, keep it to 10, 15 minutes. Any more than 15 to 30 out in extreme cold conditions can cause frostbite, and so if you're letting dogs out in the yard, make it quick, let them do their business and come back in. Most of them will want to come back in — especially if they don't have a full coat. Huskies, shepherds are a bit more protected than some of the other more thin-coated kind of animals," Schanks said, "and wind chill factor can really make things worse too."

Schanks also advised that while road salt can keep people from falling on ice, it can also be tough on dogs.

"We do get paw injuries a lot right now, so some of the salt can be really sharp and slice open the paws, or get between the toes, so be sure you're keeping the paws nice and clean. Booties are also definitely recommended, jackets," Schanks said. "You know, bundle them up to get outside."

Pet owners should always be on a watch for frostbite. Schanks said.

"Frostbite can actually take some time to set in, so you might notice early on discolored skin or blistering. But that can also develop in the subsequent days after an exposure, so if you do have an incident, you can just kind of monitor at home and see if anything is visible.," he said. "If they do start to come uncomfortable, and you notice signs on the skin, I would definitely bring them in to see a vet right away."

While most cold weather advice applies to dogs that have to go outside, Schanks warned that cats can get outside too and should be watched.

"You never know when a cat is going to, you know, run outside just because they like being outdoors, and then they get stuck outside for the night. Some of them are really good at hiding in as warm of areas as possible," he said, "but you never know what kind of animal can get outside."

PAWS Chicago also issued a checklist for keeping pets safe from cold weather.