Tag: pet safety

Pet Pfest 2019 – Part 3

Guess what? There are MORE photos of all the festivities! I hope you enjoy them. Perhaps you’ll recognize a few familiar faces too!

It’s DinoDog!
I like this dog’s speckled paws.
Hi Lubo!
We usually have at least one rabbit at Pet Pfest. It is unfortunate that I did not have the opportunity to meet this cutie in person.
Did you notice that Holden has two different colored eyes?
Oh look, it’s belly time for Sydney!
I don’t think this happy-go-lucky smile ever left Sunshine’s face during the whole event.

National Disaster Preparedness Month

Disasters happen and they’re terrible, but you, as a responsible citizen, can take steps to prepare for such situations in case they do occur. As a responsible pet owner, you should also include pets into these plans. Here are a few action items to consider:

Proper identification. Microchip your pets and ensure they wear identification tags with current, easy-to-read information.

Photo courtesy of Ready.gov

Evacuation destination. Know where to go where you can take your pets with you. Have a list of options and contact numbers ready.

Photo courtesy of Ready.gov

Stay together. Make sure your dog is leashed when you are transporting them and a few days after a disaster in order to keep them away from harm. Put cats in carriers for their own safety, as scared cats can bolt and hide in unbelievably small spaces.

Photo courtesy of Ready.gov

Emergency pet kit. Make like a Boy Scout and be prepared! Essential items for your kit can include: food, water, extra medication, vet record copies, poop bags, cat litter and pan, leashes, collars, first aid kit (useful for humans too!), list of pet friendly hotels and evacuation centers, dishes, and toys.

Check out additional disaster preparedness tips from FEMA (preparing your pets for disaster, protecting your pets, evacuating with your pets), Ready.gov, Pet Sitters International, and the ASPCA.

National Immunization Awareness Month

Did you know that August is National Immunization Awareness Month? This campaign applies to both humans and their fur people! While I’m certainly not a fan of needles and I’m certain my cats do not like getting poked either, getting annual vaccinations and keeping them up-to-date IS crucial for their health.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Keep in mind, laws pertaining to mandated vaccines differ from place to place. For example, some places require annual rabies vaccinations while in others, this vaccine is required every three years. The ASPCA and PetMD provide a thorough breakdown about immunizations for pets.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Have more questions about vaccinations for your pet(s)? Talk to your vet.

Summer Safety

Summer will end…eventually right? Here in Texas hot days drag on and on and on…Besides dreaming of somewhere cool and shady, you should make sure that your pets’ needs are considered during the hot summer months.

Here are a few things to remember:

  1. NEVER leave a pet in a parked car. It can get boiling hot in minutes. Seriously.
  2. Hot paws. Be mindful of hot sidewalks, driveways, and streets. If it’s too hot for you in bare feet, it’s too hot for your pet’s paws!
  3. Provide access to water and shade. Don’t assume they’ll find it themselves or that they’ll be fine for a while. Give them basic needs. Pets can easily suffer from dehydration and heat exhaustion.
  4. Haircuts. For long-haired breeds, a summer trim may be a good idea but don’t go overboard because you may risk your pet getting a sunburn!
  5. Keep windows screened. Ventilation, yes. Pets falling out, NO.
  6. Barbecue caution. Fatty meats, onions, grapes, and alcohol are bad for pets. Curious pets can also be burned by the hot wood, coals, grill, or flames.
  7. Know the signs. Pay attention and act if you notice if your pup or cat may be suffering from overheating and dehydration.

Want more information? Check out Cat Behavior Associates’ Summer Safety Tips for Cats, the Pet Health Network’ Seven Summer Cat and Dog Safety Tips, and the ASCPA’s Hot Weather Safety Tips.

Pet-Friendly Independence Day

May you and all your furry loved ones enjoy a safe and happy Independence Day! Here are a few things to keep in mind so your pets stay safe:

  1. Safe place. Some pets become highly agitated and frightened by fireworks while others may not like lots of people coming and going in the house. Have a quiet and escape-proof area, whether it is a room or a kennel, in which your pet likes to rest.
  2. Routine. Having a set routine can help alleviate anxiety. Our cats, for example, are definitely creatures of habit and prefer to have meal times, play, and snuggles at set times of the day!
  3. Identification. Ensure your pets have current ID tags and microchip information. Hundreds of pets escape and get lost every year around the fourth of July. Having proper ID allows for lost pets to be reunited with their owners much faster.
  4. No roaming. Keep an eye on your pet when he or she goes into the yard. Pets that normally stay inside a fenced area may bolt if sufficiently spooked by loud noises etc. If you’re having a party, picnic, or barbecue, don’t allow your pet to roam around unchecked. Many table scraps can be toxic to pets.
  5. Indoors is best. While you may like fireworks displays, your pet may not, and in fact might be terrified of them. Keep your pets indoors while fireworks and other festivities are going on.

Photo courtesy of Alpine Dog Coats

For more comprehensive Fourth of July safety tips for pets and livestock, check out the handy rundown provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month

As summer kicks off, many of us will be spending more time outside doing activities like hiking, camping, swimming, and traveling. (In Texas, I plan to stay out of the heat and NOT bake as much as possible.) One consequence of outdoor activity is exposure to insects and wildlife. One of these critters are ticks, which can transmit via biting a really nasty illness called Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis). This can affect both humans and animals and is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other tick-borne diseases can include anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Yuck!

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Naturally, since May kicks off the summer season, it has been designated as Lyme Disease Awareness Month. The best way to combat Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases is to take preventive measures. Here’s how you can protect your pets:

  1. Tick-preventive products. Ask your veterinarian which would be the best solution for your pet.
  2. Vaccination. Again, speak with your veterinarian whether your dog should be vaccinated against Lyme disease. This may depend on where you live, your pet’s lifestyle, overall health, and other factors.
  3. Signs. Know the common symptoms of Lyme disease such as fever, appetite loss, lack of energy, lameness, stiffness, discomfort, pain, and joint swelling. These symptoms can progress to kidney failure as well as cardiac and neurological issues. Check here for more information.
  4. Avoid. If possible, don’t go into areas where ticks are likely to be found such as tall grasses, leaf litter, marshes, and wooded areas. (Side note: velociraptors might be hiding in tall grass too!)
  5. Check. Once indoors, make sure that a tick has not hitched a ride on you or any of your animals.
  6. Fortification. Place a barrier of wood chips or gravel between your lawn, patio, play equipment, and wooded areas. By doing so, you will restrict tick migration into recreational areas.
  7. Sprays. Have a green industry professional inspect your property and spray the perimeter to reduce tick populations.
  8. Maintenance. Clear shrubbery and brush close to the house. Prune trees. Remove litter. Mow grass short. Let the lawn dry thoroughly between waterings.
  9. Removal. If you find a tick, use gloves and specialized tweezers, not your bare hands.

The American Veterinary Medical Association provides excellent information about Lyme disease and its effects on pets. You can also find information on flea and tick preventive products, disease precautions for outdoor enthusiasts and their animal buddies, and the CDC’s boatload of data pertaining to Lyme disease. To learn how to prevent Lyme disease in people, especially children, check out information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Chip Your Pet Month

Like many months throughout the year, May is a bonanza of pet-related awareness campaigns. Among others, May is Chip Your Pet Month!

Having current information on your pet’s ID tag is vitally important should ever your pet get loose or lost. However, collars can easily slip off, especially if your pet is clever enough to take it off by themselves. With a microchip implanted beneath your pet’s skin, you don’t have to worry about that occurring. If your lost pet is found and taken to a veterinary clinic or animal shelter, the microchip can be scanned, revealing a registration and contact number. Through this registry the pet owner will be contacted and be able to recover their pet.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Check out Positively Woof for a video, Merck Animal Health, and One Fur All to learn more information about the benefits of microchipping, where to get them, and frequently asked questions.
When we adopted Garrus and Charlie, the shelter provided and implanted microchips along with their shots. The cost of these procedures is covered by the adoption fee. In our case, the adoption fee was waived because we fostered them during the Clear the Shelter event, wherein adoptable pets were free! The shelter had the microchips already registered; we simply provided our contact information and updated the cats’ names when we changed them from Aristotle and Tink to Garrus and Charlie. It was a super easy and worthwhile process. While my cats are strictly indoors, if they ever were to get out, I’d have peace of mind knowing that they had more than one method of identification and would be returned to us via that information.