Summer Tips and Information
Now that the heat & summer is here, please review the summer tips and information for your pet's safety.
Pools/Lakes: Children are not the only ones who can drown when left unattended in pools or lakes. Never leave your pets unattended when they are swimming, and always make sure they have an easy way out or that the pool is enclosed and inaccessible.
Fishing Tackle: Colorful, stinky fishing lures are very tempting to cats, dogs, and birds; and they can prove to be very dangerous. Hooks are usually barbed and cannot be backed out until the barb is removed. Never try to remove these hooks on your own. Seek veterinary help and sedation to prevent tissue trauma.
Pickup Trucks: Dogs love to feel the wind in their faces, but uncovered truck beds are a very dangerous place for your pet. Sudden stops or turns can throw your pet from the truck, and a major injury could occur from the fall or by being hit by an oncoming car. Additionally, there are a lot of debris and insects moving at high velocities that can cause eye injuries. It is best if your pet is secured inside your truck.
Toxins Reminder:
- Cocoa Bean Mulch
- Chocolate (semi-sweet and dark) - the higher the level of cocoa the greater the toxicity
- Macadamia Nuts
- Grapes and Raisins
- Baby foods containing onion powder or garlic
- Alcohol
- Almonds
- Caffeine
- Coffee Grinds
- Raw cloves of garlic
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Tobacco
- Xylitol, which is present in plants
Bite Wounds: Spring and summer are the seasons when dog parks are full of dogs. Many of these dogs are harmless; but when faced with certain conditions, a dog can turn suddenly and bite.
- Stay close to your pet.
- Introduce your dog to other dogs and watch their responses.
- If all is friendly, then it is safe to let them play.
- If any type of aggression is shown, take your dog to another part of the park and find a new playmate.
- Do not try to break up a fight by getting in the middle. Use leashes or water to separate the dogs.
- If you or your pet receives a bite wound, seek medical help to prevent infection.
Windows: Whether you live in a private home or an apartment, you'll be tempted to open windows to let in the fresh air. Be sure to keep screens or protective bars on your windows to prevent your pets from escapes or falls. And bird owners should make sure their feathered friends are protected from drafts.
Spring Clean-ups: Keep all household cleaners and chemicals out of reach for your pets.
Lawn Care: Lawn chemicals can be very toxic if ingested. Try to keep your pet off newly fertilized lawns for 24 hours. Always save the original bag for later reference if ingestion occurs. If your pet does ingest these chemicals, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Cars: Never leave your pet unattended in your car. While it is never a good season to leave a pet in a car unattended, summer can be particularly deadly. Don't lull yourself into a false sense of security by leaving the window open. Heat in a vehicle can rise to extreme temperatures very quickly; and, in turn, your pet can suffer a terrible death.
Heat Stroke: This is very serious, and you should always seek medical care. It does not always take much on a warm day for a dog or cat to experience heat stroke. If your pet experiences a heat related issue, cover your pet with a cool, wet towel and transport to your veterinarian immediately.
General Safety Tips:
- The outdoors is not the only thing pets get a fever for in the spring, springtime is mating season! Make sure your pets are spayed or neutered so that they don’t contribute to the overwhelming pet overpopulation problem we have in this country.
- The Easter lily, azalea, amaryllis, and other plants are toxic and even potentially lethal to cats. Lily-of-the-valley can also be cardio toxic to both dogs and cats.
- Chocolate is toxic and even potentially deadly for your pets, so make sure all chocolate products are kept out of reach.
- Fertilizers and pesticides can be very harmful and even deadly to pets, so be sure to keep these products away from pets. Try to keep dogs from ingesting a lot of grass. If there is a chance that chemicals were applied to or have blown onto the grass, keep pets away from it. If your dog is eating grass it could mean he has a bellyache, or it could just be his natural instinct to aid his digestion.
- Make sure you are giving your pet a monthly flea and tick preventative. It is very important to read product labels carefully on all flea and tick medications as the misuse of such products can lead to acute toxicity in them. It is important never to use a dog product on your cat, or vice versa.
- Check with your veterinarian to see what he or she recommends in terms of heartworm prevention. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal.
- Dogs can have severe allergic reactions to insect bites. If you notice your dog becoming acutely swollen in the muzzle, or developing hives, it is best to get him/her treated as soon as possible. If left untreated, the inflammatory response can cause severe illness and respiratory distress. Just like us, our pets have allergies, too! If you notice obvious signs of allergies like swollen eyes, frequent scratching, fur/skin conditions or sneezing, you may want to take your pet to the vet to explore those allergy symptoms.
- Make sure your dog always wears a collar and current ID tags that include your phone number. Please keep your canine companions on a leash when enjoying the warm weather.
- Bite wounds are one of the season’s most common emergencies. Make sure your pet’s rabies vaccination is up-to-date in case such an encounter occurs. Keep a file with your pet’s medical information, and keep track of necessary follow-up shots and appointments.
- Never leave your dog out in the sun too long. Dogs can get sunburned, just like people. Provide lots of shade for your pet; and always provide plenty of cool, clean water to prevent dehydration.
- When traveling in pickup trucks, pets should ride in the cab or in a secured crate in the bed of the truck, not in the truck’s open bed. If your dog rides in the back of the truck and you stop suddenly, swerve, or are hit by another car, he or she could be thrown from the truck and into traffic.
- Maintain a moderate temperature in your house and leave cool water for your pets.
- Avoid leaving windows and doors open: a determined dog can tear through a screen easily. If you do leave windows open for ventilation, have strong screens in place to prevent escapes and falls.
- Keep pets away from mouse, ant, and roach bait or traps.
- Springtime means spring showers and sprinklers, which can leave puddles of standing water. Try to prevent your dog from drinking from the puddles. Standing water can be filled with bacteria, leading to gastrointestinal upset or ailments.
Thank you, have a great season.