Heat and Your Pets

Summer temperatures might be great for tan lines and boating trips, but the excessive heat and increased outdoor activities could spell disaster for your pets. As the mercury rises, take just a few moments to insure that your pets are safe and prevent an urgent trip to the animal ER with a summertime emergency! Our trained, professional Fetch! staff will do everything possible to make certain that your pet is properly cared for. We do ask that you allow us the judgment call when it comes to their comfort and safety. There may be times when our staff will shorten actual outdoor walks and continue with safe indoor play and loving attention.

The most common heat related problem for pets is heat stroke. Also known as heat stress or hyperpyrexia, heat stroke is a real emergency for dogs. Even on moderately warm days, an excited dog might show a body temperature increase of 2-5 degrees. Since dogs don’t sweat like we do, they are unable to dissipate the excess heat and heat stroke may soon follow.

Any outdoor pet can overheat on a warm summer day, but short faced breeds, such as Pugs, Bostons and Bulldogs, are at a higher risk. In addition, every year thousands of pets succumb to heat stroke because they were left in cars while their owners ran “just a few” errands.

Many cities and states have now made it a crime to leave your pet unattended in a vehicle. These are important laws as even on a 70 degree day, temperatures inside a car can soar to over 110 degrees in less than one hour!

Some owners try to help their pets by shaving the dog’s long coat. Although this seems like a good idea, a well groomed and clean hair coat can actually insulate the dog from the heat and help keep them cooler.

Veterinarians will recommend shaving specific areas in long haired breeds. For example, shaving around the anus and groin can help keep the area clean and free from infections.

In some cases, shaving the hair coat could expose a lightly pigmented dog to potential sunburn. For short haired lightly colored breeds, Canine solar dermatitis is another problem. Boxers, Pit Bulls and Dalmatians are just a few examples of dogs that are at risk. In these cases, chronic exposure to hot sunny days damages the skin and causes tender, red scaly lesions. Eventually, the skin becomes thickened and scarred.

When the sun goes down and the temperatures start to cool, your pets still face many summer challenges. The patriotic holidays during the summer months are often preceded by and celebrated with fireworks. The bright flashes and loud bangs, also associated with thunderstorms, are terrifying to some pets and can cause anxiety, stress and even escape. Normally calm pets may become distressed, destructive and even bite in an attempt to get away from the noises. While running, they are at risk for being hit by a car, becoming lost or encountering another animal who might be aggressive.

The warm summer season also brings out many pests that will actively seek out your pets. Fleas and ticks are two examples, but some species of biting flies are very fond of dogs’ ears. Repeated bites can cause a condition that can be serious and difficult to control known as “fly strike.”

It is possible to enjoy the summer with your pets by taking just a few precautions. First and foremost, always be aware of the weather forecast. Knowing the high temperature can help guide your plans for the day.

Never leave your pet unattended outside or plan heavy exercise on hot, humid days. If your pet is left outdoors, he must have access to adequate shade and fresh water.

If you find your pet disoriented, panting excessively or collapsed in the yard, move him immediately to a cooler environment. Use cool wet towels over his back, armpits and groin to help bring his temperature down. Fans are often helpful too. DO NOT USE ICE! Then, get him to your veterinarian immediately so that they can assess his status and begin life saving treatments.

If you are planning a vacation or to take your pets to any outdoor parties or cook-outs, find out first if pets are welcome or if fireworks are planned. It might be easier to simply leave the dogs at home rather than risk a run-away or injury. Fetch! will be more than happy to schedule multiple in-home visits, “paw-jama pawties” or in-home boarding!

Summertime should be a time for relaxation and fun…don’t let a pet emergency spoil your good time.

The information offered here is for general discussion and educational purposes only. It has been compiled from various sources and from many years of pet experience. You are urged to discuss all aspects of your pet's health care with your primary care veterinarian. As always, Fetch! will always be available for you and your pet with the finest, customized, personalized pet care service...‘we’ve got your tail covered!!

By Guest Writer Edward Zavala - Fetch Pet Care

Bring Home Baby - Introducing Your Pets

Our pets feed off of our routines and nothing can disrupt routine like a new baby. Your pet will see you awake at odd hours and will hear all sorts of new, and sometimes frightening, noises. Here are some things that will help the transition be safe for your pet and your new baby.

·         Trained behaviour. If your pet is not trained for the basic commands, sit, stay, etc, then you should train them as soon as your possibly can. There are a variety of books and videos available online to help you with training. You can also sign up for dog obedience classes.

·         Sounds. There are a few CDs available to the public that will prepare your dog for the many new noises associated with bringing a new baby home. www.babysoundsforpets.com

·         Smells. A new baby brings tons of new smells. The smell of the baby itself, diapers, baby powder, baby food, baby shampoo, baby blankets, etc. You can rub the baby with a blanket and let your pet get comfortable with that smell. Also putting baby lotion, shampoo or baby powder on your hands and letting your dog smell it can help. You just don’t want any jumping onto the baby and by bringing the smell to your pet the risk of such is greatly reduced.

·         Touch. Give your pet a treat with every touch so they learn to associate touch with a very positive experience. You wouldn’t want him snapping your child’s fingers when they become a toddler. You should also teach your child the appropriate roughness for family animals.

·         New routines. You could carry around a doll or something of similar size so your pet gets used to you carrying something. This will result in less curiosity when the baby does arrive.

·         Old routines. Keep some of your old routines and make sure to give your pet a little extra attention so they do not become jealous of the baby. Jealousy can result in many actions by your pet such as nipping at the child, urinating or defecating on the child’s things, barking when attention is given to the child and so forth.

·         Quiet time. Babies bring a lot of noise so it is a good idea to set up your pets crate or bed in a quiet place where they can get away from the stress of a new baby.

·         Watch. NEVER NEVER NEVER leave your pet alone with your new baby or any other small child. Things can and do happen.

A new baby is very stressful but with the precautions and tips you can make the transition as easy as possible for your pet.

Toilet Training Your Cat

Have you seen Meet The Parents and now you want a toilet trained cat also? That’s what happened to me. I got sick of always emptying the litter box and getting bits of litter stuck to my feet. I decided to toilet train my cat. It was surprisingly easy, although there are a few inconvenient steps. I ultimately found that it was one of the better decisions I have made.

You can go from litter box to toilet in just 8 easy steps. Pay attention to your cat and take note of whether or not you are moving through the steps to fast.

1. Move the litter box next to the toilet and show your cat where it is. Let a few days pass before altering his restroom location again.

2. After a few days have passed, start raising the litter box slowly. Since I am a student I used my old textbooks from subjects I vowed never to touch again. I would increase the height of the box by putting one 1-inch textbook under the box ever 2 days until the bottom of the litter box was even with the toilet seat. After a while I would just put a cardboard box underneath to replace some of the textbooks. They were getting unstable. My cat was about six months old when we did this so he adjusted to the changes in height very easily. If your cat is older you may want to raise it slower if you notice them in distress. Keep the toilet lid down so there are no slipping accidents when they use the toilet lid to climb into the litter box.

3. Remove the books and place the litter box on the closed toilet lid. Leave it there for 3 days.

4. Now you need to find a metal bowl, never to be used by you again, that you will rest inside the toilet and fill with 2 cups of litter. Show your cat that the litter box was replaced with a metal bowl inside the toilet.

5. Watch your cat as he goes to the bathroom. He will start with all four paws inside the bowl. I started with the front legs and would place them on the toilet bowl rim. Every time he would put them back I would place them back on the rim and praise him. I then started with his back feet once he got used to putting his front feet on the rim. The back feet were the most difficult as it was very awkward for him. I would always praise him though. After awhile he would come and get me to follow him into the bathroom. It was very strange at first but it turned out to be very helpful because he would let me know when I needed to watch him.

6. Every two days, after his foot placement was correct, I started decreasing the cat litter by ¼ of a cup. It will start to smell really bad so you will need to clean out the bowl after each use.

7. When there is about ¼ cup of litter in the bowl, you should empty it and start filling the bowl with ¼ cup water every 2 days. If your cat stops using the bathroom in the toilet you should go back to cat litter in the bowl and start all over.

8. Now that you have water in the bowl the smell will not be as bad. Once you reach 2 cups of water in the bowl, it can be removed and you have a toilet trained cat.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding

Symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis can affect any dog regardless of breed. It can turn a friendly active dog into an angry sluggish dog. Many dogs, one in five, will get arthritis and have trouble with mobility as they get older. Other illnesses, including the flu and a stomach virus, can exhibit similar symptom.
So, how do you know if your dog has arthritis?

1. Favoring a limb

• your pet may start limping or using a certain limb less

Difficulty sitting or standing

• always leaning to one leg and completely avoiding the other

Sleeping more Seeming to have stiff or sore joints

• may not like to have certain joints or areas touched

Hesitancy to jump, run or climb stairs

• you may need to purchase a smaller set of stairs or a ramp if they have trouble getting up

Weight gain

• from loss of mobility

Decreased activity or less interest in play Attitude or behavior changes Call your veterinarian and express your concern for arthritis if these last more than two weeks or they get progressively worse. Waiting can cause more joint damage to occur.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding

Dangers of Human Medication

Animals, dogs especially, are known for digging around in the garbage and eating anything that smells remotely edible. The biggest problem arises when your pet eats medications that have been carelessly thrown out in the garbage.

Consumption of human medications can cause kidney failure, liver failure, vomiting and even death. If your pet has eaten any medication then you should contact the ASPCA Poison Control Center. It is a great resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card if it is not a common poison and you need to speak with a vet. You can also check out their webpage at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/

To prevent animals from eating medication you should:

1. Keep medicine out of reach and in a cabinet that cannot be open by them.
2. Keep human and pet medicine separate to avoid confusion in a hurry.
3. Do not keep medication in a plastic bag, this provides no barrier should your animal happen to discover the medicine.
4. Keep medication in its original labeled container.
5. Administer pills over something that will ensure they don’t get dropped on the floor to be quickly gobbled up by Fido.

If your pet is suffering from an illness NEVER attempt to self medicate. You should always contact your veterinarian.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding

Treating Fleas

Are you having a flea investation.  You are not alone! The fleas have four life stages and there are many options out there to treat fleas in every stage of their life. It is very important that you take care of fleas on small animals. In the mid-90s there was a horrible flea epidemic and, sadly, a few of our cat’s kittens didn’t make it through the year due to flea infestation. So treat for fleas as soon as you see them and if things get worse you should consult your veterinarian.

· Flea shampoos are good if there are a visible amount of fleas on your animal. It is not a permanent solution as it will only kill the fleas it comes in contact with and more will appear within the next few days if no other treatment is used as shampoo is only lethal to adult fleas.

· Flea dips can be used if the fleas pose an immediate threat to your animal. Mites can also be treated with a flea dip. There are some nasty chemicals in flea dips so I would suggest going to see your vet for this treatment.

· Flea collars work on adult fleas only by emitting gas around the collar and allowing some chemicals to be absorbed into the animal’s upper fat layer, killing fleas that try to feed. Flea collars can b put in a vacuum cleaners bag to kill any fleas that have been vacuumed up.

· Flea powders and sprays are only effective against adult fleas and have fallen out of favor in recent years. They can be messy and troublesome if inhaled. They are best used when sprinkled onto the carpet and vacuumed out and last about 2 to 3 days.

· Spot-on treatments such as Advantage and Frontline. Treatment can last anywhere from 1 to 6 months and are applied between the shoulder blades. Some treatments work on adult fleas only while others work on fleas in any stage of life. The amount used depends on weight so it is important that you read all included instructions and apply accordingly.

· Oral medications and injections such as Program and Capstar are one of the few treatments that work by ending the cycle of fleas. Since they are ingested by the animal the go into the blood stream to deliver the product directly to the belly of the pest. Female fleas will start laying unviable eggs so, therefore, larva never hatches and the life cycle does not continue. Read all instructions before proceeding. Consult your veterinarian if you have any questions.

· Don’t forget to vacuum daily and wash all your pets bedding. If fleas are still a problem you should try using a flea light with a sticky pad. After collection you can take the sticky pad to your vet and they will be able to tell you what you are dealing with and how to best treat them.

Only resort to flea bombing as a last resort as those chemicals are highly toxic when inhaled by you and your pet. If your animal appears to be having an adverse reaction to any of the above flea treatments it is imperative that you get them to a vet and discontinue treatment immediately. Just like humans, animals can have allergic reactions to drugs.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding

End of Life Issues

For almost two years our cat Noriega has had a kidney tumor growing in size. When it was first discovered, it did not appear to bother him in the least bit. Now he is starting to lose hair all over and he is quieter than usual but he appears to be in no pain when picked up and he still eats normally, despite his major weight loss.

That leaves me with so many questions. How long will he make it? Is he suffering? Does his quality of life appear to have suffered? Deciding when to let an animal friend go can be just as upsetting as any friend’s death. Here are some things to ask yourself if you have a sick pet.

• Does your pet enjoy the same activities that it used to? Does it still play, run, and hunt like it used to? Can it do these things pain free?

• Does your pet eat normally? Can it keep its food down? Is it getting adequate nutrition?

• Is your pet able to control its bodily functions? If your pet is soiling itself or the house it will be in mental distress because it knows what it is doing is wrong but it just can’t help it. Reassure your pet that you understand and are not upset.

• Is your pet still a part of the family? Can you touch them without fear of snapping?

• Does your pet continue to recognize you? Or does your pet prefer to be alone and appear to not recognize anyone?

Deciding to euthanize your pet down is a very traumatic experience. Talk it over with your family member or veterinarian if you are not sure.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding

Kitten Proofing Your Home

Kitten’s are very, very curious animals and will get into anything you leave out, including toilet paper.

1. All harmful chemicals, poisonous houseplants, and fragile items need to be stowed away where they cannot be ingested or broken.

2. Sewing supplies, such as needles and thread, can be dangerous if swallowed. Kitten may also drag them out and “forget” them on the carpet. Ouch! Keep them well out of reach.

3. Cords that dangle, like those from blinds, can be a potential strangulation hazard. Keep them tied up where kitten cannot reach.

4. Your garbage should be covered and put away where it cannot be ripped into.

5. NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!!! Leave your dryer door open. If it has been left open by mistake ALWAYS check the inside before closing it. Cats love dark, warm places to sleep and the dryer has a very horrible ending.

6. Keep cabinets and drawers closed. If your cat can open the cabinet, which mine can, install a child lock so it cannot be swung open. Towels don’t work well when they are covered in cat hair.

7. Tie drapes up until kitten knows to use their scratching post for any stretching.

8. Make sure electrical cords and wires are out of reach. They pose a risk of electric shock if kitten decides to chew on them.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding