Hurricane and Summer Season Tips for Pets

Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane season is upon us and that means having not only an evacuation plan in place for ourselves and members of our household but also for our four-legged family members.  Plan ahead and should a hurricane or evacuation occur, you will be prepared and ready to deal with the situation.

• Kennels or carriers for dogs and cats should be an appropriate size.  Kennels should be large enough for a dog to be able to stand up and turn around in.  If you evacuate to a location where your cat will need to remain in his/her carrier for a period of time, make sure it is large enough to contain a small litter box, food and water.  Be sure to list your contact information (name, address, phone number) on the kennel.
• Make sure that you have not only food for your pets but sufficient water.  On average, a healthy dog drinks about an 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day so be sure to have on hand a sufficient number of gallons to tide you over and ensure you won’t run out of water for your pets.
• Have your pet microchipped and make sure your microchip is registered.  Registering the microchip ensures that your name and contact information is associated with that microchip number.  It also makes sense to add an emergency contact on your microchip information that is not in the area – just in case you and your pet are separated and you are unable to be reached because of lack of power to local telephones and cell towers.  Remember — microchips are only as good as the information stored in the central database.  Contact your microchip provider to make sure they have all of your current information such as telephone numbers and address.
• In addition to a microchip, an identification tag with your current cell phone number on a pet’s collar is highly advisable.  This makes it much quicker and easier to reunite a lost pet with his/her owner.
• Make sure your pets are not only current on their vaccines but that you keep the proof of vaccination easily accessible in case they need to be boarded.  Most boarding facilities will not board a pet without current proof of vaccines.  Bordetella (also medically referred to as “tracheobronchitis”) is a required vaccine for most facilities prior to accepting a pet for boarding.  The bordetella vaccine prevents what is commonly referred to as kennel cough, a highly contagious respiratory disease among dogs.
• Have towels and/or paper towels and large trash bags on hand for cleaning up spills and accidents in the event of an evacuation.

Summer Season Tips

While many of us may enjoy the warmth of the summer sun and soaking in some rays, summer heat can be deadly to our pets.

• Dogs should be walked before 11 am or after 6 pm to avoid the hottest part of the day.  There are usually a high number of cases of heat stroke in the summer so we need to be extra careful in caring for our pets.  Heat stroke in dogs occurs when a dog’s body is absorbing more heat than it can release.  The temperature in the dog’s body goes up and once the temperature reaches a certain point, the dog’s body is unable to regulate normal functions and damage to the dog’s muscles and organs can occur.  Every year thousands of dogs suffer from heat stroke, a condition which can quickly turn deadly if not treated immediately.  Dogs can experience heat stroke if confined in a hot space, if they are acclimating to hot weather or if they have worked or played too much without a sufficient cooling down period.
• If your dogs spend a lot of time outdoors, make sure they have plenty of shade at all times and lots of  fresh water every day.  Make sure any water bowls outside are placed in a shaded area so as not to be heated by the sun.  Avoid excessive exercise during those hot days.
• If you are going to take your dog for a drive in the car, make sure it’s in the morning or evening, as opposed to the middle of the day when the heat is greatest. And remember — NEVER leave a dog unattended, even if only “for a few minutes”, in a vehicle.  The temperature is much higher in the summer and that heat can be deadly for a pet.

Keep these tips in mind and your pets can stay healthy and happy during the summer heat and hurricane season.

Summer tips for pet safety in the heat

As we get ready for summer to start, we wanted to provide you with some important information to protect your pets from the Florida heat. Pets, just like people, can suffer heatstroke at any time of day – even in the shade. In Florida, they are particularly vulnerable due to the extreme heat and humidity – even short haired varieties.

Tips for summer pet safety:

• Be aware that the outside temperature can be a lot warmer than what is on your thermometer – on humid days (and we have a lot of them here!) the relative temperature is much higher
• Dogs really don’t know when to stop playing – try and keep your dog’s activity to a minimum particularly on hot and humid days
• Exercise your dog early in the morning and/or later in the evening when the temperature is cooler
• If possible keep your dog indoors during the heat of the day in a well ventilated or air conditioned room
• If your dog is outside during the day, make sure there is plenty of shady areas for him to lie in and he has access to cold water. Put a small kid-sized pool of water for him in a shady area so he can lie in that to keep cool, and/or periodically spray him with cool water.
• Make sure anyone watching your pet is also aware of these safety precautions

Signs of heat stroke:

• Excessive panting
• Dark or bright red tongue and gums
• Sticky or dry tongue and gums
• Staggering
• Stupor
• Seizures
• Bloody diarrhea or vomiting
• Coma
• Death

If you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, try the following first-aid procedures:

• Cool him in cool (not icy) water, or by running a hose over his body. Cool the head and neck areas first.
• Put him in an air conditioned space.
• Do not attempt to force him to drink water.
• Call your veterinarian or a nearby emergency vet office for more advice. It’s best to keep these numbers availably to all family members at all times. A magnet or note on the refrigerator is a good way to do this.

As with children, local and State statutes also forbid leaving animals inside vehicles — even with windows cracked or during evening hours. Violators risk both civil and criminal penalties. When the temperature outside is 85 degrees, the inside of a vehicle can reach 102 in just 10 minutes — 120 degrees in 30 minutes! Animals left in closed vehicles will develop heatstroke, and may suffer pain, injury or even death.

If you see a pet confined inside a vehicle should notify law enforcement or Hillsborough County Animal Services immediately. For more information, call (813) 744-5660 or log on www.hillsboroughcounty.org/animalservices.

Florida Rescued Dogs

DameDog has a blog that provides a venue for caretakers of dogs rescued from homelessness or worse to share stories, pictures, problems, and help each other. The site contains some touching stories about dogs and the wonderful people who rescued them. There is also some good information and links to animal rescue organizations for those of you looking for your next family member.

Check it out! http://floridarescueddogs.blogspot.com/

10 Products Dangerous to Pets

Many consumers are not even aware that the marketplace is selling them dangerous things for their house pets. These commonly sold items should be avoided when shopping for pet supplies and food.

It might surprise you to know that many products sold in pet shops are actually dangerous, or cruel, to pets. Well of course when you think about it, pet stores are in the business of making profit, if people want them to sell something, they would rather sell it than talk you out of it. What are these dangerous products? dog shock collars, dog choke chain collars, over the counter medications, cat toys on strings, “starter kit” cages, cedar shavings, rawhide, cat milk liquid treat, tuna for cats, ingredients found in some pet foods.Read the full article here:

http://www.gomestic.com/Pets/10-Dangerous-Pet-Products.111964

 

Thanksgiving and pets

The Thanksgiving holiday can be a hectic time for animals. Friends and
family coming in and out of the door means your pet could slip right
through. In addition to the heartache of wondering where your pet is and
if they are safe, not having your pet microchipped could add
more stress.

The Neuter Scooter makes it easier for you to get your pet spayed or
neutered, and up-to-date on shots and micro-chipping. There are two more pick-up times
for November. Also, if you respond to treats like your Fido does, don’t
forget about the complimentary Dunkin Donuts available at all pickup
locations!

Wednesday, November 22-Petco, 13127 N. Dale Mabry Hwy in Tampa

Tuesday, November 28-Gulley’s Grocery, 3001 W. Reynolds in Plant City

Some other things to keep in mind during this holiday season to keep your
pet safe:

The following information came from http://www.tbo.com:

. Table scraps may look like a great thing to give to a dog, but they can
lead to an upset stomach vomiting, diarrhea, and even pancreatitis which
is a life threatening condition. Make sure your guests know the
consequences of feeding your pet extra snacks and scraps
. Keep aluminum foil, plastic wrap, plastic bags and wax paper away from
pets. These items can lead to accidental intestinal blockage.
. Any brittle or splintering bone can become lodged in your pet’s
esophagus as well as puncture a hole in their intestines, so keep the
bones for wishing and not for snacking.
. Chocolate contains theobromine which can be hazardous to your
pets health. Bakers chocolate is the highest in theobromine and can cause
the most problems.
. As with any holiday, see that your pet has a safe haven to move
to…away from the festivities.
. Make sure that your pet has their identification tags on during any
parties and events. If your pet does slip out you can get them back
quickly. The Animal Coalition also offers low cost micro-chipping. See
http://www.actampa.org for more information.

Check out the Tampa Tribune for the Pet Cetera column for additional advice
at http://www.tbo.com!