Pet Services - Pet health and safety tips
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Outdoors, make sure that your pets are protected from contact with toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions. And prevent them from ingesting:
- Blue-green algae in ponds
- Citronella candles
- Cocoa mulch
- Compost piles
- Fertilizers
- Flea products
- Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
- Swimming pool treatment supplies
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Fly baits containing methomyl and slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde are particularly dangerous.
Indoors, never leave dangerous objects like pins, string, ribbon, or fish hooks within reach of your animal friend, and be very careful to poison-proof your home. Pets should not be able to get at:
- Christmas tree water
- Prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, especially pain killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, antidepressants, vitamins or diet pills. One regular-strength ibuprofen tablet (200mg) can cause stomach ulcers in a 10-pound dog.
- Antifreeze
- Liquid potpourris
- Ice melting products
- Rat and mouse bait
If, despite your best efforts, your pet is poisoned:
- Keep the animal warm and quiet.
- Try to determine what the poison was and amount ingested.
- Immediately call your veterinarian or your nearest poison control center.
- Bring the container (or label) of the poison with you if you need to take your pet to the vet
Heat Stroke
As with humans, heat stroke can kill or result in serious injury. During warm days, your pet needs access to proper ventilation, cool clean water and shade.
- Never leave your pet in a car on hot days
- Exercise your pet during the cool part of the day.
- Be aware of rapid breathing; loud panting; or staggering.
- If your pet displays signs of heat stroke, immediately get the animal to a shady ventilated area, and, if possible, sponge it off with cool water.
Frostbite
During the winter months, be especially alert for signs of frostbite. If your pet's skin is red or gray:
- Apply warm, moist towels to thaw out the frostbitten areas slowly until the skin appears flush.
- Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for further care.
- Remember: a sick or injured animal is often in a frightened state, so if emergency first aid is necessary protect yourself (even if it is your own pet).
It is best to keep pets indoors during the winter months, but if this is not possible, provide them with insulated, heated shelter. Indoor pets should be kept in a draft-free, warm area with their bed elevated slightly off the floor. During cold weather remember:
- Outdoor pets require extra calories to keep warm - feed your pet according to its needs when the thermometer drops
- Be sure to remove snow and salt from your pet's paws.
Other pet services info:
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