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Make Your Home A Pet Safe Enviroment
Hot Dog! Heat Stroke in Your Pup by Susan
As temperatures rise during the months of summer, it is important
to keep your pet safe from the effects of the heat. Many of the dangers of the heat for humans also apply to dogs, such as
heat stroke.
Heat stroke is an essential thing to look out for in your pet. Signs of
heat stroke include, but are not limited to, excessive panting, staggering, seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomiting, coma, body
temperatures of 104-110F, and dark or bright red tongue and gums. Take your pet to the veterinarian immediately if you suspect
heat stroke. Use cool water, not ice cold, to cool them down. Offer them ice cubes to lick until you reach can reach the veterinarian.
The sooner you can get the dog to the vet, the better! Do not aid cooling below 103F because it might cause hypothermia or
cause shock. Even if everything appears to be better still see a vet as soon as possible to make sure all internal organs
are ok.
To prevent heat stroke, make sure your pet has access to water at all times.
Using a travel bowl is perfect for summer walks or road trips. Even if your dog is only in the car for a short period of time
it is important to keep water on hand for them. The LeBistro Automatic Waterer provides a steady flow of water for up to seven
days, though it should be checked regularly to make sure there is enough water.
Also avoid exercising with your pet during the peak hours of the day when
it is the hottest. Jogging or walking while it is hot out can dehydrate your dog quickly and cause heat stroke. Try to keep
walks short and during the early morning hours before it is too hot or later at night after it cools down.
To cool your pet down on a hot day, douse them with the hose in the morning
or any other time they need a break from the heat. You can also spray them with a cooling, refreshing coat mist such as the
ikaria Cucumber/Mint Coat Mist. Available in a variety of scents, these sprays help condition the skin and coat, as well as
cool the skin.
Remember that heat and pets don’t mix. If you have to leave a pet
in the car for any amount of time, leave windows cracked enough to let air circulate and cool the car. Car interiors can reach
temperatures of over 120 degrees Fahrenheit; hot enough to kill your pet no matter how short of a time they are in the car.
Always take precautions whenever taking your dog out during the summer heat,
especially in the peak hours of heat. Keep them hydrated, and watch for symptoms of heat stroke!
Household Items that Can Kill Your Dog by Carol Stack
According to the web site of The American Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the number of pets ingesting household and backyard poisons is increasing. In some cases, such
as with polyurethane glue, the increase is dramatic. Since 2002 the number of dogs ingesting this glue has risen 740%.
For some reason dogs and cats are ingesting more poisons than in the past.
Perhaps there are more products around that are made with poisonous ingredients, or perhaps with our busy lives we forget
to put things away in a safe place. Whatever the reason, there is a significant increase in the number of pets dying each
year from poisonous substances.
People love their pets and don’t want to see them suffer. There are
precautions everyone can take to protect their dog, cat, bird, ferret or whatever from ingesting poisons found inside the
home, in the garage, and in the yard.
With the coming of cold weather the number of dogs and cats dying from ingesting
antifreeze and ice melts increases. Antifreeze is very toxic and even small amounts can cause kidney damage that is life-threatening.
Most cases of antifreeze poisoning occur right at the animal’s own
home because the proper storage containers were not used or the antifreeze was not disposed of properly. Keep these things
in mind when working with antifreeze:
• Clean up spills immediately
• Check for leaks under your
car regularly
• Store antifreeze in clearly marked containers that are sealed and out of reach of your pets
•
Never allow your pet into the area where you are draining radiator fluid from your vehicle
• Consider using products
containing propylene glycol, which is a less toxic form of antifreeze instead of those containing ethylene glycol
If you think your pet has ingested antifreeze contact your vet or the ASPCA
Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435 immediately.
Ice melts (used in areas where it snows to melt ice) are another cold weather
problem for pets. Walking on ice melts that contain ingredients such as calcium chloride and sodium chloride (table salt)
can cause skin irritation. If your pet licks their paws and ingests the ice melt they can experience many side affects including
drooling, vomiting, decreased muscle function, and in severe cases, seizures, coma and even death.
Again, if you think your pet has come in contact with an ice melt product
it is important you contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center right away. There are different treatments
for different types of ice melts so it will help if you know the type your pet was exposed to.
Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet
-
Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (all forms)
- Coffee (all forms)
- Fatty foods
- Macadamia nuts
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Onions, onion powder
- Raisins and grapes
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Garlic
- Products sweetened with xylitol
Warm Weather Hazards
- Animal toxins—toads,
insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions
- Blue-green algae in ponds
- Citronella candles
- Cocoa mulch
- Compost
piles Fertilizers
- Flea products
- Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
- Swimming-pool treatment supplies
- Fly
baits containing methomyl
- Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde
Medication
Common examples of human medications
that can be potentially lethal to pets, even in small doses, include:
- Pain killers
- Cold medicines
- Anti-cancer
drugs
- Antidepressants
- Vitamins
- Diet Pills
Cold Weather Hazards
- Antifreeze
- Liquid
potpourri
- Ice melting products
- Rat and mouse bait
Common Household Hazards
- Fabric softener
sheets
- Mothballs
- Post-1982 pennies (due to high concentration of zinc)
Holiday Hazards
- Christmas tree water
(may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach.
- Electrical cords
- Ribbons or
tinsel (can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction—most often occurs with kittens!)
-
Batteries
- Glass ornaments
Non-toxic Substances for Dogs and Cats
The
following substances are considered to be non-toxic, although they may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in some animals:
- Water-based paints
- Toilet bowl water
- Silica gel
- Poinsettia
- Cat litter
- Glue traps
-
Glow jewelry
The list is long, but it could save the life of your dog or cat if you memorize
it and then keep these things out of your pet’s reach.
Carol Stack has been working with dogs for over three decades. She lives
with her husband, 3 kids, 4 dogs, 8 cats and 1 bird (Bob) in California. She and her daughter Christy have created a site
especially for dog lovers at: http://www.christysdogportal.com
Ten Most Common Poisonous Plants
Marijuana
Ingestion of Cannabis sativa by companion
animals can result in depression of the central nervous system and incoordination, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling,
increased heart rate, and even seizures and coma.
Sago Palm
All parts of Cycas Revoluta are poisonous,
but the seeds or “nuts” contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result
in very serious effects, which include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.
Lilies
Members of the Lilium spp. are considered
to be highly toxic to cats. While the poisonous component has not yet been identified, it is clear that with even ingestions
of very small amounts of the plant, severe kidney damage could result.
Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
The bulb portions of
Tulipa/Narcissus spp. contain toxins that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, depression
of the central nervous system, convulsions and cardiac abnormalities.
Azalea/Rhododendron
Members of the Rhododenron
spp. contain substances known as grayantoxins, which can produce vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness and depression
of the central nervous system in animals. Severe azalea poisoning could ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular
collapse.
Oleander
All parts of Nerium oleander are considered
to be toxic, as they contain cardiac glycosides that have the potential to cause serious effects—including gastrointestinal
tract irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.
Castor Bean
The poisonous principle in Ricinus
communis is ricin, a highly toxic protein that can produce severe abdominal pain, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive
thirst, weakness and loss of appetite. Severe cases of poisoning can result in dehydration, muscle twitching, tremors, seizures,
coma and death.
Cyclamen
Cylamen species contain cyclamine,
but the highest concentration of this toxic component is typically located in the root portion of the plant. If consumed,
Cylamen can produce significant gastrointestinal irritation, including intense vomiting. Fatalities have also been reported
in some cases.
Kalanchoe
This plant contains components that
can produce gastrointestinal irritation, as well as those that are toxic to the heart, and can seriously affect cardiac rhythm
and rate.
Yew
Taxus spp. contains a toxic component known
as taxine, which causes central nervous system effects such as trembling, incoordination, and difficulty breathing. It can
also cause significant gastrointestinal irritation and cardiac failure, which can result in death.
For a complete list go to ASPCA website: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_toxicplants
CPR FOR DOGS
AIRWAY - make sure the animal has an open airway
- Lay animal down on either side.
- Gently tilt the head slightly back to extend the neck.
- Pull the tongue between the front teeth.
- Use your finger to check for and remove any foreign material.
* BREATHING - if the animal is not breathing do the following:
- Open the airway.
- For medium and large dogs, seal the mouth and lips by placing your
hands around the lips, gently holding the muzzle closed.
- Place your mouth over the animal's nose and forcefully exhale.
- Give four or five breaths rapidly, then check to see if animal is
breathing without assistance. Unless the animal begins to breath regularly continue artificial respiration until you reach
a vet, or for a maximum of 20 minutes.
Use the following breathing rates:
Medium or large dog (over 30 lbs): 20
breaths per minute.
* CIRCULATION - if there is no heartbeat or pulse - Medium to large
dogs (30-90 lbs)
- Stand or kneel with animal's back toward you (animal laying on right
side).
- Extend arms at the elbows.
- Cup hands over each other.
- Compress the chest at the point where the animal's left elbow lies
when pulled back to the chest.
- Compress so the chest moves about 1- 3 inches with each compression.
- If working alone, do 5 compressions for each breath, then check for
a pulse.
- If there are two people, one person does the breathing while the
other performs the compressions at a rate of 2 or 3 compressions for each breath, check for pulse.
Large dogs (more than 90 lbs)
- Use technique for medium to large dogs.
- If working alone, do 10 compressions for each breath, check pulse.
- If there are two people, one person does the breathing while the
other performs the compressions at a rate of six compressions for each breath, then check for a pulse.
Do not start chest compressions before checking for heartbeat.
It is absolutely imperative that you ascertain the cardiac status of the
animal, that is, that there is NO HEARTBEAT, before commencing chest compressions.
Just because an animal is not breathing does not mean he also has no heartbeat.
(Although if he does, he won't for long if he does not receive ventilations or start breathing on his own by opening his airway
quickly.)
Take your time when checking for a heartbeat and be sure there is none before
beginning compressions. Check for about 10 seconds, sometimes it can be hard to find, or faint. Be sure before you
compress!
Choking
If you notice your pet is choking, remove any item that may be
constricting the neck. Examine inside the mouth and remove any foreign object you see. Do not blindly place your hand down
your pet's throat and pull any object you feel. Dogs and cats have small bones that support the base of their tongues. Owners
probing the throat for a foreign object have mistaken these for chicken bones. Do not attempt to remove an object unless you
can see and identify it.
If you cannot easily remove the object, lift and suspend a small animal with the head pointed
down. For larger animals, lift the rear legs so the head is tilted down. This can help dislodge an item stuck in the throat.
Another
method is to administer a sharp hit with the palm of your hand between the shoulder blades. This can sometimes dislodge an
object.
If this does not work, a modified Heimlich maneuver can be attempted. Grasp the animal around the waist so
that the rear is nearest to you, similar to a bear hug. Place a fist just behind the ribs. Compress the abdomen several times
(usually 3 to 5 times) with quick pushes. Check the mouth to see if the foreign object has been removed.
Even if you
are successful in removing a foreign object, veterinary examination is recommended. Internal injury could have occurred that
you may not realize.
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