July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety Day!! It is estimated that over 500,000 pets are injured or die during housefires each year. Approximately 900 housefires are due to pets in the household. Here is the story about Lucy and what could have happened when she tried to get to some Chocolate Cake.
Archive for the ‘Pet Safety’ Category
Top Summertime Tips for Pet Safety
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
Summertime! Finally, your chance to relax and unwind! With your sunblock, sunglasses and a good book, you plan to enjoy the day at the pool! Suddenly, you remember your dog is in the yard – unsupervised …surely he will be okay for a couple hours. Or will he?
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!
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 Fahrenheit. Since dogs don’t sweat like we do, they are unable to dissipate the excess heat and heat stroke may soon follow.
MSNBC 2010 Report: When Vets Make Mistakes, Pets Pay the Price
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
MSNBC Report: “When Vets Make Mistakes, Pets Pay the Price.”
Veterinarians are caring, professional people who have dedicated their lives and careers to relieving animal suffering. As pet owners, we truly understand the power of the human-animal bond. As you can imagine, I was surprised to read a recent report at MSNBC.com that paints a very unflattering picture of veterinary medicine as a whole by depicting a few cases where medical mistakes caused distress to pets and their owners.
While I could spend time dictating statistics and numbers, I realize if the medical mistake occurs in your pet, the statistics are meaningless and your grief understandable. As veterinarians, we understand the deep grief and pain felt when we our pet is injured or even lost. We also can empathize with the anger, shock and frustration felt by pet owners.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Couples everywhere will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this weekend. We hope all of you have a WONDERFUL day!! My wife and I enjoy spoiling each other. Yet, this lover’s holiday poses a potential problem for our pets.
Candies and flowers are two staples for the romantic Valentine’s Day sweethearts. Unfortunately, what is anxiously received by us may be a problem for our four legged friends. Most people are aware that chocolates are dangerous for pets, especially our dogs that cannot seem to resist them. Candy made of milk chocolate is safer than darker and baking chocolates, but too much can be hazardous to the canine candy thief. Chocolate can cause arrhythmias, hyperactivity, vomiting and pancreatitis. If you receive chocolates this weekend, be sure to keep them in a safe place for you, not your pet, to enjoy.
Insulin Alert Troubles Owners with Diabetic Pets
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Social media exploded when fewer than a dozen pets contracted the novel H1N1 virus. But, this sensationalism overshadowed a pet health issue with bigger implications. Concern about a specific insulin product’s effectiveness and a general lack of trusted media information has brought back harsh memories of the pet food recall for thousands of pet owners.
On Facebook pages and across numerous Twitter accounts, social media users watched anxiously for the next report of the rare cat or dog diagnosed with H1N1. Sadly, at the same time, tens of thousands of pet owners may have missed vital information about their diabetic animal and the social networks were strangely quiet.
The makers of Vetsulin®, Intervet, along with the FDA, issued a product alert for their insulin after finding batches that did not meet certain stability specifications. Since this action did not initiate a general recall of the product, the alert message did not attract the attention of traditional media outlets, such as TV news, or even the “new news kid on the block” social media networks. Some pet owners only found out about the concerns when visiting their veterinarian for follow up visits with their diabetic pet. Upon learning of the alert, we notified each pet owner using this product by phone to discuss our plan for their pet.
Dangers in Our Own Backyards!!
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
For many people, the sight of deer in their backyard on a brisk autumn morning is a wonderful start to the day. But, as we continue to encroach into formerly “wild” areas, are we putting ourselves and our pets at risk?
Wildlife fascinates us. Whether it’s the sight of a fox along the roadside or a raccoon ambling across a yard, people often stop in amazement, enthralled by these encounters with nature. On a recent trip to the Cape, a deer was spotted on the side of the road and the kids in the car were so excited.
However, there is a darker side to this fascination. As we build more homes in formerly rural areas, contact with wild animals increases. Much of this new interaction has unfortunate consequences for the wildlife. This is evident by the number of dead skunks, raccoons, and possums along the roadside.
Holiday Precautions for Our Pets
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
The Gardner Animal Care Center Team would like to take this opportunity to wish your family and pets a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving. This week marks the start of the holiday season. The last thing any pet owner wants to do on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the New Year is to rush their pet to the animal emergency room! But, the truth is that many pets are injured or poisoned during these holidays. How can you make sure your holiday doesn’t end in disaster?
During the holidays, most animal related ER visits are due to eating something inappropriate. Some foods cause an upset stomach, some are poisonous, and some can cause life-threatening obstructions. Research has shown that 60% of us will share our holiday meal with our pets, but you should follow a few basic guidelines.
When Disaster Strikes, Animal Rescuers Respond
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
In the event of natural disasters, millions of people rely on the “first responders” of police, fire and paramedic squads. Until recently, our animals were often left out of evacuations or rescues. But today, first responders will have help from some very special “animal response teams”.
When wildfires ravage the West, they are there leading horses and livestock to safety. When floods drown the Midwest, they are there rescuing pets and settling them in temporary shelters. And, when the fierce winds of hurricanes and tornados devastate whole communities, once again they are there to help with animal rescue efforts. “They” are the thousands of volunteers who put aside their jobs and family to help save animals when Mother Nature, or human folly, wreaks havoc.
Finding people to help pets has never been difficult, but recent rough storm seasons and continuing wildfires have taught us that disaster responders and temporary shelters are often woefully unprepared to cope with both people AND their pets. Many animal welfare groups and official Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMATs) are often available to lend aid, but coordination with authorities is often lacking.
Internet Reunites Lost Pets and Owners
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
With our impressive array of technologies, like GPS and “smart” phones, you might think that finding a lost pet is getting easier each year. Sadly, the odds are still against many missing pets ever making it back home. Isn’t there some way to insure that your pet will return safely from his wandering?
Everyone loves the amazing stories of dogs and cats that travel long distances to find their way back home or even locate their owners in a new city. Unfortunately, these happy tales are the rare exception to the rule. For every pet that makes it back after leaving, there are tens of thousands who never live to see home again!
Humane groups and pet industry experts estimate that more than 5 million pets will be lost this year. One pet in every three will be lost at some point in his or her lifetime. According to the American Humane Association (www.americanhumane.org), of those that roam away from home, less than 17% of the dogs and only 2% of the cats ever make it back to their owners. Sadly, most of the rest will be euthanized in over-crowded animal shelters. Newspapers and on-line ads still tell the sad story of some youngster’s lost pet every day. Why do we see a continuation of this problem year after year?
Helping Your Pet Keep His Cool This Summer
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Summer is officially upon us and with the summer, comes the heat. We all have survived our first heat wave and the news is reporting how to protect ourselves against heat problems. A visit to the swimming pool, the local creek, or the ocean helps us stay cool during the “dog days” of summer. But what about our canine companions – how do we keep them cool?
The owner was frantic. Just an hour before, her Cairn Terrier, Snickers was playing in the yard. Now he was listless and having trouble breathing.
Rushing him to the nearest veterinary clinic, a concerned veterinary technician informed her Snicker’s temperature was over 106 degrees – he was suffering from heat stroke. Luckily for Snickers – and with the help of a quick thinking owner and veterinary technician – he recovered.