Posts Tagged ‘Pet Safety’

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Don’t let Halloween be a SCARY time for pets!

Saturday, October 29th, 2011
Halloween dog costume

The Headless Dogman makes a SCARY Halloween appearance!

Halloween is full of frightful sugar-induced fun for kids and adults alike, but when it comes to pets, the same treats that we enjoy can cause severe illness, or worse. If you have kids, make sure that they understand that their candy is NOT to be shared with the family dog(s)! (It’s just more for them anyway). Stress the importance of keeping their Halloween haul safe, and in a high place or closed cupboard that nosy wet noses can’t sniff out. Dogs may love chocolate as much as we do, but they don’t know how bad it is for them: if they make off with too many treats, the effects can be downright lethal.

Petplan, a pet health insurance company, released data that shows candy-related pet health problems and emergencies increase by 284 percent in the week after Halloween. Granted, that number comes from their specific claims data, and doesn’t include data from other insurers or non-insured pets; but based on this number, just consider how many candy-related trips to the vet go unreported, due to the majority of people that don’t have pet health insurance.

For more tips on how to avoid the biggest health hazards to pets at Halloween, read on…

  • Chocolate: everyone knows the dangers of chocolate to dogs. But how dangerous? Just one ounce of dark chocolate can poison a 50-pound dog.
  • Raisins: While everyone knows the dangers of chocolate for dogs, the dangers of raisins are lesser known. They’re actually extremely poisonous to pets, especially dogs. Even in small doses, raisin consumption can cause kidney failure in four-legged family members, so treat these treats the same as you would sugary sweets.
  • Candy wrappers:Even if you’re careful to keep candy out of reach of your pet’s paws, keep fun, crinkly wrappers out of their reach too. They can lead to intestinal obstruction, which often requires surgery. 
  • Keep pets calm: Pets can get seriously freaked out by the constant doorbell ringing, not to mention an overwhelming amount of small ghouls and goblins running around the neighborhood. Consider setting up a room with water, food, toys and a comfy pet bed where your pet can stay safe and sound. He’ll probably feel a lot calmer away from the Halloween fray anyway.
  • Safe and comfortable pet costumes: According to the National Retail Federation, 14.7 percent of pet parents will dress up their pets for Halloween. (And earthbath is a fan, as long as your pet is! We’re running a pet costume contest on Facebook – check it out!) If you costume your pet, make sure that your pet doesn’t mind the costume. Some find it very stressful, and for these anxious animals, we don’t advocate making them uncomfortable or unhappy. For those in costume, check to make sure that it’s costume safe and doesn’t constrict your pet’s movement or their ability to see or breathe freely. And even if you do dress your pet up, don’t leave the costume on for very long: pets in costumes can become overheated very quickly.


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Posted in Dogs, earthbath, Fun Stuff, Holidays, Pet Owners, Pet Safety | No Comments »

Pet nametags save lives and make reunions with lost pets easier!

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

The community where I live has its own micro-blog, a 21st century version of town crier, I suppose, in which up-to-the-minute reports of traffic, crime, community events, new business openings, sales, and general chitter-chatter among the residents hold court. One of the largest (and frequented) sections on this blog is the Pets section, a place where people can post pictures and announcements about lost and found pets. Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the “Lost” pets greatly outweigh the “Found” pets in number. The good news for my community, however, is through this forum, a greater proportion of lost pets and and their anxiety-ridden owners are reunited than if there was no public forum like this for people to communicate immediately and quickly.

I am surprised at how many of the “Found” pets are noted as having no collar or microchip. Obviously, zero identifying markers makes their reunion with their owners much more difficult. If not for this (or a similar) community forum, the owners would have no other option but to go the old fashioned route: putting up “Lost Dog” flyers, and frequenting local animal shelters, armed only with hope that their lost animal family member will turn up, and that they get to the shelter first before their furbaby is adopted out to another family, or worse, euthanized!

The loss of a pet is one of the biggest fears of any pet owner, and yet is one of the most preventable calamities. Simply putting a simple, inexpensive name tag on your pet’s collar allows anyone that finds your pet to 1) recognize that it’s not a stray and is in fact a loved family member, and 2) get him back to you immediately. Most people are more likely to approach and take in an animal with a collar than one without (particularly if it’s a medium or large-breed dog).

Even though microchipping has become a very popular option for safeguarding your pet due to its permanence, microchips are invisible, and without a collar, the person finding your pet may not know it’s a family pet, and are more likely to simply alert animal control that there is a loose dog in the area. A microchip is a tiny device that your veterinarian quickly and safely injects just under your pet’s skin, that remains there for life, unnoticed by your pet. The microchips contain a unique ID number that is linked either to the veterinary office that inserted the chip, or directly to you, depending on what service you pay for.  It costs more to have the microchip linked directly to your phone number. Even with a microchip, you’re not completely safeguarded from losing your pet. Though these microchips are read by many veterinary clinics and animal shelters using electronic hand-held scanners, not all animal facilities have scanners, and the individual who is most likely to find your pet probably won’t have a scanner either. In addition, this service can also become essentially useless if you don’t update the microchip service and veterinary office it’s associated with, anytime you: 1) change addresses 2) move 3) switch vets and/or 4) change phone numbers.

All animal control centers and veterinary services should check for microchips, so paying for microchipping is still a great safeguard for your pet in case your pet gets out without his collar and subsequently turns up at one of these places, but if your pet is wearing a collar with name tag, you will probably be reunited with your lost pet much quicker. If a microchip is the only identifier for your pet, the time that can elapse between when your pet is found, taken into a shelter or veterinary office, scanned, located, and then reunited with you, often through the roundabout method of the microchip service contacting the linked veterinary office, who then has to locate the appropriate medical records and call the phone number associated with that record, can be nail-bitingly lengthy. With a nametag, the reunion can be more immediate since the person finding your pet can simply call you directly.

The best plan to safeguard your pet is to ensure that he wears his collar anytime he is outdoors or on a walk, and that his collar contains two tags: 1) his updated rabies vaccination license number and 2) his ID tag with his name, one or more updated contact phone numbers, and any other relevant information (e.g., “Reward!” / your address / “I take daily meds!” / “I love earthbath!” :) etc.). Ensure that the nametag is legible and contains current information, and replace it over time as needed.

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Posted in Breeds, Cats, Dogs, earthbath, Helpful Pet Hints, Pet News, Pet Owners, Pet Safety | No Comments »

Winter weather pet prep!

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

Winter’s here and that means taking extra precautions to keep yourself safe, dry, and warm – inside and out, driving and at home. Along with ensuring your tires are all-weather, your stock of batteries and candles is flush, and your furnace has been serviced, your pets also need some extra-special attention to ensure they are comfortable and safe throughout the harsh winter ahead, no matter where you may be living (Florida and Southern Cali residents aside…)!

Check out our quick-and-dirty winter weather pet preparation tips below!

First, what kind of pet do you have? If you’ve got a Siberian Husky, your winter weather considerations are going to be very different than if you’ve got a greyhound. If you have a large, double-coated dog that has been “bred” for the harsh northen climates like the Alaskan Malamute, Husky, Keeshond, Samoyed, Chow-Chow, or one of these other cold-climate-loving dogs, you may swear you’ve never seen your dog happier as when he’s bounding through the raging winter blizzard, the wind whipping his fur from his face. However, many people mistakenly believe that dogs are “fine” if left outside, and do so, to the great discomfort and displeasure of their dogs. We’re here to tell you: leaving your dogs outside all day and/or night is not good for them, and certainly not in the winter. All pets need shelter from the elements and insulation against cold weather.  No animal should be left outside for long periods in freezing or inclement weather – just like humans, they can suffer from hypothermia and frostbite. Puppies and senior pets are particularly at risk for health problems.  Even though certain breeds, like those mentioned above, are well suited to very cold temperatures and snow conditions, the majority of dogs aren’t, and rely upon your help, as their caregiver, to keep them warm and protected.  If you can’t keep your dog inside the house for some reason, then ensure your dog has its own shelter in an area protected from wind, rain, and snow with plenty of insulating materials like blankets, towels, and straw to help them maintain body heat.

Fresh water is a must at all times, even in snowy or rainy conditions! Pets are not able to get enough water from licking ice or eating snow, and it’s always best for your pets to drink clean, fresh (not puddle) water. Keep in mind that pets kept predominantly outside require additional food for energy and maintaining body heat during the winter, in harsh climates.

Don’t use a heat lamp, space heater, or other device not approved for use with animals. These are both a fire hazard as well as a burn hazard for your pets.  Pet supply vendors sell heated mats for pets to sleep on or to be placed under a dog house, but read and follow directions carefully before using.

Protect those paws! You wouldn’t want to walk miles through ice and snow without boots… and even though your dog’s paws are a bit tougher than the soles of your feet, dogs can get large ice balls between their pads, causing pain and limping. Make sure you examine their paws and remove ice from the fur between their pads. It can be hard to remove these ice balls, so for dogs that have a lot of hair that grows between the pads, keeping it clipped shorter will help curb the formation of ice balls.  Also, salt and chemical de-icers on sidewalks are hugely irritating to paws. They can cause dry, chapped, and  painful feet, not to mention stomach upset when your pet tries to lick the irritant off.  Keep this in mind when you walk your dog on sidewalks that have been salted or de-iced and make sure to clean his paws with a warm washcloth – or, even better - earthbath wipes - when you come inside. If your dog will tolerate foot gear, dog boots are the best foot protection (as well as a floor-saver) in cold or rainy weather.

Protect those joints and ligaments! Just like their human companions, pets too can slip and fall on icy sidewalks and streets. Even if they don’t fall, dogs are prone to injuries such as sprains or tears in the cruciate ligament, behind the knee, if they “skate” and do the icy slip-and-slide!

Keep your dog on a short leash in the winter! Rather, ensure you keep a close eye on your pup if you let her off leash to frolic in the snow, or else never let her off leash if you can help it, unless she’s in the safety of your fenced-in yard. Dogs lose their sense of smell  in extremely cold weather and can become lost. Unfortunately, winter is the season for most lost dogs!

Antifreeze is fatally toxic to dogs - and apparently, delicious. Lock up any antifreeze containers and clean up spills immediately. Don’t let your dogs anywhere near antifreeze – in your house or parking lots. Be especially cautious when walking your dogs if they stop to lick anything on the street or in any driveways: just a few licks of antifreeze can be fatal.

Provide some extra TLC to older and arthritic animals: Just as in humans, arthritis and joint pain gets worse during cold and damp weather. Handle your pet gently, try to prevent your senior cat from jumping up to and down from high places, provide soft (and possibly heated) bedding, and consult your veterinarian if your pet seems like he is in pain or is moving with less agility.

Cats love warm car engines… which could spell disaster if you start your car without ensuring there isn’t a slumbering cat under your hood. If you suspect that your car is a favored sleeping spot for your or any other neighborhood cat, knock on the hood or honk the horn before starting your engine to scare away any cats.

What are your favorite winter-weather pet tips? We’d love to hear from you!

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Posted in Breeds, Canine Health, Cats, Dogs, earthbath, Helpful Pet Hints, Holidays, Pet News, Pet Owners, Pet Safety | No Comments »

Give thanks for (and to!) your pet with our top 3 Thanksgiving treats!

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

This Thanksgiving, as you gather round the table with loved ones, friends, and family, we know you won’t forget to give thanks for your furry family members! After all, who loves you unconditionally, doesn’t ever talk back, is always happy to see you, and can be counted on to cheer you up no matter how dark your mood? Even though your perfect Thanksgiving may consist of gorging yourself to the gills before collapsing in front of the TV, don’t make the mistake of indulging your dog or cat in the same way. Remember, your pet might know something special is going on, with the increase in company and holiday hubbub in your house, but he doesn’t need excess food, especially not the rich holiday treats or sweets that are toxic to his sensitive stomach, irrespective of season. However, there are some great pet-safe Thanksgiving treats that are guaranteed to make your furry family member feel extra-thankful for such a loving pet parent. Here are our three favorites (with corresponding DON’Ts):

1) A taste of the Thanksgiving table: If you feel too guilty indulging in your Thanksgiving feast without sharing at least a little of it with your pet, go ahead… a taste of “people food” today as a special treat won’t hurt him (as long as you keep it at “just a taste”). A few small skinless, boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a bite of mashed potatoes or even a tiny sliver of pumpkin pie would all be welcome to your pet. However, don’t allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of upset tummy, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. Cooked nutrient-rich vegetables like pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, and peas are wonderful “treats” for cats and dogs – the same wonderful vitamins that make these so good for humans are equally nutritious for animals (in the right quantity). We take no responsibility, however, if your “one time indulgence” for Fido creates a little begging monster from here on out!

BUT DON’T: Give him sage (the essential oils in sage and other herbs can cause digestive upset, especially to cats), raw bread dough (why you’d feed raw bread dough to anyone I don’t know, but the ASPCA warns that it can rise in a pet’s stomach, causing severe GI distress and even life-threatening bloating), chocolate (always toxic to dogs and cats), or too much of anything (duh).

2) Bones/Chews and Special Treats: You can find special Thanksgiving-themed/turkey-flavored bones or chews that will let you feel as though you and your pooch are sharing the same Thanksgiving flavors together without the risk of splinter-prone turkey bones. Pay a special trip to your local pet store or doggy bakery and grab a turkey-flavored bone for Fido! In addition, you can find many dog treats around the holidays that are made with natural, organic ingredients such as pumpkin, sweet potato, and apple with ginger or cinnamon for a special Thanksgiving or Christmas twist.

BUT DON’T: Give him poultry bones of any variety. Cooked turkey, duck, geese and other bird bones are dangerous to your pet. They are hollow, and can break and splinter easily. Because they are so easily breakable, they aren’t usually chewed thoroughly, which results in sharp pieces that can cause choking, or even block or tear the intestines.  A pet that has a bone or fragment of one lodged in his intestine may not even show symptoms for a few days, and when they do, in the form of listlessness, loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea, surgery may be required.

3) Turkey treats: Some nibbles of skinless, boneless turkey is a great treat for most cats and dogs. Cut up a few pieces and add it to your dog’s regular food to give it its own Thanksgiving meal. For cats, try pureeing some turkey with sweet potatoes or pumpkin and adding it to their regular food or giving it to them on its own as a special tasty treat. And if you don’t like turkey giblets, your pet will feel differently: try boiling them up for a yummy pet treat that you can dole out over several days. You can also try stuffing a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy—inside a Kong toy to keep them happily entertained (without the danger of overindulgence) while you entertain your guests. By the time your furry friend has gotten all of the treats out of the toy, you’ll be in the midst of post-dinner cleanup and ready to spend the rest of the afternoon curled up with your pet in a turkey-induced coma.

DON’T: Give turkey skin or bones, or any meat that’s been sitting out longer than two hours to avoid risk of salmonella poisoning. Also make sure you don’t feed any foods containing garlic, onions, sage, raisins, or chocolate… all are toxic to animals.

The best Thanksgiving treat of all: Spend some quality time together, with loved ones of both human and canine or feline variety!

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Posted in Breeds, Canine Health, Cats, Diet, Dogs, earthbath, Helpful Pet Hints, Holidays, Pet News, Pet Owners, Pet Safety | No Comments »

Six Tricks (Treat-filled Tips) for Pet Safety On Halloween

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

It’s that time of year again, when the jack-’o-lanterns and out-of-control-cobwebs take over the neighborhood. Halloween is a great time to play dress-up, scare yourself silly, and overindulge in too many treats. However, as with many holidays, your pets see it quite differently, and in fact, can become quite stressed out and even a target for threatening and dangerous activities.

We offer up six tricks to help you ensure your pets get nothing but treats (but not too many) this Halloween.

1) Keep your Halloween candy to yourself

We’re all for sharing, but not in this case. Candy, especially chocolate, is toxic to animals and can cause stomach upset, vomiting, restlessness, heart disturbances, and even death.

  • Just a few ounces of chocolate can kill a 10-pound dog, because it can over-stimulate the neurological and cardiac systems.
  • Beware of candy wrappers and foil because they are a choking hazard to dogs, cats and domestic rabbits.

If you want to treat your pet to something more special than his usual biscuits, pay a visit to your local pet store or doggy bakery and pick up some dog-specific Halloween treats! He won’t share with you, so why share your candy with him?

2) Don’t encourage a friendship between your pets and your Jack-O’-Lanterns

If your pets are anything like mine, they want to be part of everything you’re doing, especially if it’s new and interesting. Don’t carve pumpkins on the floor, with your dogs and cats sitting next to you. It would be all too easy to have an errant slip of the knife cause a terrible injury to an overly curious cat or excited dog. If you’ve managed to successfully carve your pumpkin, then make sure you place it out of your pets’ reach. Candlelit jack-o-lanterns are objects of interest for both dogs and cats, and your smiling pumpkin could become a firestarter in no time if it gets knocked over. We all know what curiosity did to the cat… their paws are small and love to reach inside little holes for moving, dancing objects (flames), they can jump high, and more cats than not are fascinated by fire. Prevent injury and tragedy this Halloween and confine either your pets or your fires (or both, just not together!), and make sure you always supervise any open flames, including candles (any time of year).

3) So you’ve decided to embarrass your pet (with a costume). Fine. Just make sure it fits. And take it off quickly.

The Humane Society insists on making sure your pet costume fits your pet well and doesn’t have any binding or constricting elements, which could cause your pet to trip or block his vision. If a costume is too big, the animal could suffocate or become entangled or strangled in it. If the costume is too small, it could obviously impede his circulation or breathing. After all, your pet isn’t going to enjoy being “in costume” as much as you will enjoy seeing him in it, so the least you can do is make sure he’s as comfortable as possible.

  • Never leave your pet unattended when he’s in costume. Pets can become injured or worse in trying to extricate themselves from costumes – unless your pets are used to wearing clothes, costumes are uncomfortable, restrictive things, akin to traps, that they need to get themselves out of.
  • The best option is to dress your pet for a quick photo and then take the costume off, as suggested by the Humane Society.
  • Costumes with rubber bands should never be worn by pets because they are not only uncomfortable, but also dangerous. Rubber bands mistakenly left on a pet can quickly burrow into the animal’s skin and cause injury and even strangling.
  • Finally, if your pet is struggling and obviously hating being in costume, don’t force him to wear it. The last thing you want is to cause stress and anguish for your furry friend, which could result in a lash-out of frustrated aggression, from even the nicest pet.

4) Frighten the trick-or-treaters, not your pets

Pets that are easily excitable (doorbell barkers, we’re talking to you!) or scared by strangers (hello kitties!) should be kept in a room or quiet part of the house that is protected from the excessive activity and noise that is bound to occur from trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. Costumed kids screaming “trick-or-treat!” are cute to you, perhaps not so much to your dog or cat!  All pets should be kept away from the front door so they can’t bark at or bite anyone, or run into the street. With so many strangers visiting the home in even stranger attire, even normally calm pets might overreact.

5) Stay indoors and watch a scary movie together. You’ll be the only one to get scared. As it should be.

If you’re going to go for a walk on Halloween, it’s probably the best idea NOT to do so when the trick-or-treaters are out roaming the neighborhood. Loud and crazy-costumed trick-or-treaters could provoke fear and aggression in even the nicest pet. Why stress him out? Go for a walk in the morning or afternoon and then have him curl up with you on the couch at night. You might get scared by Paranormal Activity, but he won’t. If you have to take him out for a walk in the evening, just make sure you keep him on a shorter than normal leash.

It’s really important that you don’t leave your pets outside and unattended on Halloween, not even in your fenced yard. This is a night where strangers are given free license to roam neighborhoods, traipse through yards, ring doorbells, play pranks, and worse. Many animals disappear as pranksters and those with darker intentions tease, abduct, torture, or even kill pets.

The usual warnings abound about black cats, who are frequent targets of cruel activities on Halloween. It’s best if you keep your cats indoors all year round, but especially during Halloween week. Though Snopes.com determined that there was inconclusive evidence whether Satanic rites involving cats were “a real, widespread phenomenon, or largely a self-perpetuating Halloween myth” it did note that some people acquire cats to use as “living decorations” around Halloween, only to discard or abandon them afterwards. Out of an abundance of caution, many animal shelters make black cats unavailable for adoption the week before Halloween.

6) Play tag with your pet

It’s a good rule to follow regardless of the time of year: your pet should wear his ID tags and collar at all times, with updated contact information including your phone number, vaccinations and license. During times of hectic activity, including parties with its frequent comings and goings, as well as the constant door opening due to trick-or-treaters, your pets may dart outside through open doors, even if you tried to follow trick #4 above. Microchipping your pet is a great second line of protection, should he not be wearing his collar, or in case it comes off of him somehow.
The best thing to do for your pets this Halloween is to adopt similar tactics that you’d use when moving.  Your pets rely upon their safe and comfortable daily routine to make them feel secure and happy and are stressed with any upset to this routine. Protect their well being and emotional health! Confine your pets to a single “safe room” where the comings and goings of trick-or-treaters or party-goers won’t give it a chance to escape, or, if it is fearful by nature, will not scare him. Just make sure he has his favorite toys with him, and maybe a special new treat of his own.
And if your pets get SCARY DIRTY… it’s time for an earthbath! Happy Halloween!

For the Humane Society’s Tips on Keeping Animals Safe at Halloween, click HERE.

To read a real-life horror story on the Humane Society’s website about the dangers of synthetic cobwebs for pets, click HERE.

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Posted in Canine Health, Cats, Dogs, earthbath, Helpful Pet Hints, Holidays, Pet News, Pet Owners, Pet Safety | No Comments »

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