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SPRING & SUMMER PET TIPS

Play It Cool With Pets in the Summer!

When the lazy days of barbecues and trips to the beach roll around, you can make them even better by sharing them with your favorite pet. By following a few summer pet safety tips, you can keep your animal friends healthy and enjoy the months of sun and fun.

·         Never leave your pet in the car. Though it may seem cool outside, the sun can raise the temperature inside your car to 120 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of minutes, even with the windows rolled down. If you need to run some errands, leave the furry ones at home.

·         As you're outside enjoying the warm weather, keep your pet leashed. It will keep her from getting lost, fighting other animals, and eating and drinking things that could make her sick. This tip isn't just for dogs--even cats can learn to walk on a leash if you train them.

·         Water, water everywhere. Whether you're indoors or out, both you and your pet need access to lots of fresh water during the summer, so check her water bowl several times a day to be sure it's full. If you and your furry friend venture forth for the afternoon, bring plenty of water for both of you.

·         Pets need sunscreen too. Though all that fur helps protect her, your pet can get sunburned, particularly if she has light skin and hair. Sunburn in animals can cause problems similar to those it can cause in people, including pain, peeling, and skin cancer. So keep your pet out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and when you do go out, rub a bit of sunblock on unprotected areas like the tips of her ears, the skin around her lips, and the tip of her nose.

·         Say no to tangles. Keeping your pet well groomed will help her hair do what it was designed to do: protect her from the sun and insulate her from the heat. If she has extremely thick hair or a lot of mats and tangles, her fur may trap too much heat, so you may want to have her clipped.

·         Watch out for antifreeze. Hot weather may tempt your pet to drink from puddles in the street, which can contain antifreeze and other chemicals. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that animals like, but it's extremely toxic. When you're walking your pet, make sure she doesn't sneak a drink from the street.

·         Be cautious on humid days. Humidity interferes with animals' ability to rid themselves of excess body heat. When we overheat we sweat, and when the sweat dries it takes excess heat with it. Our four-legged friends only perspire around their paws, which is not enough to cool the body. To rid themselves of excess heat, animals pant. Air moves through the nasal passages, which picks up excess heat from the body. As it is expelled through the mouth, the extra heat leaves along with it. Although this is a very efficient way to control body heat, it is severely limited in areas of high humidity or when the animal is in close quarters.

·         Make sure your pet doesn't overexert herself. Though exercise is an important part of keeping your dog or cat at a healthy weight, which helps her body stay cool, overdoing it can cause her to overheat. Keep the walks to a gentle pace and make sure she has plenty of water. If she's panting a lot or seems exhausted, it's time to stop.

·         Take it easy on pets that can't deal with the heat. Elderly, very young, and ill animals have a hard time regulating their body temperature, so make sure they stay cool and out of the sun on steamy summer days. Dogs with snub noses, such as Pekingese, pugs, and bulldogs, have a hard time staying cool because they can't pant efficiently, so they also need to stay out of the heat. Overweight dogs are also more prone to overheating, because their extra layers of fat act as insulation, which traps heat in their bodies and restricts their breathing capabilities.

·         Bring them inside. Animals shouldn't be left outside unsupervised on long, hot days, even in the shade. Shade can move throughout the afternoon, and pets can become ill quickly if they overheat, so keep them inside as much as possible. If you must leave your pet in the backyard, keep a close eye on her and bring her in when you can.

·         Keep an eye out for heatstroke. Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If you suspect your pet has heatstroke, you must act quickly and calmly. Have someone call your small animal vet immediately. In the meantime, lower the animal's body temperature by applying towels soaked in cool water to the hairless areas of the body. Often the pet will respond after only a few minutes of cooling, only to falter again with his temperature soaring back up or falling to well below what is normal. With this in mind, remember that it is imperative to get the animal to a vet immediately. Once your pet is in the vet's care, treatment may include further cooling techniques, intravenous fluid therapy to counter shock, or medication to prevent or reverse brain damage.

·         Watch out for bees and wasps. Pets commonly get stung this time of year. This may cause severe swelling of the face. You should seek veterinary assistance immediately as the stung pet could go into anaphylactic shock.

Even with emergency treatment, heatstroke can be fatal. The best cure is prevention, and Fido and Fluffy are relying on you to keep them out of harm's way. Summer does not have to be fraught with peril--with ample precaution, both you and your furry friends can enjoy those long, hot dog-days of summer.

Signs of Heatstroke:

·         Panting

·         Staring

·         Anxious expression

·         Refusal to obey commands

·         Warm, dry skin

·         High fever

·         Rapid heartbeat

·         Vomiting

·         Collapse

Preventative measures will stop flea infestation

of your pet this summer

The flea is a hardy insect with a lifespan of six to 12 months. During that time, a pair of fleas could produce millions of offspring. Fleas have survived millions of years in a variety of environments and some species can leap 15 to 36 inches high.  All that may be admirable, but fleas on your pet or in your household aren't. Although we see fleas on pets all year round, the mild spring is bringing new infestations on pets this year. Fleas can cause reactions in your pet varying from a mild skin irritation to a severe allergic reaction. Because fleas feed on blood, an extreme infestation can cause anaemia or even death in animals. All cats and dogs, and other mammals, too, are susceptible to flea infestations, except for some that live in high elevations or in extremely dry environments.

Whether or not you actually see fleas on your pet, they may be there. Scratching, scabs and dark specks, or "flea dirt," found on the skin can all be signs that your pet has become the unwitting host for a family of fleas. Fleas can carry tapeworms, too. If you notice small white rice-like things in your pet's faeces or in the hair around his tail, your pet probably has tapeworms, which means he may also have fleas. In extreme cases, an animal may be lethargic and its lips and gums pale.  To battle flea infestation requires patience and perseverance, so put on your armour and get to it! Because the life cycle of a flea is three to four weeks, it will take at least that long to completely rid your pet and its environment of the enemy. Different flea control products work in different ways, have varying levels of effectiveness and kill different flea stages (eggs, larvae and/or adults). You'll need to use a combination of products at the same time to be effective.

Prescription veterinary flea treatments are the fastest and most reliable way of treating and preventing flea infestations. Using a flea comb regularly will help, too. But more adults may be lurking in your home or yard, and eggs or larvae may be lying in wait, as well. You'll need to rid your house of fleas by vacuuming and washing your pet's bedding once a week, and using a disinfectant on washable surfaces and an insecticide or insect growth regulator in cracks and crevices. We recommend Indorex spray.  When using chemical products to control fleas, be very careful. You may be providing too much of a potentially toxic chemical if you are uncertain of your pet's weight.  Always check with your vet before beginning your war on fleas. Even if you purchase an over-the-counter product, it's wise to consult your vet for any safety concerns. Flea collars are not an effective way of controlling fleas as they only provide some cover around the head leaving the rest of the body vulnerable. Flea powders and shampoos may kill fleas but have no long lasting effect and generally the fleas are back within a day or two.

Flea control has reached new levels in recent years. Today, there are products on the market that you can treat your pet with once a month that will help keep those annoying little jumpers away.

We recommend either Effipro or Advocate. There are look-a-like products available from the supermarkets and petshops but these are generally ineffective and can have toxic side effects. The prescription treatments are available only from your vet and are given once a month. Don't waste your money on ineffective treatments....consult with your vet before implementing any flea control program.

The small animal veterinary team at All Creatures provide

24 hour assistance for all your pet's summer time emergencies. Telephone 028 7776 9777

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