Helpful Animal Tips

I don't know about you, but I always like reading helpful tips about animals. Every now and then, I read one that I didn't know. Listed below are a few that I saw in a recent article on the Humane Society of the United States' web site:

* Never leave a pet unattended in the car on a warm or sunny day. Cars quickly heat up to a dangerous temperature, even with the window slightly open.
*When taking a dog for a walk on a hot day, plan for shorter walks midday, when temperatures peak, and longer walks in the morning and evening when it's cooler. Hot sidewalks can burn the pads on a dog's paws, so walk on the grass when possible.
*Be sure to keep pets up-to-date on their vaccinations and preventative medications. Fleas and ticks stay busy in warm weather and summer is also the prime time for heartworms. Check with a veterinarian about the best way to keep pets healthy.
*Beware of cocoa mulch and other gardening products. Cocoa mulch can be deadly if ingested and has an appetizing scent to some animals. Pesticides, fertilizers and other harsh chemicals can also be quickly fatal if ingested.
*Pet rabbits should be kept indoors because they don't tolerate heat well. Keeping a rabbit indoors will also provide protection from predators who might try to attack a rabbit in an outdoor hutch.
*The summer months are the peak season for dog bites because so many kids and dogs are playing outside. Training, socialization and dog spaying or neutering a dog can reduce the risk of dog bites. Kids can learn to stay safe through good manners around pets and humane education.

For more information on this article, please click here.

What to Do if Your Pet Is Bitten by a Spider

I recently read a very interesting article about black widow spiders and what to do if your pet is bitten by one. The article also described what a black widow spider looks like, where you can normally encounter one, and the symptoms associated with a spider bith. 

The female black widow spider, of course, is the one that your pet would most likely encounter and she is the most dangerous because of the level of neurotoxin venom that she carries.

For more information and to read the full article, please click here.

How do you Deal with Cat Hair?

I recently read a helpful article by Dr. Amy Wolff about how to reduce the amount of cat hair in your house, car, clothes and furniture. As I know from personal experience, cat hair can definitely cause allergies to flare up. Plus, who wants to sit on a couch covered with any type of pet hair?

Here are a few strategies that Dr. Wolff suggested for controlling pet hair.

Grooming - Keeping your pet well groomed is by far the most important step you can take in controlling the hair in your home.

Furniture - Decrease the amount left is to discourage your pet from getting on the furniture.  Give your pets comfortable beds or pet furniture and a specific place to lie. If your pet has already adopted a couch or chair as his favorite spot, try treating it with a fabric protector.

Carpets - Regular vacuuming will help remove most of the pet hair.

Clothing - Pet hair rollers and brushes with specialized cloth that will capture hair in the nap of the fabric. A fabric softener dryer sheet can also be rubbed over the surface of clothing as a pet hair pick up.

The Car - Draping the seat with a towel or sheet is the easiest way to prevent hair from working its way into the seat. If practical, keep your pet in a carrier when traveling in the car. It's safer and prevents shedding in the vehicle.

Shed-less Pets - If pet hair is still a problem, consider breeds that shed less than others or hairless breeds such as the Sphinx cat.

To read the full article, please click here.

Help for Reducing Scratching on Furniture (by Cats)

Furniture scratching is a frustrating behavior unwelcome by most cat owners. In the cat's mind, he is simply marking his territory or sharpening his claws. For you, he is destroying an expensive piece of furniture. There are a couple of ways to diminish this behavior. The easiest, though painful for the cat, is declawing. A more humane method, which I prefer, is behavior modification including the use of deterrents, periodic nail trims and training your cat to use a scratching post.

For more information on why cats scratch in the first place and several ways to deter cats scratching on furniture, please click here.

Is Your Dog at Risk for Bloat?

I recently read an interesting article about canine bloat. What I didn't know before reading this article is that this is the number one cause of death for several large and giant breeds. It is a life-threatening disorder and if left untreated, results in death.

In the article, they specifically focused on larger dogs such as the Great Dane, Bloodhound, Standard Poodle, Irish Wolfhound, German Shepherd, Irish Setter, Akita, or Boxer, because it's been determined that they are at greater risk.

To find out more information about bloat in dogs and to take the risk test, please click here.

Freekibble.com - Play Trivia to Feed Pets in Shelters

Mimi Ausland, was 11 years old when she decided to help feed the hungry cats and dogs at her local animal shelter in Bend, Oregon. "There are 10's of thousands of dogs and cats in animal shelters across the country, all needing to be fed a good meal." From this desire to help feed shelter animals, Freekibble.com was launched on April 01, 2008.

Freekibble.com's primary mission is to provide healthy, nutritious food to the dogs and cats at shelters who are working so hard to see that none of their animals go hungry - they need our help. Now, in addition to providing free kibble to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, Mimi and Freekibble are feeding many 1,000's of dogs and cats in shelters, rescues and through food-banks across the country... EVERYDAY!

For more information about Freekibble.com, please click here.

Disaster Preparedness for Animals

In light of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, natural disasters have been at the forefront in everyone’s mind. You never know when or where a natural disaster is going to strike. You may have a plan for yourself but, does it include your pets?

The HSUS has a great web page that helps you design your plan. They first recommend starting with the basics:

·         Prepare a plan (even for everyday emergencies), including identifying a place to stay that will accept your pets 

·         Develop a checklist for all your pets’ supplies and medical information

·         Identify a friend, neighbor, or family member who can take care of your pet if you are away

The federal government now officially supports including pets in disaster plans. In 2000, The HSUS and FEMA signed a partnership agreement to encourage and assist people who want to safeguard their pets in a natural disaster. The agreement allows people to bring their pets with them to stay at the shelters. But don’t assume any shelter you go to will allow you to keep your dog or cat with you. Be sure and check with your local officials and confirm that you will be allowed to evacuate with your pets and that shelters that take people and their pets is available in your area.

For more information about disaster preparedness for pets, livestock and horses, please click on the respective links that will take you to the HSUS web site.