Pet Tips

Fleas and Ticks

Just a quick tip about handling the little pests!  This is especially important for CAT owners!  I got a call this weekend at the ER from a lady that had a new kitten in her home that came to them with fleas.  She did not have any cat flea products, but did have some dog flea products.  She wanted to know if she could use a small amount of dog flea product on a cat. 

The answer is a strong, and resounding NO!!!  Never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, put dog flea/tick products on any cat.   It is a toxic poison, and will send the cat into convulsions – really.   This includes flea collars, shampoo’s, spray’s, etc.  They are a different species! 

If you have dogs and cats, and you apply dog flea product to your dog, keep them both seperate for several days.  If they share the same bedding, furniture, or groom each other, it can poison the cat!

Also, many of the chain store products, like Hartz, etc are toxic to cats, even the ones that are labeled for cats.  You are better off getting flea/tick products from your vet.  I know they cost a little more, and we’re all trying to save money in the current economy, but buying Hartz or other chain store products, even if you have used it safely on your cat for years, can still cause convulsions, and I promise, the vet bill for that is WAY more than the few extra bucks you spend getting a good product from your vet! 

Vomiting & Diarrhea in Dogs

It’s almost 3 a.m., and I’ve just returned home from a trip to the Animal ER!  Little Shimmer, the curtain eater, had both today!  I wanted to give you some quick pointers on the above, which is not pleasant for the dog, and even less so for us! 

If a dog is vomiting, there is NOTHING you can give by mouth!  Our first instinct is to run for the pepto, or water, or food.  Do not do this!  You have to give their tummy a chance to settle down.  If  they have vomited one or two times, and seem to stop, what you do is confine them, pull ALL food and water and wait a few hours, and try a small amount of water, like a tablespoon.  If they hold that down, in another hour or so you can give a few tablespoons, etc.   No food that day!  And when you re-introduce food, do so in small amounts, like less than a quarter cup. 

If the vomiting continues, or they vomit after the water, a trip to the vet is in order.  They can give injections to help with the vomiting, and also give fluids through an IV, which a vomiting pet needs desperately because the vomiting will cause them to dehydrate.   On a vomiting dog, I can’t stress enough, the longer you wait to bring them to the vet, the bigger the bill is going to be.   If you take care of it early, it is better for everyone.  If you wait 3 days, there are going to be problems, so don’t get mad at the staff when they present you with the costs.  I know life gets in the way, but seriously, take the time to go when you are first aware of the problem.

Diarrhea is just plain unpleasant all the way around!  A dog with diarrhea will also dehydrate.  If you have uncontrollable, unstoppable diarrhea,  go to the vet!  About the only home remedies you can do is plain yogurt, and with a vet’s permission, metamucil.   Your vet can tell you what the dosage is, and really, please don’t guess.  You can do a lot of damage to a dog or cat by trying to diagnose and treat at home.  Don’t ask me how I know this! 

IF THERE IS BLOOD IN EITHER, CALL THE VET!!!!!

Your Pet and Vaccinations

 

As many of you know, I occasionally work shifts at our local animal emergency room.  I recently read a post on line about not getting your pet certain vaccinations due to the possibility of a vaccination reaction.  Vaccines given to pets are to prolong their lives, and prevent diseases, just like in humans.  As with any medical treatment, there is always a possibility of a reaction.  I had one myself a few weeks ago to an antibiotic I had been taking safely for some time.  It happens. 

 

I am NOT trying to minimize the fear the poster felt when her dog had a vaccination reaction.  It is scary, especially if you have never seen this happen before, and when it is your own beloved pet.  What I can say is that the reactions are more common than you may think.   We treat them all the time.  As the poster stated, Benadryl was given, and the dog was fine.  If you are a dog owner, Benadryl should be kept somewhere in your house for emergencies just like this.  The pill form of Benadryl takes longer to work than the children’s liquid (I always keep a bottle handy)  so check with your vet on which one to stock, and the safe dosage for your pet. 

 

When pets have a vaccination reaction, the usual way for the vet to go is to give one vaccination  at a time.  That way, they know EXACTLY which one is causing the problem.  The original poster stated her vet said it was “probably” the lepto, but that does not mean it was absolutely the lepto.  (Lepto is the most likely culprit but you should be 100% sure before deciding not to vaccinate your dog in the future.)  If your pet has had a reaction to vacs, then you need to make sure the vet is aware of it each and every time you go in.  They may choose to do one at a time, or give something that will stop or minimize any possible reactions. 

 

Please do not take veterinary advice from people on the internet.  You should ALWAYS first and foremost discuss any concerns you may have with your veterinarian.  Working on the emergency side, often people come in and state that they saw this or that on the internet, and more often that not, the internet is wrong.  I’m not saying it is always wrong, just that your veterinarian should be the one that you take advice from.

 

Lepto is a nasty diagnosis.  If caught early enough, then the odds are good.  If caught too late, then not so much.  I’ve seen dogs die from this disease, and it is not quick, easy, or pleasant.  I myself just added a new little one to our home, and we vaccinated her backwards, forwards, and sideways.  The risk of the injection far outweighs the risk of her getting sick.  It’s also much cheaper to do the vaccination, than try and treat for something that is preventable.  

 

You do not need an outbreak of lepto/distemper/parvo in your area for your pet to be vulnerable!  Some of the things that vets vaccinate for can be brought in to your home on your clothes, or when you walk them,  or a million other ways, just like humans.  Please don’t risk your pet before discussing it with your veterinarian.   Diseases  are so easily transmitted to a puppy.   Until the pup or kitten is fully vaccinated, and approx 7 months old, it is smarter to keep them away from places where they can easily be exposed.  Dog parks, vets offices (I carried my puppy and did not allow her to walk in from the parking lot, or walk on the floors) Pet Smart, etc etc. 

 

I am not a veterinarian, but have seen first hand, many, many times what happens when people don’t discuss their pets health concerns with one. 

 

  

Baby Birds

As some of you may or may not know, I work relief shifts at our local Animal ER.  I often get calls from people that have “found” a baby bird on the ground.  Baby birds learn to fly from the ground, and their parents start to teach them how to find food from the ground.  Re-nesting a fledgling is an effort in futility!  LOL! 

If you find a baby bird, and are not sure what to do, move to a location where the baby and the parents can not see you.  Listen for the baby and parents calling back to each other.   If you hear this, all is as it should be.  If you hear the little one calling, do not hear the parents return calls, and it’s been over an hour or so, or if the little one is in a location that is dangerous, then move the little one to a safer spot in the same vicinity.

Baby birds should not be handled.  It is ok to pick them up, briefly, and move them.  It is not ok to hold them in your hands for a long period of time.  It is also not ok to bring them inside to air conditioning.  The old myth was that the mother could smell the humans and abandon the baby. 

What really happens is that holding the baby, or bringing it into air conditioning can change its body temp.  This is what causes Mom to abandon the baby – she feels a change, and thinks it is sick. 

If you have to remove a baby, always put it in a box, close the box while leaving adequate ventilation, and put it somewhere quiet until a wildlife group can get it. 

Stay tuned for more animal tips, here on Pink Feather Quilting!