Posts Tagged "pet safety"

Here we offer a few tips and suggestions for your pet’s health and safety in relation to housekeeping practices.

• Baking soda
  Baking soda is useful for cleaning everything from teeth to ovens. Sprinkled in cat litter boxes and the corners of small animal cages, it can help reduce odor and bacteria. Use it to absorb wet messes such as urine and vomit, then sweep it into a dustpan. If you pet has kidney disease or conditions affected by sodium, avoid situations where he may ingest significant amounts (the fishy taste may attract him) or lick the baking soda from his paws.
• Choosing the location of your trash can
  If your pet scrounges or tips your kitchen trash, it is not only unpleasant for you but potentially dangerous for your pet. He can get sick from spoiled food, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, twist ties, and things you would never have thought of. Keep trash cans under the sink, in a small bucket on the counter, or hanging from the wall.
• Carpet Cleaners
  We have used Heavy Traffic Woolite carpet foam for years with great results. It is convenient for spot cleaning and can handle big dog diarrhea. Simply remove solid waste, spray a generous dose of Woolite on the area, work it in with a sponge mop, let dry, and vacuum. A few repetitions may be necessary in bad cases. A steam cleaner is also good for cleaning entire rooms. You can buy formulas especially for pet stains. Go over problem spots repeatedly from several directions. As with all chemicals, keep pets away from area until fully dry.
• Caution with bleach
  Bleach comes with a warning against mixing with products containing ammonia as the combination produces a toxic gas. Be aware that ammonia is also present in urine and cat urine is especially concentrated. If your pet has a good sized puddle accident, choose another cleaner or you may suffer stinging eyes, coughing, or worse.
• Keep dogs away from cat litter boxes
  Eating poo (coprophagia) is a natural behavior in dogs, but it is not sanitary if he licks your face and hands after servicing the litter box for you. He might even carry the contents onto your bed, rug, or sofa to savor slowly. This behavior increases the chance of parasites spreading amongst your pets. Place a dog barrier in the doorway or install a cat door to your kitty’s bathroom. There are also litter box concealers designed to keep dogs out.
• Preventive Grooming
  It is much easier to remove loose hair from a pet than to remove the same amount of hair from the entire house. Pet hair will stick to carpets, clog air conditioner filters, tangle in vacuum cleaners, and settle in your tea. Brushing your pet before baths will reduce the amount of hair clogging your drain. Your pet’s hair can be saved and sent to artists to be spun into yarn and woven or knitted into clothing and keepsakes for you.
• Your dog should wipe his feet
  Have a large doormat at your door. Whenever your dog comes from outside, command him to “Wipe your paws” and encourage him to tramp on the doormat—lead him in circles with your hand, leash, or a treat. Praise him when he has done it long enough. After your dog has grasped the command and performs it regularly, you might say it with a mildly scolding tone to communicate that he should be wiping his feet without being told. Many dogs however, will always need to be reminded, or else he may wipe his feet only when you are looking. You can also place a mat where your dog has his paper or pee pad and teach him not to track urine out of the bathroom.
• Wash your pet’s laundry twice
  When you launder your pet’s bedding or toys, run a second wash cycle without detergent to reduce the amount of chemicals your pet will ingest when he handles them with his mouth. Or at the least do an extra rinse cycle. For the same reason, do not use dryer sheets for your pet’s items.
• Common household poisons
  Many cleaning agents are actually dangerous poisons which are harmful to pets, children and even some adults. Whenever possible, choose natural alternatives such as vinegar or baking soda or use milder products such as dish detergent or hand soap. Bacause pets can learn to open doors and cabinets, keep really dangerous substances as drain openers in the garage (unless they are heat sensitive, explosive substances). [Read more →]

Tags: cats, dogs, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety

Moving can be a traumatic experience for many pets, especially if it is their first time. From our own experiences in many moves—short distance, long distance, overseas—we have compiled the following tips as well as this Pet Owner Relocation Checklist to help you make your move easier one your pet.

1. Get your pet comfortable with his mode of transportation before the move. Leave crates and carriers open in a room you and your pet use every day. Feed him meals and treats inside the carrier. Confine him inside the carrier a few minutes at a time to begin with. Gradually lengthen the time until he is comfortable spending an entire night in his carrier.
2. If your move requires long-distance driving, take your pet for short rides in the car the weeks before the move. If your car will be packed full of things, let your pets ride in crates so they do not get hit, squished, or poked by shifting objects.
3. If you must travel by plane with an anxious or aggressive pet, your vet may provide you with tranquilizer pills to give him before checking in.
4. Tape a spare leash and collar to the top of the crate in case your pet needs to be removed from the crate during the flight.
5. Confine your pets while your things are being packed up and loaded. Bathrooms are a good place for this. Pets can become frightened by movers, get trodden on, or lost during the confusion of moving. Cats may even slip inside shipping containers or moving trucks and get carried off without your knowlege.
6. Lock up your pets the night before the move. You do not want to risk not being able to find them when it is time to leave.
7. Make sure ID tags are updated with your new contact information. If you do not have new ID tags yet, type or neatly print your information and tape it onto the old ID tags with clear packing tape over the entire tag before departing for your new home.
8. Be sure to take your pet’s personal items to your new home. Your pet will feel much better in a strange place if he sees his crate, bed, dishes and toys all set up in one area.
9. Show your pet where his new potty is shortly after arrival to reduce accidents. He may still forget in the beginning and you should correct him firmly and show him his potty again to prevent developing a bad habit. Do not express anger as anxiety is likely to be part of the problem.
10. Check your new house and yard for hazards, loose electrical wiring, poisonous baits and traps left by previous residents, loose fencing, gaps around gates, poisonous plants, neighbors’ pets, strays and wild animals. Before letting your cat or small dog outside, make sure it is not in danger of loose dogs.
11. Do not let your cat out of the house until he is settled in and happy. Some cats only need a few days, others should be kept in for several weeks. Cats may wander off in a strange place or even walk back to their old home (they have a way of knowing how to do this) even if it is 30 or 100 miles away.
12. Spend extra time with your pet in your new home. Let him sleep where he can see you (if he is not allowed on your bed).
13. Follow familiar routines, play familiar games, and spend a lot of time just hanging out together while watching TV or reading.
14. Don’t forget to visit your new City Hall or local animal shelter to obtain a new license for you pet.
15. Feel free to print our Pet Owner Relocation Checklist to help you and your pet in your move.

Tags: cats, dogs, Pet Care Articles, pet safety

Give yourself some peace of mind now and during possible emergencies by having everything you or someone else will need to take care of your pet in a ready-to-grab bag. You may need to evacuate your home with little warning in a fire or natural disaster or be forced to place your pet in the care of an inexperienced person because of accident or illness. Your pet’s survival kit should be pre-packed in a bag that is easy to carry (with handle or shoulder strap), or a backpack your dog can carry himself should you have your hands full. Keep this kit near the door, so you won’t need to go out of your way to get it.

Here are some suggestions for basic things to put in your pet’s kit:

1. At least 3 individually packed meals. These meals should be non-perishable. If you use canned food, buy ones with pull-open lids or be sure to include a can opener in the kit. You can also put in unopened bags of dry food or biscuits, but be sure to put in a large clip to keep the bag shut after opening. Drs. Foster and Smith offers healthy canned and dry foods that would be a good option. Check your kit regularly to make sure insects have not invaded the food and replace with fresh food now and then.
2. Bottled water. Buy sealed bottles of drinking water. Bottles filled at home contain bacteria that will multiply in the container and may reach levels that make your pet ill.
3. Dishes. Disposable plastic lidded containers are ideal for food and water. You can cover leftovers and won’t have to worry about washing dishes. Buy 4 or more. They can be stacked compactly when empty.
4. Medications your pet requires. Include labels and prescription information in case you or your pet’s caretaker need to consult a vet who doesn’t know your pet.
5. Instructions for the care of your pet. Write down basic information as well as your pet’s special needs in case you need to leave him with someone who has little or no experience with animals. Innocent mistakes can be fatal to pets. Be sure to include a list of toxic foods that your pet cannot have.
6. Contact information for your vet and maybe include the phone numbers and addresses of several other vets in your area.
7. A blanket and toy if your dog is used to having these things.
8. Extra set of leash, collar or harness. Even if your cat or dog does not usually use these items, it is extremely important that you do not risk losing you pet during an emergency. Cats are especially prone to panicking and hiding from their owners and should be kept on harness and leash. Do not use a choke chain or training collar as your emergency collar. You may need to tie your pet and he can be fatally strangled by a choke collar even if unattended for only a few minutes.
9. Extra identification. Have a second ID tag engraved with your name and contact information to have on hand in case your pet loses his original one. You can also buy plastic tags (with safety reflectors) into which you insert contact information.
10. Contact information for yourself and a few close friends and/or relatives who can take over the care of your pet should it become necessary.

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Tags: cats, dogs, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety

Here is a list of common foods that are generally safe to feed your dog. Just remember that any kind of food in large amounts is not healthy for dogs or humans.

Starches

• Rice
• Pasta
• Oatmeal (good for sensitive stomachs)
• Potato (green parts, eyes, and sprouts removed)
• Wheat Flour

Meats

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pork
• Beef*

*It’s up to you to determine the chances for E Coli. and/or Mad Cow Disease. Ground meat is more likely to contain parts carrying Mad Cow. Our cats and dogs have only eaten free-range New Zealand Beef.

Vegetables

• Green beans
• Cabbage
• Green Peas
• Spinach
• Celery
• Carrots (best if cooked)
• Lettuce

Fruits

• Banana
• Apple (Remove core and seeds)
• Pineapple
• Blueberries
• Cranberries

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Tags: cats, dog food, dog treats, dogs, fruits, homemade dog food, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety, vegetables

We are often horrified by the vast amount of misinformation concerning toxic foods passed around on internet pet website forums. For instance, we once read a post by a cat owner telling everyone that she fed her cat grapes all the time, when in fact grapes can be fatal to pets, causing acute kidney failure. We’ve seen many similar posts where pet owners tell others that their pet just loves a certain type of fruit or vegetable and that it is absolutely safe for other owners to feed it to their pets.

So here we have compiled a basic list of common foods that are toxic to house pets. Some of these foods may jsut make them ill while others are very poisonous and are downright fatal. Please note that this is not a complete list but just some of the more common items; just because something is not on this list does not mean it is not dangerous to your pet. We recommend visiting the ASPCA Poison Control Center and veterinary websites for more information. We have found that different sites offer different information, and below are the most common items found.

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Tags: cats, dogs, food, Pet Care Articles, pet food, pet health, pet safety