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Our Heroes Corner
Love and ingenuity come together for this little
guy with big inspiration for the rest of us.
His name is Koko and when we find out the full
story, we’ll bring it to you for sure!
Those lazy, hazy, crazy,
steamy, itchy, dry, wormy, flea-bitten
days of summer!
Sun, fun, friends, pool parties, barbecues, vacations,
smiles all around and a big smile on your pet’s face. But
perhaps your best friend isn’t smiling – perhaps it’s
hurting just a little, though it loves being by your side.
Here are a few hints on how to make summer fun for
you AND your furry friend!
SEVEN DEADLY THINGS!
“Cool” Car Cooker
Air conditioner’s up, car’s cool and comfortable and your
pet’s loving the drive. So you park it a while to run a few
errands.
STOP! DON’T DO IT!
That “cool” car could be up to 120 degrees in a matter of
minutes. Yes! The sun can fix that even with the windows
rolled down. Your pet’s “all dressed up with nowhere to
go” and in danger. Just leave the furry one at home – it’s
safer. Make it up with a cuddle when you get back!
Heatstroke
This is a real medical emergency -
Here’s what to do:
Get the animal into a cool place and out of the sun.
Apply cool wet towels to lower the animal’s body
temperature.
Get the animal to a veterinarian quickly.
Remember! Heatstroke can be fatal. Some pets will
respond to cooling within a short time only to have their
temperature soar again or fall to sub-normal levels. Once
your pet is in the care of a veterinarian, treatment may
include further cooling, IV fluid therapy to counter shock
or medication to prevent or reverse brain damage.
Please take heat seriously – keep your pet cool and
have fun with the sun.
Water Water Everywhere
Make sure there’s a lot to drink.
Keep that bowl fresh and clean and full to the brink!
BYO H2O - You need water as much as your pet does so
carry enough for both of you when you venture forth in the
sunshine.
Have a heart!
Heartworm is the last thing you want in that ever-loving
“ticker”. This is a real hot summer nasty that can kill.
Heartworm is transmitted by the bites of mosquitoes and
can infect dogs and cats (Yes! Cats too! And they often
have more severe symptoms than dogs and a poorer
prognosis) and it has nothing to do with their wandering
habits because mosquitoes are everywhere!
Prevention is easy and affordable, treatment is risky
and expensive. Talk to your vet about a heartworm
prevention plan.
Strings Attached
Keep your pet leashed while you’re both out
having fun. If your pet has the run of the
neighbourhood it could get lost, nibble on some
horrible things and get sick or get into a fight and
get hurt. (And hey! Even cats can learn to walk
on a leash if you train them.)
Just a Tick!
Don’t “just” dismiss these little hot weather
horrors. Ticks can irritate like fleas, but worse
yet, they can transmit several serious diseases
such as Lyme’s disease, canine babesiosis and
ehrlichiosis. Yes! They are as bad as they sound
and that tick is as dangerous as it looks under a
microscope.
Talk to your vet about how to recognize ticks
and the proper way to remove them from your
pet. We can tell you which heartworm and flea
preventatives are effective in their control.
If your pet has an increased risk of tick exposure
(eg. sporting dogs, pets that go camping and
those that spend time in wooded areas) talk to us
about vaccination against Lyme’s Disease.
No Fleas Please (Blood-Sucking
Parasites!)
True! They really are blood-sucking parasites and
summer is their prime time.
And boy! Do they reproduce! How does one egg
per female per hour sound? A few fleas can become
a full-blown infestation in only a few days.
Dogs and cats are like fast food restaurants for
hungry fleas. They hop on, fill up on the blood of
your pet, then hop off and spend time on the floor,
in your rug or carpet, nest in pet bedding or lounge
in the grass in your yard.
Worst of all, fleas can cause serious medical
problems such as flea allergy dermatitis,
tapeworms, secondary skin irritations or infections
and even anaemia.
There are now several highly effective products
available to help you control these nasty little pests
both on and around your pet. Talk to your
veterinarian about a customized control
program before they get to be a real nuisance.
For a Super Summer for you and your best
friend,
keep it cool, keep an eye and keep in
touch with your vet!
I wrote this for a friend Clint Chastain, a veterinarian in Dallas, Texas however, there is little
difference in summer conditions for pets anywhere in the world so please take note - I have seen
the results of just a few minutes of excessive heat on a pet and it is not nice.
