Springtime Tips for Fido
A Watchful Eye as the Seasons Change Can Help Keep Your Pets Safe
May 17, 2009
Observe your pets in the yard, on a hike or at the lake. Dangers exist everywhere, but good pet parenting can prevent disasters and fix up minor injuries.
Insects
If your playful pooch gets stung by a bee, scrape away the stinger should you actually see it in his fur coat (or on his nose, lip or paw). Pulling the stinger with fingers or tweezers could rupture the poison sac allowing the toxin to enter your pet’s body. Next administer 1 mg Benadryl® (Diphenhydramine) per pound of your pet’s body weight, and apply a cold pack for short periods at a time (a bag of frozen peas works well) to any swelling. Remove ice pack frequently so as not to cause frostbite to the tissue or discomfort to your pet in general. If the swelling is severe or if any breathing difficulties develop, get to your Veterinarian at once!
Rising Temperatures
Make sure pets have plenty of shade and water as it warms up. It is helpful to place outside food bowls in a pan containing a few inches of water to keep ants at bay, and remember to keep pets well-groomed and treat for fleas and ticks which can cause skin allergies as well as disease.
Plants
Learn which plants in your yard are poisonous. Lilies can be fatal to cats and azaleas, oleanders and tulip bulbs can poison most animals. Rose thorns can cause pain and infections. Many fruits and vegetables too can be problematic. Keep grapes and raisins, onions and chives, seeds and fruit pits away from your pets. As a rule though, carrots, green beans, apples and bananas are safe and beneficial for most dogs and cats. Just make sure they don’t result in a choking incident.
Also take caution with what you put on your plants…fertilizers, insecticides and even yard trimmings can prove fatal if ingested by your pet. Have phone numbers accessible for your Veterinarian and Poison Control (888/426-4435), and know where your nearest Animal Emergency Center is located. In an emergency, you don’t want to be looking up directions!
Water Fun
Don’t assume your pet can swim! Many animals drown each year, so install a fence or pool alarm and teach your furry friends how to get out of the pool by guiding them to the steps or a ramp. Review this lesson often, and if you take your dog to the lake or on a boat, put him in a life vest and watch paws for fish hooks, sharp rocks and other dangers.
It pays to know Pet First-Aid every season of the year, cause things can and will happen to your pet. Be prepared for the sake of Fido and Fluffy!
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