A few helpful tips from AAHA on Summer Pet Care

When the lazy days of barbecues and swimming pools roll around, you can make them even better by sharing them with your favorite pet. By following a few summer pet safety tips, you can keep your animal friends healthy and enjoy the months of sun and fun.

·         Never leave your pet in the car. Though it may seem cool outside, the sun can raise the temperature inside your car to 120 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of minutes, even with the windows rolled down. If you need to run some errands, leave the furry ones at home.

·         As you’re outside enjoying the warm weather, keep your pet leashed. It will keep her from getting lost, fighting other animals, and eating and drinking things that could make her sick. This tip isn’t just for dogs--even cats can learn to walk on a leash if you train them. 

·         Water, water everywhere. Whether you’re indoors or out, both you and your pet need access to lots of fresh water during the summer, so check her water bowl several times a day to be sure it’s full. If you and your furry friend venture forth for the afternoon, bring plenty of water for both of you.

·         Pets need sunscreen too. Though all that fur helps protect her, your pet can get sunburned, particularly if she has light skin and hair. Sunburn in animals can cause problems similar to those it can cause in people, including pain, peeling, and skin cancer. So keep your pet out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and when you do go out, rub a bit of sunblock on unprotected areas like the tips of her ears, the skin around her lips, and the tip of her nose.

·         Say no to tangles. Keeping your pet well groomed will help her hair do what it was designed to do: protect her from the sun and insulate her from the heat. If she has extremely thick hair or a lot of mats and tangles, her fur may trap too much heat, so you may want to clip her. 

·         Watch out for antifreeze. Hot weather may tempt your pet to drink from puddles in the street, which can contain antifreeze and other chemicals. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that animals like, but it’s extremely toxic. When you’re walking your pet, make sure she doesn’t sneak a drink from the street.

·         Be cautious on humid days. Humidity interferes with animals’ ability to rid themselves of excess body heat. When we overheat we sweat, and when the sweat dries it takes excess heat with it. Our four-legged friends only perspire around their paws, which is not enough to cool the body. To rid themselves of excess heat, animals pant. Air moves through the nasal passages, which picks up excess heat from the body. As it is expelled through the mouth, the extra heat leaves along with it. Although this is a very efficient way to control body heat, it is severely limited in areas of high humidity or when the animal is in close quarters.

·         Make sure your pet doesn’t overexert herself. Though exercise is an important part of keeping your dog or cat at a healthy weight, which helps her body stay cool, overdoing it can cause her to overheat. Keep the walks to a gentle pace and make sure she has plenty of water. If she’s panting a lot or seems exhausted, it’s time to stop.

·         Take it easy on pets that can’t deal with the heat. Elderly, very young, and ill animals have a hard time regulating their body temperature, so make sure they stay cool and out of the sun on steamy summer days. Dogs with snub noses, such as Pekingese, pugs, and bulldogs, have a hard time staying cool because they can’t pant efficiently, so they also need to stay out of the heat. Overweight dogs are also more prone to overheating, because their extra layers of fat act as insulation, which traps heat in their bodies and restricts their breathing capabilities.

·         Bring them inside. Animals shouldn’t be left outside unsupervised on long, hot days, even in the shade. Shade can move throughout the afternoon, and pets can become ill quickly if they overheat, so keep them inside as much as possible. If you must leave your pet in the backyard, keep a close eye on her and bring her in when you can.

·         Keep an eye out for heatstroke. Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If you suspect your pet has heatstroke, you must act quickly and calmly. Have someone call a veterinarian immediately. In the meantime, lower the animal’s body temperature by applying towels soaked in cool water to the hairless areas of the body. Often the pet will respond after only a few minutes of cooling, only to falter again with his temperature soaring back up or falling to well below what is normal. With this in mind, remember that it is imperative to get the animal to a veterinarian immediately. Once your pet is in the veterinarian’s care, treatment may include further cooling techniques, intravenous fluid therapy to counter shock, or medication to prevent or reverse brain damage.

Signs of Heatstroke:

·         Panting

·         Staring

·         Anxious expression

·         Refusal to obey commands

·         Warm, dry skin

·         High fever

·         Rapid heartbeat

·         Vomiting

·         Collapse

Even with emergency treatment, heatstroke can be fatal. The best cure is prevention, and Fido and Fluffy are relying on you to keep them out of harm’s way. Summer does not have to be fraught with peril--with ample precaution, both you and your furry friends can enjoy those long, hot dog-days of summer.

How to Keep Your Pet Happy and Active

It seems like the most natural thing in the world – our pets need food, water, medical care and lots of love.  But dogs and cats have other needs, too.  Our furry friends need ample physical exercise and mental stimulation to lead truly full and happy lives.

They need “jobs”.  Dogs and cats need to stay busy and engaged, but unfortunately most pets are unemployed – daily they sit at home, chronically bored and waiting for their humans to return from work.  And as we all know, an idle pet can quickly turn into a naughty pet when restlessness becomes overwhelming.

With nothing to do, dogs and cats are forced to find ways to entertain themselves.  Their activities of choice often include behaviors we find problematic, like excessive barking or meowing, gnawing on shoes, raiding the garbage, eating houseplants and scratching furniture.

To prevent behavior and health problems, try the following physical and mental workouts—both when you're there to join the fun and when your pet is home alone.

• Move it! Healthy adult dogs need at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise twice a day. Jogging, swimming and playing at the dog park are all great ways to burn excess energy.
• Engage in structured games, like fetch and tug-of-war – they're not only great exercise but also teach your pet impulse control and strengthen the bond between you.
• Keep your dog occupied when he's home alone by giving him a food-stuffed puzzle toy, like the Kong, or some tasty chew toys.
• Like their canine counterparts, cats also need plenty of aerobic exercise. Get kitty fit with rousing play sessions, such as chase and fetch with furry toys, small balls or toy mice.
• Encourage your cat's favorite home alone activities, including bird watching, exploring paper bags or boxes, watching cat videos or spending time in secure outdoor enclosures.
• Teach your cat new tricks! Felines are quick studies and can learn practical skills like coming when called, sitting up, rolling over and even using the toilet!  

Bottom line – you're responsible for enriching your pet's life.  Providing opportunities to exercise your cat or dog’s mind and body will keep him healthy and happy – and enhance your relationship, too.

Litterbox Lessons

Has your cat stopped using the litterbox? Learn the 10 most common reasons and how you can prevent them from happening in your home.

When it comes to figuring out why your normally fastidious feline starts doing its business in your Boston fern or on your Berber carpeting, it's essential to think inside and outside the box the litterbox, that is. There are many reasons a cat may develop an aversion to its facilities, but spite is not among them.

"Cats don't stop using their box for no reason," says Char Bebiak, feline behaviorist and animal trainer for Ralston Purina. "It's instinctive behavior for them from the time they're 4 weeks old. It's up to you to find out what's wrong."

What's "wrong" could be physical, and it should be your first consideration if something is amiss at the box. While a medical condition may not be the most common reason for bad litterbox behavior, its potentially dangerous nature puts it at the top of our list.

1. Medical Problem
If your cat starts displaying poor litterbox habits, you should take it immediately to your veterinarian and have it checked for a urinary tract problem, says Pam Johnson-Bennett, a feline behaviorist of 20 years and author of several animal-behavior books. "It may be associating the box with the pain it feels when it eliminates."

Wayne Hunthausen, DVM, director of Animal Behavior Consultations at the Westwood Animal Hospital in Westwood, Kan., stresses that while lower urinary tract problems are more common, diabetes or renal failure can cause excess urination, resulting in a particularly wet box a cat may wish to avoid.

2. Poor Location
After ruling out health issues, ask yourself the following questions: Is the box in a high-traffic area where your cat might be disturbed during its potty break? Is the box easy to access, or does kitty have to hunt for it? "You can't expect a cat to travel two or three stories into a dark basement to find its box," says John Prange, DVM, a veterinary consultant for LitterMaid, a self-cleaning litterbox manufacturer.

Pam Johnson-Bennett follows a few simple rules with regard to box placement. "Make sure the box isn't wedged in a corner where the cat feels trapped. Don't play 'musical litterboxes' [moving it too much]. And finally, don't make it hard to find or unpleasant to use," she says.

The experts add that when selecting a private, accessible, quiet place for your cat's box, keep in mind the room's primary use. "If you use a laundry or utility room, don't put the box near anything that might suddenly make noise and scare the cat, such as water heaters, furnaces or washing machines," Bebiak says. And skip the bathroom; the room's humidity can affect a litter's ability to dry properly.

3. Unclean Box
The reason for box avoidance could be right under your nose and kitty's.

"Not only is a cat's sense of smell hundreds times sharper than ours, their noses are also 20 times closer to a smell's source, so they should be the final judge of what's clean enough," Hunthausen says.

"Cats would like [the litterbox] cleaned every time they use it. "They don't want to go where they've been before. They want the waste gone and buried. We need to re-educate cat owners that a box should be cleaned at least once daily. If a cat smells foulness, he'll just keep digging to find clean litter," Prange says.

Johnson-Bennett has three cats and scoops twice a day. "We don't want to smell litterbox smells and neither does the cat," she says. "They want to smell their own scent or a neutral smell." She keeps one box in her office and cleans it so often "no one ever knows it's there."

4. Litter Choice
If you've recently switched litter brands, your cat may be displaying its displeasure. Changing litters because a new one was on sale or the store around the corner was out of stock may not seem like a big deal to you, but it could be to your cat.

"Some cats are rather particular," Hunthausen says, noting that something as innocuous as a liner could also cause problems. "Some cats, if they're really strong diggers, can snag their claws on the liner," he says.

Johnson-Bennett agrees cats are not big fans of change and can react negatively if you switch brands on them. She and her cats prefer an unscented clumping litter one that does the job without any perfumes or additives to offend a cat's sensitive nose. Sometimes the problem is underfoot. Prange says cats with extra-sensitive feet can develop litter aversion syndrome from the discomfort of stepping on certain harder compounds.

5. Box Size
The container itself may be the culprit. The truth is, size, at least where litterboxes are concerned, does matter. A small cat or kitten will need a box or pan shallow enough to climb into easily, Bebiak says. Expect your box to grow with your cat. The small pan that's perfect for your kitten won't do the job if he grows up to be a 20-pound adult. "Cats need enough 'prime real estate' in order to be happy with their boxes," Hunthausen says.

A litterbox is never one-size-fits-all, Johnson-Bennett says. Different cats have different tastes and needs. You may have to try a couple of different kinds of boxes before you find one that works best for you and your cat.

6. Privacy Issues
Privacy is an issue for some cats, Bebiak says, which could be a problem if the box is located in a high-traffic area.

Cats are solitary animals, says Myrna Milani, DVM, an animal behaviorist who works out of the Westminster Animal Hospital in Westminster, Vt.

"We don't think about being respectful of animals' feelings," she says. Cats are "evolutionarily programmed" to follow an elimination ritual to cover their scent to protect them from predators. This ritual calls for peace and quiet, she says.

7. Litterbox Count
Multicat households may not have enough boxes available to satisfy each cat's need.

In an ideal world there would be one box for each cat, Prange says. The problem is compounded if some cats are particularly territorial or aggressive about usage.

"There are cats that simply will not defecate and urinate in the same box, Milani says. "So you may have to have two boxes for one cat."

More cats in the household can introduce more litterbox problems. Some cats are able to use one box, whereas others are not. You'll have to experiment with the new addition and immediately address specific litterbox needs.

8. Moving Location
You may think one room is as good as another, but kitty may think differently. If the box is moved into a family room where the kids play video games or the stereo is usually blaring, your cat's going to have a difficult time relaxing enough to do its duty. If you move the box to a room where an appliance makes a sudden noise, the cat could become afraid of the box by association.

We live in a completely different world than cats do, Milani says.

"Most of their hearing is tuned in at an ultrasonic level. If a litterbox had originally been placed by a snug, protected interior wall and then moved against an exterior wall where the cat can hear noises from the outside, such as other cats, this can be upsetting to some cats. It all depends on their level of confidence," Milani says.

9. Invaded Territory
"Cats feel most vulnerable when they sleep, eat and use the litterbox," Johnson-Bennett says. "That's why they like to sleep in elevated places and always keep an eye on what's going on around them."

If a cat is in the litterbox and the household's more aggressive cat confronts it, it will feel stress and may start to avoid the box. The same could happen if the box is located near a window where the cat could see outside "intruder" cats approach the house. "The cat figures the strange cat is where its box is located and might decide to avoid the whole situation," Johnson-Bennett says.

10. Punishment Strategies
"When a cat doesn't use the box, sometimes we punish them by rubbing their noses in it, or we grab the cat and toss it in the box," Johnson-Bennett says. "The cat begins to associate the box with punishment and thinks you're saying 'don't go.'" And again, the cat will then use an unacceptable area to relieve itself.

October is Adopt-A-Dog Month!

October is American Humane Association's Adopt-A-Dog Month

What Can an Adopted Dog Bring to Your Life?

There are as many responses to that question as there are dogs in this world! That’s why -- during American Humane Association’s Adopt-A-Dog Month celebration in October -- we’re encouraging people to adopt a shelter dog and experience the joy of finding their own answers.

Are you looking for:

• an exercise buddy?
• a best friend and confidant for your child?
• a dog you can train with to learn animal-assisted therapy?
• a partner in agility competitions?
• a constant companion for your favorite senior citizen?
• a fuzzy face to greet you after a hard day at work?

An adopted dog can be all these things -- and so much more!

Your local shelter is the perfect place to find dogs of every type, size, age and personality -- all waiting for a loving home. Or, if you prefer a particular breed that isn’t currently available at a shelter, go online to find a breed-specific rescue group in need of adopters like you.

Find out what a shelter or rescue dog can bring to your life this October during Adopt-A-Dog Month! 

Please Don’t Feed These to Your Pup!

You may share your backyard and even your bed, but it’s probably best to avoid sharing a meal with man’s best friend, or any other pet for that matter.  Listed here, from most (1) to least (8) dangerous, are common foods and drinks that make pets sick.  If you think your dog, cat, or bird has consumed one of these items and you are concerned, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435). 

1. Chocolate

Why: Stimulates the nervous system and the heart.
Poisonous to: All species, but dogs are most likely to eat dangerous quantities.
Possible effects of poisoning: Vomiting, increased thirst, restlessness, agitation, increased or irregular heartbeat, increased body temperature, tremors, seizures.

2. Grapes, Raisins

Why: Damage the kidneys.
Poisonous to: Dogs, cats.
Possible effects of poisoning: Increased thirst, increased urination, lethargy, vomiting.

3. Garlic, Onions

Why: Damage red blood cells, causing anemia.
Poisonous to: Cats, dogs.
Possible effects of poisoning: Vomiting, red-colored urine, weakness, anemia. 

4. Xylitol

(Found in sugarless gum.)

Why: Causes increased insulin secretion, resulting in lower blood sugar levels.
Poisonous to: Dogs.
Possible effects of poisoning: Vomiting, lethargy, lack of coordination, seizures, jaundice, diarrhea. 

5. Alcoholic Drinks

Why: Depress the nervous system.
Poisonous to: All species.
Possible effects of poisoning: Vomiting, disorientation, diarrhea, lethargy, lack of coordination, difficulty breathing, tremors, coma, seizures. 

6. Raw Yeast, Bread Dough

Why: Forms gas in the digestive track; fermentation of yeast causes alcohol poisoning.
Poisonous to: All species, but only dogs typically ingest it.
Possible effects of poisoning: Distention of abdomen, vomiting, disorientation, diarrhea, lethargy, lack of coordination, difficulty breathing, tremors, coma, seizures. 

7. Macadamia Nuts

Why: Cause muscle and nervous-system problems.
Poisonous to: Dogs.
Possible effects of poisoning: Vomiting, lethargy, weakness, increased body temperature, tremors.

8. Avocados

Why: Contain persin, which damages the heart muscle.
Poisonous to: Most species―birds are especially sensitive.
Possible effects of poisoning: Vomiting, diarrhea (in dogs), lethargy, difficulty breathing (in birds and rodents).