P.O. Box 634
Belvidere, IL 61008
ph: 815-566-6421
info
October 2011
Tips to keep your pets healthy and safe
Keeping your dog and cat healthy could save your pet a lot of pain and save you money. It is a lot more costly to treat an illness you could have prevented. Your pet will still need the annual checkup and vaccinations. Just in case you ever need to get help for your pet when you can not reach your veterinarian, here are several resources to call:
Emergency Pet Clinic, Crystal Lake:
815-479-9119
Emergency Pet Clinic, Rockford:
815-229-7791
Illinois Poison Control Center:
1-800-222-1222
ASPCA Poison Control Center:
1-888-426-4435
Since Halloween is right around the corner, here are a few thoughts for that occasion. Dogs and cats do not like to be dressed up to look like little people. But if you want to have some fun, go ahead and put that costume on your best friend. He’ll be patient. But please do not take your eyes off him or her. Many dogs, especially some breeds, i.e., Siberian huskies, and all puppies, will consider the costume edible. So unless you want to make a trip to the vet for surgery to remove an intestinal obstruction, be vigilant.
Needless to say, at all times but especially on Halloween, watch that candy and don’t let the kids give anything to your pets. Read on for more about that.
When it comes to the search for fun things to play with, chew or eat, pets are quite resourceful. Unfortunately, many of those things can harm or kill your furry friend. Below are a few items of the long list of things you must keep out of the reach of your pets.
1. Sweeteners: Many sugar free gums and candies, baked goods, even tooth paste contain the sweetener xylitol, which can cause a sudden blood sugar drop in a dog or cat, leading to loss of coordination and seizures within a short time, with liver failure, rapidly progressing to death. If your pet has accidentally ingested any of the above products, don’t wait for symptoms to appear but leave for the clinic immediately, or it may be too late to save the animal. Better to prevent such a tragedy. Keep gum and anything else containing artificial sweeteners out of the reach of pets.
2. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is highly toxic to both dogs and cats. In substantial amounts it can be deadly. It contains theobromine, a substance that is harmless to people but toxic to pets. If your pet has accidentally ingested chocolate, make that call to your vet or one of the above listed numbers immediately, or it may be too late.
3. Human medications, and that includes all prescription drugs and over-the-counter products, are reported to kill many dogs and cats every year. But it need not happen if you keep these products out of the reach of your pet. Remember, pets are resourceful when it comes to reaching anything that might be edible or chewable. You may think only your dog is strong enough to open a cabinet, but cats can be surprisingly strong too.
4. Mushrooms. They grow everywhere, in your yard, on tree stumps, on old wood, especially during a humid summer. They are most prevalent toward fall and keep growing until after hard frost sets in. To know which ones are poisonous you would need a laboratory in your home. Some only cause digestive upsets, but many contain a nerve poison that can kill your dog almost instantly. So, if you see any mushrooms in your yard, dispose of them daily before letting the dog out.
(Karen’s Corner pet health tips are not meant to replace veterinary care when needed. )
Karen Gadke, Ph.D. (Health Science) is a retired clinical study specialist, medical writer, and lecturer. She has been training and racing sled dogs, many of them rescued huskies, for 30 years. She owns both Siberians and Alaskans. Karen is an internationally published author on animal issues, awareness and education and a welcome addition to AFSBC.
Have a question for Karen? Contact her at:
P.O. Box 634
Belvidere, IL 61008
ph: 815-566-6421
info