Chris
Fidler, Chris' Critter Care
Hot Weather Hazards
As the weather warms up, you need to recall the potential dangers
that heat can pose to your pet. The two most common problems
are sunburn and heatstroke.
Many people are surprised to
learn that cats and dogs can become sunburned, especially on
exposed skin surfaces such as the tips
of the ears and the nose, or any areas where the fur is thin.
Light colored or hairless pets are obviously more susceptible
than darker colored animals. A pet that has recently been treated
to a short summer haircut will also have an increased risk of
being harmed by the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
The best advice is to keep your
pet out of the sun during peak hours. If this isn’t possible, consider applying a small
amount of a high SPF sunscreen to your pet’s nose and the
tip of his ears (because your pet is likely to lick the sunscreen,
choose a formula that is safe for babies). This will minimize
the skin damage that could eventually lead to skin cancer. If
you notice small sores on your pet around the nose or ears that
don’t seem to be healing, contact us. These could be an
early indication of treatable skin cancer.
Heatstroke can occur if your
pet is confined in an outdoor area without any access to shade
or water, or if your pet exercises
too vigorously or for too long a time. However, it is more common
to see pets suffering from heatstroke after being left in a parked
car. Many people mistakenly assume that if they leave the windows
partially open, providing ventilation, that this will be adequate
for their pet. It is not – in the summer months, a parked
car can heat up extremely quickly, even when the outdoor temperature
is comfortable.
Heat stroke is a threat to humans, but is more of a problem
to our companion animals. Not only do dogs and cats wear a permanent
fur coat, they also are also unable to sweat, further impairing
their ability to control their body temperature in hot weather.
The smaller the body size, the more rapidly heat stroke can develop.
A small pet can develop heatstroke within minutes of being confined
in an enclosed car in the sun. The risk of heatstroke increases
in old or young animals, or in animals with health concerns,
especially if they have heart or lung problems.
Early signs of heat stroke include panting, drooling, vomiting
and/or diarrhea. These symptoms can rapidly progress to seizures,
collapse, and eventually death. The damage that can occur to
internal organs may be irreversible.
Prevent heat stroke in your pet by following these guidelines:
In the summer, leave your pet at home in a cool spot if at
all possible.
If your pet must travel with you, park your car in the shade,
keep the windows open, and do not leave the pet alone in the
car for more than 15 minutes. If you can’t find a place
to park in the shade, do not leave the pet in the car.
Don’t over-exercise your pet on very hot days.
Make sure that shade and water are available to your pet at
all times.
If your pet is tied up outdoors, make sure that the rope or
chain cannot get tangled around any objects, thus preventing
your pet from getting into a shady spot.
IF YOUR PET IS SHOWING
ANY SIGNS OF HEAT STROKE, DON’T
DELAY – SEEK IMMEDIATE VETERINARY CARE
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Morag
Wilcox - York Professional Pet Sitting
September 25th, the
Moncton SPCA is holding their 13th Annual Dog Jog fundraiser at
Centennial Park.
The Halifax SPCA is holding its 3rd Annual Cause
for Paws Charity Dinner & Auction
on Friday, September 15th 7-11pm at the Marriott Casino Hotel's
Halifax Ballroom. The tickets are $75/per person or a table of
10 for $650. The evening will be hosted by Neville MacKay (My
Mother's Bloomers). For more information on tickets, donations,
or volunteering, contact Charlotte at charlotte.hansen@hotmail.com.
Toronto Humane Society
Back to School - September Lecture Series
This lecture series will be held at the Crowne Plaza Toronto
Don Valley
Don Valley Parkway & Eglinton Ave. E.
When: September 7, 14, 21 & 28
from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
For more information, visit torontohumanesociety.com
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Beverly Miller - The Kitty
Sitter
Hiring a Pet Sitter for Every Other Day
Not all "cat parents" are
created equal when it comes to arranging care for their little "fur
kids" while they're away. Most request once or twice-daily
visits from their pet sitter to ensure their kitties are
happy, healthy and content. But there are a few people who
believe
their cats are so independent that they can be left alone
for long
periods of time (e.g. an entire weekend), and they will be
fine as long
as they have plenty of food and water. So, they ask their
sitter to visit EOD (every other day), or even every third
day.
As a lifelong cat caregiver and professional cat sitter for the
past four years, I can tell you that leaving your cat alone for
longer than a day can place your precious puss in harm's way. Most
professional pet sitters strongly advocate daily visits for cats.
Some will reluctantly agree to EOD visits, but will warn their
clients of the potential dangers. Other sitters will flat-out refuse
to accept an assignment if they can't visit daily. When we insist
on daily visits, it's not a ploy to get more money from our clients.
And we're not trying to be difficult. We just care deeply about
your cat's health and well-being.
Daily visits allow your sitter to regularly monitor your cat's
food and water intake, as well as litterbox activities. If your
cat suddenly stops eating or drinking, if urine output increases
or decreases significantly, if feces become abnormal (e.g. diarrhea,
presence of blood), or if there is copious vomiting, these can
be signs of a serious illness. Your sitter can take immediate action,
seeking emergency veterinary care, as warranted.
A host of feline health conditions can develop suddenly, like urinary
blockages, which are fatal if left untreated. Strokes and seizures
can also happen. Senior cats are particularly vulnerable to sickness,
but serious ailments can occur at any age.
Young, active kitties, with their boundless energy and insatiable
curiosity, can get themselves into an endless amount of mischief.
We worry about them ingesting foreign bodies (like string, yarn,
rubber bands, etc.) and poisoning from chewing on house plants.
They can fall into toilets, climb up window screens or curtains
and not know how to get back down, become entangled in plastic
grocery bags, chew electrical cords...the list goes on.
They can also crawl into various nooks and crannies and forget
how to get back out. One sitter I know had quite a surprise when
she found that two of the three kittens she was caring for had
become trapped behind an entertainment unit. The poor little ones
were mewing with fright when she arrived. Luckily, the sitter was
visiting them twice a day, so they didn't have to spend hours without
food or water.
I was once caring for a couple of three-month old youngsters who
had accidentally upset their water bowl while playing. If I had
been visiting EOD or (shudder) every three days, those poor kitties
would have had no access to water, putting them at risk for dehydration,
or worse.
I once arrived for a daily visit to find that the temperature in
the house was a frosty 5 degrees Celsius. The furnace had quit
overnight! Of course, it was the coldest, most blustery day in
the dead of winter. Had I been doing EOD visits, I might have had
a hypothermic cat on my hands, not to mention a major flood from
plumbing that could have frozen and burst. I called the furnace
repair people immediately. They came out promptly and fixed the
problem. Another crisis avoided.
Let's play devil's advocate. What if someone breaks into your house
and your cat escapes through a kicked-in door or shattered window?
If kitty wanders off, your sitter may have a better chance of finding
him or her the next day vs. two or three days after the incident.
The next time you're considering EOD vs. daily visits, ask yourself
this: Would you really want your beloved pet to be alone for two
days if he or she has developed a serious health problem or could
be in a dangerous situation? Whether your cat is young, old or
in between, daily visits can literally mean the difference between
life and death.
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Laura Page & Sonya Benson - The Doggie Walk Co.
Mouse Central will return... |
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Sue Schmidt - New Moon
Animal Care
The Barnyard will
return... |
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Lana Banham - Bow-Wow
Meow
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Maureen
Terrey, EarthAnimals Pet Services
A HEALTHY BALANCE
From a holistic point of view:
a pet’s whole being must
be healthy in order for him/her to be well, because the physical
and psychological parts, which are equally important, affect
each other.
Sometimes it is hard to put into
words all the blessings we receive from our animal companions.
But it is up to us to provide
our animal families with a beautiful, balanced, satisfying life – every
single day!
Exercise with them!
Give them good healthy whole food and clean water!
Schedule regular playtime!
Support them with the love, care and affection they deserve!
EXERCISE: is vital to the emotional
health and physical well-being of every living animal – even
humans - but some pet parents neglect to provide the proper
exercise for their animal companions.
Most animals living in the wild would roam long distances searching
for food and their minds would be engaged in the hunt. Only after
they finished their daily work did they play, and then fall sleep
exhausted.
Although domesticated animals no longer roam the wild, expecting
an animal to adjust to a sedentary life is unrealistic, often
causing the animal to suffer from frustration and internal stress.
This comes out in a variety of ways: excessive barking/vocalizing,
aggression, licking, nervousness, destructive digging or clawing,
chewing, cribbing and plucking. Physical illness is yet another
way stress and frustration can manifest.
Just having access to a yard
doesn’t provide the mental
and physical stimulation required for a well-balanced animal.
Dogs need to get out and walk for at least an hour a day – two
hours would be even better – walking at a brisk pace is
the best overall exercise for both human and dog! Cats also need
to use their minds and move their bodies. For ideas to enrich
your cat’s life have a look at http://www.indoorcat.org
GOOD FOOD & CLEAN WATER: “If we are going to give
animals purified water because we realize what a silent killer
ordinary tap water can be, why not drink purified water ourselves?
If good foods and dietary supplements boost our pets’ health,
why not start applying the same nutritional lessons to improve
our own? If acupuncture and homeopathic medicines work on animals,
why not incorporate them into our own lives? We’ve done
so much for our pets – perhaps saving them from being put
to sleep at the shelter, taking them into our lives, caring for
them, and showering them with love. If by chance you come to
apply the principles of holistic health and diet to your own
life, then your pet will have done, I believe, the best single
thing he can to pay you back.” Martin Goldstein, DVM
SCHEDULE REGULAR PLAYTIME: Scheduling
playtime with your animal companion is a great way to add extra
physical exercise to your
routine while sharing fun times. It is also a way to let your
animal express the special needs and abilities of his/her breed.
You can play, fetch, swim, set up an obstacle course - whatever
your pleasure or your animal’s special talent. Just make
sure your animal has had at least one period of major exercise
before you play – and set limits on the time you spend.
Don’t let the animal ‘talk’ you into spending
two hours when you have set aside only one.
LOVE & AFFECTION: Touch is
an essential part of our being; it helps us and our animal
companions, through our relationships,
stay whole and healthy. There are many ways to interact with
your animal companion while enhancing their health and well-being.
Grooming is a good way to start – you
and the animal both need to be calm and relaxed. When you are
both in a quiet receptive
state, lay your hands very gently on their body and try to become
aware of what you feel in your hands. Lift your hands about an
inch above the body surface and move them slowly over the body.
Feel the temperature of the body. Eventually you will train yourself
to detect areas that seem hotter or colder than normal.
To move the energy fields surrounding
the animal and clear the entire body of congested energy, place
your hands above but not
touching the body with fingers relaxed and slightly curved. Using
one long continuous raking motion start from the head and move
down the center of the body to the end of the tail (30 seconds
from head to tail). Repeat this motion about 30 times till energy
feels smooth over the entire body. This can also be done from
shoulders down to toes – and from hips down to toes on
both sides. Imagine your hands as magnets attracting debris in
the energy field like iron filings that are attracted to the
magnet – shake or pull off the sensation of the iron filings
on your hands each time you complete one sweep.
And, if your animal leans against you, and as you rub their
shoulders or neck they move around so you can rub just where
they want you to, especially along the back - you are doing a
form of massage! Even a couple of minutes of fondling, relaxation
and a few massage strokes will have beneficial effects for both
of you. Remember this is all about sharing love and enhancing
the bond between you and your best friend!
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Christine Meichssner: Premium Dog Walking Services
My favorite hobby
as a teenager was looking after all the neighbors pets. At home
we had cats and budgies.
When the time came to decide which direction to take in life
I decided to go ahead and go through a three year apprenticeship
as an Animal Care Taker in Switzerland.
During those years, I worked with a multitude of animals, however
the majority of pets were dogs and cats.
There was no shortage of work! The day started
with taking the dogs out for their daily doses of exercise, followed
by the
feeding and “den keeping” and on occasion, we had
to medicate sick pets. All the while keeping an eye out for any
unusual behavior.
The vet would be immediately informed of any problems. We would
assist the vet in treating the animals.
As for the cats, the routine was much the same but we had to
be more vigilant because the cats were kept together. Keeping
track of who ate what and who went to the bathroom is more challenging.
Besides looking after the pets, we were also required to deal
with the customers, not only for the boarding kennel, but also
for the adjoining pet store and grooming salon.
That was the “hands on” part of
the apprenticeship.
For the academic portion, which run every other week, we would
learn the anatomy for various animals, biology, common pet diseases,
study some 300 dog breeds and business management, including
accounting.
At the end of the apprenticeship, my love for the animals became
a passion and I knew I found my calling.
But first, I wanted to take a little break by coming to Canada
for a year, mostly to improve my English.
Well, it was love at first sight and I decided to stay in Canada.
After a few years living on the East Coast I moved out West and
was looking at my options for work.
At that time the concept of doggy daycares and dog walkers seemed
a little strange to me, but the desire to work with dogs helped
me over that initial skepticism and I soon found work as a dog
walker.
I really enjoyed taking the dogs to the nearby beaches and parks
or just hanging out with them at the daycare.
As this was only a part time job, I did have to look at my future
and decide what would be best for me.
In early 2005 I decided to go ahead and start my own company.
After getting the business license, insurance,
dog walking permits… I
was ready to go!
This is truly a dream come true for me.
Premiumdogwalking@shaw.ca
http://www.Vancouver-Dog-Walkers.com
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Kelly Manis - Kelly's Dog Walking
I
used to have a Labrador retriever & was buying a
large bag of
Purina at Wal-Mart, waiting in the check-out line. A
woman behind me asked
if I had a dog. (No, what would have given you that
idea!)
On impulse, I told her that no, I was starting The
Purina
Diet again, although I probably shouldn't because I'd
ended up in the hospital
last time. But, I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened
in an intensive
care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices
and IVs in both arms.
I
told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the
way
that it works is to load your pants pockets with
Purina nuggets and simply
eat one or two every time you feel hungry, as the food
is nutritionally
complete.So, I was going to try it again.
I
have to mention here that practically everyone in the line
was
by now enthralled with my story, especially a tall
heavy man behind her.
Horrified, she asked if I'd been poisoned. . . I told
her no; I'd
been sitting in the street licking my balls and a car
hit me.
The
tall guy nearly had to stagger out of the store, oxygen-depleted
from laughter. I paid for the food and
left a lot of smiles behind me.
As found on the internet. Author unknown.
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