Pet estate planning: Its easier than ever to include your pets in your estate plan

Pet estate planning: Its easier than ever to include your pets in your estate plan.

Ticks Emerging Earlier Than Normal | UKNow

Ticks Emerging Earlier Than Normal | UKNow.

Nestle Purina Voluntarily Recalls Single Lot of Therapeutic Canned Cat Food

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts Nestlé Purina Voluntarily Recalls Single Lot of Therapeutic Canned Cat Food Due to A Low Level of Thiamine (Vitamin B1).

Dog and Cat Poison Resource Center Launches

Dog and Cat Poison Resource Center Launches.

For Paws Hospice Creates a Program To Get Disabled Pets Used Mobility Devices

Fox News Tampa Bay reports on a great program created by For Paws Hospice.  They are building a database of pet owners who have pet wheelchairs they no longer need and matching the gently used carts to pet owners who DO have a need.

This is a really great program.  If you know someone who has a pet that has spinal issues or other needs that would benefit from a pet wheelchair, give these fine folks a call.

Conversely, if you know a pet owner that has a pet wheelchair/cart they no longer need, have them get in touch with these fine folks to donate the cart to another needy pet.

For Paws Hospice telephone number is 727-639-9285.

Importance of pet ID, microchipping – Pet Doctor – SunHerald.com

Importance of pet ID, microchipping – Pet Doctor – SunHerald.com.

Labor Day – Keep It Fido Friendly

Well, it’s about time to celebrate Labor Day……….the symbolic end of summer. For women, it’s time to retire the white shoes for the season. We’re just days away from picnics, parties and days at the beach/lake. Just as other holidays throughout the year, it’s time to get the plan of action mapped out for your pets.

Here are some tips for ensuring your family celebrations are safe for your pets:

• If you’re traveling by car, be sure to keep your pets either contained in travel carriers or safely harnessed to a seat belt in case of an accident.
• Never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle or they can die from heat exhaustion (or be stolen).
• Be sure to walk them on a lead in designated areas of rest areas
• If you’ll be staying home and having a party, be mindful of candles, open flames of tabletop torches, fire pits, hot grills, charcoal starter and fireworks.
• Keep your pet on his/her regular diet and be sure visitors are advised not to feed them scraps or bones(even they would be well-intentioned).
• Keep plenty of fresh water outside and keep your pets cool. If you have a ChillyBuddy Cooling Jacket, good for you. Use it!
• Watch escape routes closely. If you have a lot of company, they may leave doors and gates open, allowing a curious pet to leave your house or yard. If you don’t think you can control the situation, it’s best to keep Fido or Fifi safely contained in a room inside your home.
• If your pets are not used to being around children and you have youngsters coming, it’s best to keep them separated. Small pets can be injured easily and many pets will snap when they feel threatened by children.
• Swimming pools and lake activities are great fun. Watch your pets around water and use a pet life jacket to ensure their safety.
• If fireworks scare your dog, it’s best they stay inside. Nervous pets and fireworks are a dangerous combination (but so is my son and fireworks – and he inherited it from my Mother).

It’s common sense: plan for the occasion and you’ll have a wonderful time. Your pets are part of the family and plans for their safety is just as important as the plans for the party, so look around for potential dangers in your setup and think about possible dangerous situations that might arise and put a plan of action together to diminish the dangers.

Happy Labor Day! Let’s party!

Pets and Pills – A Potential Deadly Combination

Advair Diskus

Lipitor

Nexium

It happens. You drop a pill on the floor and look for it, but it magically disappears. You head for the sweeper, but before you get back, Fido has found the pill for you……………and eaten it!

Drugs that help reduce cholesterol, ulcers or the chance of stroke in humans can cause serious health problems ranging from diarrhea to seizures in pets. Depending on how many pills are ingested, it could be fatal.

The top five human prescription drugs dispensed in the United States can cause the following side effects:

• Lipitor (atorvastatin): A human cholesterol reducing drug, it can cause mild side affects such as vomiting and diarrhea. It has a low toxicity level for pets.
• Nexium (esomeprazole): An anti-ulcer medication that often times is given to pets by veterinarians, although in much different formularies/strengths. It can cause mild side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea and symptoms generally subside on their own.
• Plavix (clopidogrel): Human drug used to reduce the risk of stroke. Again, mild reactions include vomiting and diarrhea.
• Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol): Human drug for asthma in an inhaler form. The inhalers contain huge amounts of beta-agonist drugs, and a dog that chews through one is exposed to massive amounts of the drug all at once. Heart arrhythmias, elevated heart rate, agitation, vomiting and collapse can result. Severe electrolyte abnormalities such as very low potassium levels are likely and can be life-threatening without immediate veterinary intervention.
• Abilify (aripiprazole): Treats schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and clinical depression in humans. Ingestion of this drug can result in profound lethargy, vomiting, hyperthermia, significant changes in heart rate and blood pressure and seizures. Immediate veterinary intervention is critical.

Accidental ingestion of human drugs can be prevented by:

• Storing medications separately (human in one place and pet in another). This reduces the chance you grab the wrong bottle and dose with the wrong medication.
• Never put medications in plastic storage bags that can be chewed through or torn open (by pets or kids).
• Don’t use weekly pill holders for pet medications. Rattling pill holders can signal “chew toy” to a pet, and if they get ahold of it, they potentially get a weeks worth of medicine at once. Poisoning is sure to follow.
• Purses, backpacks, medical kits or anything that contains medications should be kept out of reach of your pet (or child). Curious pets can quickly reach inside an open bag and snatch out a pill bottle or sugar-free gum (which is BAD FOR DOGS).

The degree of ill-effects range from mild to severe when a pet ingests human medications. Need help? The Pet Poison Helpline is available 24/7, so be sure to use them as a resource.

Keep your pets safe and put all medications out of reach. If they have ingested a medicine and are symptomatic, call your veterinarian immediately. Early intervention will ensure a better outcome, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

The Partnership for Food Protection and FDA Announce Establishment of PETNet

CVM Updates The Partnership for Food Protection and FDA Announce Establishment of PETNet.

California Governor Signs Law Banning The Sale of Pets from Public Property

Gov. Jerry Brown just this last week signed into law a measure banning the sale of animals on street corners and other public property in hopes of reducing the number of  poorly run puppy mills in California.

SB 917 also sets tougher penalties for those convicted of animal abuse or cruelty, allowing a maximum jail sentence of one year in cruelty cases and a fine of up to $20,000.

Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) said the goal of his bill is to improve conditions for animals sold in the state.

“Because current health and safety regulations for animal sales do not apply to roadside sales, young animals are being sold that are often mistreated, ill or diseased and there’s no way to track the seller,” Lieu said.

The bill would not prevent the owner of a dog that has puppies from selling the animals from a private property, said a spokesman for the senator. It also allows the sale from animal shelters.

Lieu’s measure is co-sponsored by the State Humane Assn. of California, the Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA and the SPCA Los Angeles.

Congratulations, California!  Let’s hope all states follow suit…………….or at least that’s my opinion.  What’s yours?  Sound off!