4 Independence Day dangers for pets

4 Independence Day dangers for pets

Loud noises aren't the only worry pets face on July Fourth. To help clients keep pets safe, be familiar with the signs and treatments for these four threats.

Jun 24, 2010 
By: Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC Pet Poison Helpline 

Fireworks

Dangers: Everything from small smoke bombs and sparklers to large aerial displays has the potential to burn curious and unsuspecting pets. What’s more, fireworks can contain a variety of heavy metals—iron, copper, barium, mercury, phosphorus and magnesium—that are used as coloring agents and may cause heavy-metal poisoning if ingested. Clinical signs: The face, muzzle, lips, tongue, and paws are most common places pets get burned by fireworks. If ingested, the heavy metals or other materials may cause vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, jaundice, tremors, and seizures. Treatment: If pets are burned or ingest fireworks, immediate examination by a veterinarian is recommended. Given the potential for severe burns especially in the mouth and upper gastrointestinal tract, Pet Poison Helpline does not routinely recommend that pet owners induce vomiting at home. Also, in-clinic administration of activated charcoal to bind the toxin is not often recommended since activated charcoal doesn’t bind well to metals. Overall, treatment is based on the clinical signs noted and may include pain medications, anti-emetics, IV fluids, burn-management procedures, and chelation therapy for heavy metals. Prognosis: Good in many cases involving small fireworks, minor burns, or very small ingestions. Poor in cases involving large ingestions of multiple fireworks and in cases of liver and neurological damage.

Glow-in-the-dark jewelry and glow sticks

Dangers: Cats seem to especially enjoy chewing on these colorful, glowing sticks and necklaces. Though not highly toxic, the liquid material inside of glow jewelry and glow sticks contains a substance called dibutyl phthalate. This compound is capable of causing immediate stinging or a burning sensation on any tissue that it contacts. Clinical signs: Dramatic salivation is the most common sign upon ingestion; this is especially true in cats. Other signs include pawing at the mouth, running frantically, hiding or acting fearful, and vomiting. Treatment: Typically, gently rinsing the mouth or exposed area with water is sufficient to remove the liquid. Additionally, offering a safe treat will help remove the unpleasant taste from the cat’s mouth. Prognosis: Excellent; signs generally resolve in minutes to hours. Hot weather and heat stroke   Dangers: Overweight or obese dogs, large breed dogs, those with heavy muscling (pit bulls, boxers), or those that are brachycephalic (i.e., smooshed-nosed dogs like English bulldogs, French bulldogs, Shih Tzus, and pugs) are predisposed to overheating due their poor ability to dissipate heat. Dogs with health problems like laryngeal paralysis (an airway cartilage abnormality that results in loud, noisy breathing or a change in bark) are also predisposed to heat stroke. Any dogs carrying tennis balls in their mouths are also at risk because their airway is blocked, preventing adequate panting and cooling. The most dangerous temperature is often 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the presence of 70 percent or 80 percent humidity. At this temperature—and higher temperatures—less evaporative cooling and heat loss take place so the body is unable to cool itself well through panting. Cats and dogs inside closed cars—even with the windows slightly open—that are exposed to direct sun face a dangerous risk of heat stroke. Even when the temperature is as low as 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the inside of a car can heat up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 20 minutes, resulting in death in less than an hour. Clinical signs: Signs of heat stroke while exercising: constant panting, slowing down, collapse, dark red gums, little urine production (or very concentrated, yellow/brown urine), and lethargy. Pets with heat stroke frequently have body temperatures greater than 108 degrees Fahrenheit, which often leads to permanent organ damage (kidney failure, bloody diarrhea), altered clotting (disseminated intravascular coagulation), or death. Treatment: If any of these signs occur, it is imperative for pet owners to cool their pets immediately in a pond or pool and immediately call their veterinarian. Treatment includes rapid whole-body cooling with cool water baths (not ice), fans, cold towels, and alcohol applied to the paw pads. Aggressive therapy with IV fluids, IV protein (colloids), electrolyte and blood glucose monitoring, plasma transfusions, urine output monitoring, and supportive care are necessary for survival. Prognosis: Good if treated early and before the body temperature has reached critical levels. Prevention is key—pet owners should carry a water bottle and offer fresh, cool water frequently to their dog, and to keep their pet wet and cooled during walks in hot weather if possible. Picnic foods   Dangers: Some common July Fourth picnic goodies can pose serious health risks for dogs and cats. • Corncobs: While corn is certainly not toxic to pets, the cob can easily become lodged in a dog’s esophagus or intestines, often requiring surgical removal. • Grapes and raisins: Though these make great treats for people and are often found in healthy summer salads, even small numbers of grapes and raisins can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs and, potentially, cats. Some pet-safe picnic foods include carrots, peas, green beans, and apples. • Meat scraps and drippings: Dogs love to hover around the grill and will ingest almost anything that falls from it. The most problematic grill foods for pets, especially dogs, are large, fatty meat scraps and large amounts of grease in grill drip pans. When dogs eat large amounts of fat and grease, they may suffer from pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), which is painful and potentially life-threatening. Certain breeds, especially miniature Schnauzers, are more likely to develop pancreatitis. Clinical signs:  • With fatty meat or corncob ingestion, delayed onset vomiting will occur one to four days later, and pets may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea (with or without blood), no stool production or straining to pass stool, and a reduced appetite. Lethargy may also be seen with pancreatitis or a bowel obstruction. • Following the ingestion of grapes and raisins, vomiting within a few hours is typical. Within one to four days, pets may experience increased urination, increased thirst, lethargy, and a reduced appetite. Treatment: • Corncobs: If a dog ingests a corncob (or any potentially obstructive object), it is best for pet owners to speak to a veterinarian right away to determine the best course of action. The immediate induction of vomiting at home is not always wise. Objects such as corncobs may become lodged in the esophagus while the dog is attempting to vomit them up—a situation known as “choke.” This is a true medical emergency and must be managed in the veterinary hospital. In cases where the obstruction is in the stomach or intestines, surgical removal is often necessary. • Grapes and raisins: Pet owners may safely induce vomiting at home in many of these cases; however, they should not do so without the directive of a veterinarian. Next, the pet should be quickly brought to the clinic. When the patient arrives, induce vomiting and then administer activated charcoal to decontaminate (adsorb and remove toxins). Follow up by administering anti-vomiting medication and aggressive intravenous fluids to protect the kidneys. Frequent monitoring of kidney laboratory values, as well as in-hospital care are also recommended. • Meat scraps and drippings: The treatment of pancreatitis can be quite involved. Anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medications, IV fluids, monitoring of blood chemistry panels, and in-hospital care may all be needed. In certain cases, other drugs such as antibiotics and pain medications may be necessary. Prognosis: The prognosis for all of these problematic picnic foods is good if treatment is started early. However, for dogs that have already developed a severe bowel obstruction, kidney failure, or pancreatitis, the prognosis becomes worse and treatment much more involved. http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/Veterinary+team/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/676010

5 Health Problems Dog Owners Ignore (And Why You Need to Deal with Them Right Now)

By Dr. Marty Becker

Are you ignoring chronic health issues that are making your pooch miserable?People who know me even a little bit know I'm a detail-oriented person. I really do sweat the small stuff, and I think that's a trait you want in a health care provider. When I'm examining a dog, I look at the small details as well as the big picture. 

 But even though I like to see people paying attention to every aspect of their dog's care, I'm often taken aback by dog owners who fixate on one aspect of their animal's care while ignoring many others. Some of the things dog owners ignore truly do make a difference to an animal's quality of life. So you can understand my wondering why it is that some people are anxious to discuss the "horrors" of vaccines and the harm they may do while I'm looking at a pet who's in misery from a problem I can address not in theory but right now. 

See Also: What Your Dogs Eyes Says About His Health 

 Yes, it's great that you're educating yourself on the debates over vaccine protocols or preservatives in food or whatever you want to discuss. I love working with pet owners, and I'm here to listen and to offer my educated guidance. But I'm also here to make sure your dog is healthy, right at this moment - and that means addressing any health issues that are actually an issue, right at this moment. 

Is Your Dog in Pain…Now?

 As I said, discussions over "holistic" care or anything else are just fine, but let's get your pet healthy first, OK? As a veterinarian, I regularly see a small group of health problems that dog owners often overlook, ignore or treat as "normal." If your dog has any of the issues on this list, please see your veterinarian immediately. And be prepared to follow through and follow up because many of these problems take time and dedication to resolve, especially if they've been ignored for a long time. 

See Also: 11 Most Common Health Conditions in Dogs 

1. Chronic ear problems: Recurring ear infections are not that common in adult humans, which may be part of the reason we tend to forget just how painful they are. But think back to the nonstop pain of childhood ear infections - or, if you're a parent, recall how helpless you felt the last time your child had an ear infection. It's true that people do bring their dogs in for treatment, but the follow-through can be very poor. Drops don't get put in, follow-up appointments aren't made and eventually pet owners just decide that ear infections are "normal," especially for flop-eared dogs. Please don't confuse "common" with "normal" - instead, imagine the agony you'd be in if every single waking minute of every day you were dogged by a condition that was painful and itchy. You'd go crazy, wouldn't you? Your dog feels the same way.

2. Dental disease: What would you think if every day you looked in the mirror and saw gums that were bleeding and receding, and teeth that were discolored, loosening and falling out? "Doggy breath" isn't normal, and pets need dental care just like people do. Sometimes I flip the lip on a dog I'm seeing - usually for some other reason - and discover gums that look as if a blowtorch had been passed over them. You know these animals are in constant pain. And what about those teeth? Imagine what it would be like to be in excruciating pain every time your tongue touched your tooth, or if you had to try to gingerly eat on only one side of your mouth, away from the affected area. Yourveterinarian can get your dog's mouth back in good shape at any age and can show you how to keep things in good shape. No more pain! 

3. Skin issues and biting pests: Have you ever been bitten by a bug and thought to yourself, "Didn't hurt a bit. Go ahead and bite again, or invite your buddies to join in the feast. I can take it!" Of course you haven't. When a human gets nailed by a biting bug, we swat them away, spray ourselves with repellents, take antihistamines and apply soothing salves to the bite. Now imagine being constantly under attack from fleas or other biting pests, with no way to stop the biting or alleviate the itch. Doesn't your dog deserve parasite control? I hope you think so. And pests aren't the only cause of canine skin problems that can afflict your dog. Have you ever suffered from a chronic rash or other skin issue that made you want to scream from the itching? Then why would you ignore a dog who's always scratching? Take care of your dog's skin - just like you would take care of your own.

4. Achy-breaky joints: Arthritis may be inevitable, but pain from those aching joints doesn't have to be. We understand this when it comes to our own discomfort and pain: When we hurt, we take painkillers by the handful and tell everyone we know how miserable we are. If your dog has arthritis, he can't tell you where it hurts, when it started or just how bad it is in general, but I guarantee you he's suffering all the same. What we commonly chalk up to old age can be treated and managed, and your dog's quality of life can be improved - but only if you take responsibility and talk to yourveterinarian. 

5. Obesity: Yes, many of us live in glass houses when it comes to our pets' weight, which may be one of the reasons so many veterinarians are reluctant to bring it up. And many veterinarians are doubly sensitive when it comes to discussing an overweight pet with an overweight owner, not wanting to hurt any feelings. But you need to take a good look at your dog, and you need to know what you are allowing when you let him get and stay overweight. Let me be blunt: Fat kills. How? Let's just take one item: arthritis. Canine obesity makes arthritis worse, and when an old dog is unable to move well and is in pain, he's at risk of being euthanized. And those dogs are the lucky ones. Other pets are just allowed to suffer, even though we know how much losing weight can help. Talk to your vet about your dog's weight, and be ready to listen to and follow his recommendations to get the pounds off your pet.

See Also: What a Dog's Skin and Fur Says About Her Health 

Remember, "Chronic" Doesn't Mean "Untreatable"

These five problems are what I think of as "frog in hot water" issues. There's an old parable that if you put a frog in hot water, he'll jump right out. But if you put him in cold water and raise the temperature slowly, he may die before he notices he's in trouble.

Wait, wait! I am not suggesting that you boil a frog! But I do think it's important to realize that if your dog suddenly had an infected mouth or red, itchy skin or was a normal size one day and obese the next, you'd run - I mean as in right now! - to your veterinarian to get help. But because so many of these issues creep up on us - and on our dogs - over time, we don't pay as much attention to them, or we overlook them entirely. 

 That's why I want you to step back right now and look at your dog. Be brutally honest: Are you ignoring chronic health issues that are making him miserable? If the answer is yes, call your veterinarian. For most of these often-chronic conditions, there are things that can be done to stop, or even reverse, the damage. All you need to do is recognize the problem and reach out to your veterinarian. The result will be a happier, healthier dog - which is what we both want to see. 

http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/5-health-problems-dog-owners-ignore-why-deal-125600933.html

Fourth of July Safety Tip

Thank you to ASPCA for submitting this:

Fourth of July Safety Tips

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.
• Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.
  
  
  http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/july-4th.aspx