Safety Secrets for Pet Owners
The most dangerous place for dogs at any time of the year is the driveway. It’s natural for dogs to run out to greet us as we pull in, or to stand or lie where we can’t see them. Keep your pets in the house when you know someone will be pulling in or out of the driveway.
Buckle in your pets. Crash test studies with dummies confirm that a pet is just as vulnerable to injury in a car crash as a child. Experts advise using an adjustable restraint that attaches a dog’s harness to the seat belt, or strapping your dog into a pet safety harness. Keep cats in their carrier and loop the seat belt through the carrier’s handle.
Don’t let your dog stick his head out the window. This is a frequent cause of eye and ear infections, and injuries to the eyes and face from flying debris.
Never transport your dog in the back of an open pick-up truck. Not only can he fly out in the event of a sudden stop or turn, but also common injuries are eye infections, ear infections and burns to the paws from the hot truck bed. Thousands of dogs are treated annually for fractured limbs due to pick-up truck injuries and many die. If you must transport your dog this way, purchase a safety harness to keep him from falling out.
Warm weather means more visits to veterinary offices for skin, eye and ear problems. Warm, humid weather, as well as swimming, rain and time spent outdoors, all foster the development of diseases involving these organs. Allergies, parasites such as fleas and ear mites, infections caused by yeast or staph bacteria, all take their toll. Help prevent these diseases by protecting your pet with flea and tick preventatives, clean ears often, use ear drying solutions after swimming, and notify your veterinarian if symptoms appear.
Don’t put out rat, mouse or ant baits where your pets can eat them. Be aware, too, that eating a rodent that has consumed these poisons can also kill your pet. Clean up antifreeze spills quickly and don’t let your pet in the garage or driveway when you are using antifreeze. It only takes a few licks of this sweet substance to kill your pet.
Be on the alert for signs of heat stroke this summer. Usually occurring in dogs that over-exercise in warm or hot weather, it can be fatal within a very short time. Factors that increase the risk for heat stroke include the following:
the pet is black in color, which absorbs more heat;
the weather is humid, making panting less effective;
it’s early in the season and the dog is not yet accustomed to the heat;
the pet is overweight;
the pet is a brachycephalic breed such as a bulldog or pug, whose nasal passages are not efficient at dissipating heat;
the pet is locked in a car, even with the windows partway down;
the pet has inadequate shelter from the sun or inadequate water;
the pet is feverish, seizuring or otherwise ill.
Signs of heat stroke include warm, dry skin, heavy panting, staring, anxious expression, refusal to obey commands, high fever, rapid heart rate, vomiting, collapse, seizures and even death.
