PROTECT YOUR ANIMALS
13:08 Dec 01 2016
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SENT TO ME BY ONE OF MY AUSSIE FRIENDS
Staff writer, Herald Sun
December 1, 2016 5:03pm
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DOGS and cats in particular have a habit of seeking out trouble.
Curious by nature — much like small children — they just can’t help but put themselves in danger.
It comes as Melbourne faces a summer snake explosion following a cold, wet spring.
Because they are smaller, dogs and cats often succumb quickly to snake bite, which is a worry because urban sprawl has brought humans and snakes — venomous tiger and brown species particularly — closer than ever before.
But it’s not just the obvious snakes and spiders that can cause your pets problems: ear plugs and socks are the most common things ingested, along with rat bait, and dog flea treatments.
This is your foolproof guide to saving your four-legged friends from life’s lurking threats:
TOP 6 CAUSES REQUIRING ANIMALS TO RECEIVE VET TREATMENT
— Hit by a car
— Dog attacks
— Poisoning and eating foreign bodies: In dogs the most common poisoning is from rat bait, in cats it’s from owners using certain dog flea treatments
— Eating foreign bodies: In dogs it’s socks, and in cats it’s disposable ear plugs
— Snake bites
— Heat stroke
HIDDEN HOUSEHOLD DANGERS FOR DOGS AND CATS
Foods to watch out for: Sharing isn’t always caring
— Alcohol
— Stone fruits and nuts: Raisins (and grapes) have an unknown toxic mechanism that damages the canine kidney. The toxic effects can be seen when non-specific amounts are ingested, so prevent your dog from eating any raisins and grapes, either fresh or cooked (For example, in cakes and fruit mince pies). Some nuts are toxic, so the best strategy is not to feed any nuts to dogs.
— Avocado
— Onions
— Cooked bones: You might enjoy gnawing on a ham bone, but don’t let your animals eat cooked bones — they can splinter and perforate or obstruct the gut.
— Caffeine
Avoid feeding your cat corn, avocado and grapes. Picture: John Gass
— Chewing gum or lollies
— Chocolate and sweets: chocolate contains chemical compounds called methylzanthines (caffeine and theobromine), which can be potentially fatal. Darker chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa is more toxic in smaller amounts than lighter milk chocolate — but don’t feed either. White chocolate and non-chocolate sweets are stimulant-free, but can cause serious gastrointestinal abnormalities (vomiting, diarrhoea, and pancreatitis) due their high sugar and/or fat content)
— Citrus-based products
— Fatty foods and proteins: Holiday foods, including animal skin, meats, and cheese are dense in calories, fat, and protein and can cause gastrointestinal upset.
— Corn cobs
— Grapes or raisins
— Liver
— Mould/spoiled foods
— Nutmeg
— Nuts (macadamia in particular)
Household items
— Christmas decorations: we’ve probably all seen the Facebook and You Tube clips of cat vs. Christmas decorations. But they can end up in tears when things get broken or swallowed. As vets like to say, it’s all fun until someone ends up in a cone. For example, tinsel, if swallowed, can cause a particularly nasty type of intestinal obstruction called a linear foreign body.
Other household item threats:
— Electrical cords: potential choking hazard
— Curtain/blind cords: potential chocking hazard
— Easily moved glass items
— Plastics/bags
— Stagnant water
— Candles: Even momentary contact with a lit candle can set an animals’ fur ablaze, leading to severe skin burns. Scented candles (cinnamon, fig, vanilla, etc.) emit appealing aromas and may cause gastrointestinal abnormalities if consumed.
— Elastic band/hair clips/ties
— Play dough
— Insect bombs
— String
— Children’s toys (that can be broken)
— Make-up/cosmetics
— Cleaning products
— Soaps/cleansers
— Paints/varnishes/stains
— Pens/ink
— Plastic wrap/foil
— Washing machine/dryer (keep doors closed at all times)
— Tooth picks
— Hot appliances
— Pins/needles
— Tin cans
— Mouse traps
— Cutlery
Outside Items
— Tiger snakes are the most common venomous snake found around Melbourne, with brown snakes also abundant
— Rat/Snail bait
— Garden poisons
— Certain plants and flowers: lilies contain a toxin that can cause fatal kidney damage in cats. Cats don’t have to eat the actual lily plant. If they just rub up against it and get pollen on their fur, they can ingest a fatal amount when they groom themselves.
— Wire/fishing line
— Motor oil/petrol
— Car wash and other outside cleaning products
SUMMER CELEBRATIONS
New Year’s Eve fireworks, plus thunder and lightning
Fireworks cause a spike in pet injuries. Picture: Steve Tanner
— After New Year’s Eve, vets see increase in injuries — the result of dogs panicking and
trying to escape the sound of the fireworks which frighten them.
— Unofficial fireworks displays seem to be becoming more prevalent and that makes it harder for owners to predict if their pets will be affected.
— Unfortunately, some animals express fear by being destructive, with excessive barking or howling, running away to escape the sounds or other anxious behaviour such as cowering, drooling, or shaking.
— Never, ever punish an animal for exhibiting such behaviours during times of stress. Provide a safe spot or go-to place — much like a den for kids.
— Bring your pet inside and try to counteract the noise by turning up the TV or radio (classical music works well). Not too loud though as it may end up adding to the stress.
— If you are leaving your dog home on a night when fireworks are scheduled, you might consider shutting the windows and turning on the TV or radio to provide some calming white noise.
— You could even consider working to desensitise your pet by playing recordings of thunder or fireworks at low level throughout a regular day while plying your dog or cat with positive stimuli.
— Make sure your pet is microchipped so that if he or she does escape, you will be reunited
more quickly.
BBQs — Hide the sausages!
Aussie summers lend themselves to barbecues and relaxed dining, but you aren’t doing your
dog any favours by giving them the leftover snags.
At Lort Smith Animal Hospital, they have seen an increase in the number of dogs with health
problems such as pancreatitis and obesity, so avoid giving your dog fatty meats which they
can’t digest properly, and keep cooked bones well away from dogs.
Grass seeds
— Grass seeds are a seasonal hazard for dogs. Most of the time grass seeds get caught in the coat
during a walk or playing in long grass and then get lodged in the skin, usually lodging between the toes, ears, nose, behind eyelids and in the genitalia.
— A dog can lose its voice due to grass seeds in the vocal cords.
Stinking hot sun
— Pets with underlying medical issues, the very young and the very old are most at risk.
— The most important message is not to tether animals out in the sun and don’t leave them in
cars, even for a short time with the windows down. In a car, heat stress and death can occur
within a few minutes.
— The main thing to remember is that heat stroke can set in extremely fast if an animal is
exposed and you must seek veterinary attention immediately.
— The warning signs of heat stroke in pets include excessive panting; dark or bright red tongue
and gums; sticky or dry gums and tongue; staggering; seizures; diarrhoea or vomiting.
— If you are concerned your pet has been affected, get them into a cooler environment; use
wet cloths but not iced water to cool them; and offer them water but don’t force them to
drink.
— Even if the animal cools and appears to recover, we recommend taking it to a vet as for a
thorough check as internal organs could have been affected.
Five top tips to protect your pet in heat:
1. Make sure your pets have constant access to cool water and shade or keep them indoors, as
heat stress can develop extremely quickly on hot days.
2. Have more than one source of water, so that if a bowl gets knocked over or the shade
disappears, there is an alternative source of cool water.
3. Avoid walking or exercising your pet on hot days; otherwise walk your dog in the morning
when the temperature is the coolest.
4. For smaller animals, such as guinea pigs, a little bag of ice wrapped in small wet towels could
provide heat relief, and for birds a gentle misting might help, as long as it doesn’t stress
them.
5. Some dogs will avoid drinking from bowls with floating ice cubes, but you can freeze half-
filled bowls and then top them up with cool water before putting them out
Holidays with pets
Holidays create situational changes in people’s lives and cause additional stress for our pets.
— If you are travelling to a new environment, you may find your pet reacting to new insects, plants and allergens.
— In the warmer states, your pet may also be at risk from animals such as snakes, stingers,
cane toads and jellyfish.
— Before you travel, contact a vet in the area you are travelling to and find out potential risks,
common parasites and recommended vaccinations or medications.
— Queensland, Northern Territory and Northwest Australia tend to have more humid conditions that encourage the growth of yeast and bacteria. This can bring on skin and ear conditions.
— Sunburn can be a danger, particularly on the ears, eyes and bellies of dogs that are sunbakers. Most vets sell a pet-friendly UV cream, which you can apply daily
— Parasites also become more prevalent the further north you go, so it’s a good idea to administer preventive medicine before you travel. Below is a list of common parasites you may need to watch for: Heartworm, Tropical Hookworm, Paralysis Ticks, Leptospira, Fleas
— Seek veterinary advice before you set off and make sure you have adequate supplies of
medication to last you the whole trip.
— If you are travelling by plane, you will need to have your pet thoroughly examined by a vet
and approved for travel. Dogs and cats will usually go in cargo (except for seeing-eye dogs,
which are allowed in the cabin). Sedation is generally not recommended, as side effects may
be unpredictable at high altitudes. Most birds will settle into a dark carrying container well,
and seem to remain calm in the dark of a hold with the gentle humming of the motors.
— Any unsecure objects in a car can easily turn into life threatening projectiles during an
impact. Pets left free to roam in a car cannot only be life threatening to any humans or
other animals travelling in a car, they are also in direct danger of being injured themselves.
— Despite popular practice, the dog with its head out the window is unsafe. Your dog could be
hit by flying objects, and the wind and cold air can cause inner-ear damage and lung
infections.
— A car can be a risky place for a pet, with temperatures getting extremely high on hot days.
Never leave your pet in a locked car. As animals tend to dehydrate much quicker than
humans, ensure you have regular drink stops. Birds are very sensitive to extremes, so try to
keep them away from direct sunlight and the air conditioning vent.
— If you are travelling by car, it is important your pet is appropriately restrained.
— Any unsecure objects in a car can easily turn into life threatening projectiles during an
impact. Pets left free to roam in a car cannot only be life threatening to any humans or
other animals travelling in a car, they are also in direct danger of being injured themselves.
— Despite popular practice, the dog with its head out the window is unsafe. Your dog could be
hit by flying objects, and the wind and cold air can cause inner-ear damage and lung
infections.
— A car can be a risky place for a pet, with temperatures getting extremely high on hot days.
Never leave your pet in a locked car. As animals tend to dehydrate much quicker than
humans, ensure you have regular drink stops. Birds are very sensitive to extremes, so try to
keep them away from direct sunlight and the air conditioning vent.
— If you are travelling by car, it is important your pet is appropriately restrained.
SNAKE PET PROTECTION
A cat or dog that is bitten by a snake may show a variety of signs depending on the species, age and amount of venom yielded by the snake during the bite.
Common signs your pet has been bitten by a snake include collapse and vomiting, which can occur within minutes of a bite; trembling, salivation, urination and defalcation; dilated pupils and, in severe cases, paralysis and death.
Treatment for affected pets is intensive and a number of blood and urine tests are usually performed.
Initially your pet will be stabilised with intravenous fluids and oxygen.
Antivenene will be administered and it is important your pet is monitored carefully as they may react to the antivenene (which is prepared from horse serum). Often multiple doses of antivenene are required and this becomes quite costly.
With early detection of a snake bite, intense treatment and monitoring there is a good chance that your pet will survive.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PET IS BITTEN BY A SNAKE
— Seek immediate veterinary attention
— Keep your pet calm and quiet
— Don’t wash the wound or apply a tourniquet
— Under no circumstance should you attempt to kill or bring the snake into a clinic, as you may get bitten. There are snake identification kits that your vet may use.
ONE FINAL WORD
— Always make sure that you and your family are ready for the responsibilities of companion animal ownership before considering adopting an animal.
— If you want advice on where to get a puppy, see the Smart Puppy Buyers Guide and Smart Kitten Buyers Guide
Source: Lort Smith Animal Hospital and RSPCA
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