The best health insurance you can give your pet is preventative health care. Preventative health care is much more than just vaccinations. It includes proper nutrition, exercise, weight control, internal and external parasite control, skin and coat care, and dental hygiene. It has been estimated that simply keeping your pets teeth clean can add 2 years to its life. Annual blood profiles and urinalysis for all pets over 6 years of age will allow earlier detection of problems before they become life threatening.

The first step in being prepared for an emergency is by utilizing a veterinary hospital for the routine preventative health care procedures that it offers to 24-hour emergency care, seven days a week. Most veterinary hospitals will refer you after hours, on the weekend, or holidays, when they are not available.  When selecting a veterinarian , do not hesitate to ask how emergency service is handled.

If you know how to stop bleeding, induce vomiting, administer medications, and apply a muzzle, you will probably save your pets life, if it is possible to do so. Remaining calm in an emergency situation is most important for a successful outcome. The basic fact is that if your pet is going to die within the first 30 minutes after an accident, he/she will probably do so regardless of what you do.

 A basic emergency first aid kit can be assembled in a Ziploc bag and should include the following:

• Self Sticking Bandage Rolls for bandaging & controlling hemorrhage
• Gauze Sponges to apply directly to a wound
• Triple Antibiotic Ointment
• Nylon Cord for a Muzzle
• Peroxide to induce vomiting
• Pepto Bismol (for diarrhea)
• Liquid Soap (for washing wounds and skin from contact poisons)
• Rectal Thermometer
• Tweezers
• Scissors

Quick Treatment of Common Emergencies:

Allergic Reactions

Don't panic if whelps (hives) should begin to break out on your pet. This type of allergic reaction is usually not fatal. It will become uncomfortable, however, to the pet until treated by a veterinarian. Allergic reactions that result in death usually show more severe outward signs such as weakness, vomiting, facial swelling, and diarrhea.

Bleeding

Control bleeding by direct pressure to the wound with your hand or a pressure bandage. Place a gauze pad over the wound and then cover  and wrap with an elastic or self sticking bandage. Place the bandage snug for pressure, but not tight enough to cut off circulation. Although some blood may discolor it, the bandage should be tight enough so that the blood does not drip through it.

Seek veterinary attention for all cuts through the entire thickness of the skin or that bleed excessively. It is best not to apply any medications. Tincture of Iodine, Peroxide, and most ointments only irritate the wound more and decrease healing. Do not apply cotton to a wound.

Burns

Immerse the affected part in cold water. Keep an ice pack on the area as much as possible. Do not apply any type of medication until veterinary attention is obtained, especially if the burn appears severe. The major complication is infection and sloughing of the skin.

Choking

Attempt to push the lower jaw open and tilt the head up. Using extreme caution try to remove any object with the fingers. If unsuccessful, kneel behind the dog, holding its body just below the ribs. Squeeze hard a few times, pressing up. Seek professional veterinary attention if the object does not pop out. Swallowed objects that do not interfere with breathing are not immediate life or death threats. However, a veterinarian should be consulted if it is possible the object was swallowed. Complications are much less when the object can be removed from the stomach rather than in the intestine. Many veterinary hospitals now have an endoscope that allows the object to be removed without surgery.

Electric Shock

Remove the source of electricity with a wooden object. Seek veterinary attention immediately! Electric shock usually results in a buildup of fluid in the lungs,over several days that, left untreated, can be fatal. In addition, there are usually topical burns that must be treated.

Eye Injuries

Never apply any medication to an eye without seeking veterinary attention first. Many scratches on the surface of the eye are not visible until the eye is treated with a special stain. If the wrong type of ointment is used, such as an ointment containing cortisone in an injured eye, the condition can be made worse - even to the extent of causing a loss of the eye. Seek immediate veterinary attention for any eye injury including proptosed globes.

Fish-hooks

Fish-hooks must be pushed on through the skin, the barb and point cut off, and them the remainder can be pulled back through the skin the same way it went in. Antibiotics are often needed to prevent infection from the puncture wound.

Fractures

Fractures are no immediate life or death threats. Stabilize the limb if possible with a stick, rolled newspaper, etc., wrapped loosely with gauze. Do not wrap tightly because of swelling that will occur. Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.

Heat Stroke

Early signs include panting, high fever (105 degrees to 108 degrees Fahrenheit), shock, and collapse. Lower the body temperature by hosing or immersing in cold water up to the neck. Seek immediate veterinary attention.

Poisoning (External)

Most signs will involve the nervous system including such things as trembling, nervousness, salivation, pupil constriction, or dilation, and convulsions or coma. Wash the skin in a mild soap, such as Ivory.

Rinse and repeat. Seek veterinary attention BEFORE signs develop. Take a description of the poison to the veterinarian for identification.

Poisoning (Internal)

Read the label of the product for instructions. Do not induce vomiting of some poisons, such as caustic chemicals, acids, alkalis, and petroleum products. Most other cases require vomiting to rid as much of the chemical as possible from the stomach. Ipecac Syrup (5-15 cc) is the drug of choice. Hydrogen Peroxide (15-30 cc) is also an option, but may not always be as effective. Do not induce vomiting before consulting with a veterinarian.

Seizures

There are many causes of seizures including low blood sugar, epilepsy, distemper, diabetes, and heart failure. The dog will NOT swallow his tongue - do not put your fingers in his mouth. Keep him warm, place him in an area where he cannot injure himself, and seek veterinary attention. Young puppies should be given a teaspoon of honey or other source of sugar.

Shock

Signs of shock include depression, decreased body temperature, and grayish gums. Keep the pet as quiet as possible, keep it warm, and seek veterinary attention immediately.

Miscellaneous Notes

Stool samples should always be examined by the veterinarian to determine the cause if diarrhea exists for more than 24 hours.

• The major cause of gastric upset in the dog is dietary changes. All changes should be gradual.
• Tylenol will kill dogs and cats.
• Aspirin will often cause gastric ulcers. Use only enteric coated types.
• More damage is done to wounds by applying medications  than would be present if nothing had been applied at all. In general, all topical medications retard healing to some extent.

The veterinarians and staff of Woodruff Road Animal Hospital are in no way suggesting that the above recommendations be interpreted as a substitute for professional emergency veterinary care.

In our first article entitled,"Puppies Rule! Follow These Steps To "Vaccinate"Your Puppy Behaviorally", you will read about the importance of having a well-planned developmental environment for your puppy, the significance regarding the puppy’s future behavior, and some great tips on helping your puppy to mature into a healthy, behaviorally sound dog.

There are several reasons why owners should microchip their pets. First, microchips are permanent and cannot be lost, altered, or destroyed like collars and tags. Second, many pet owners have been reunited with "chipped" pets that have been missing for years or that have traveled for thousands of miles.

What is a microchip and is it safe?

The microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice, programmed with an ID number. The chip is enclosed in biocompatible glass and is small enough to fit into a hypodermic needle, for “injecting” or implanting it beneath the skin and between the shoulder blades.

Implanting a microchip this way does not hurt your pet and is usually well tolerated like any other injection or vaccination. Because it is completely biocompatible it contains nothing that will burn or irritate tissue, is considered non-toxic, non-allergenic, and young pets can be micro-chipped as early as 6-8 weeks.

How does a microchip “identify” your pet, and then"reunite" you, with your pet?

Once your animal is injected with a chip, he/she can be identified throughout his/her life with this one-of-a-kind ID number. In the identification process, a special scanner is used which sends a radio signal to the chip and it “reads” the ID number. The pet feels nothing when the scanner is placed over it. The number is displayed on the scanner, and the person reading the scanner can contact a national registry to find out whom the pet belongs to.

After your pet is chipped, you will be added to the database of a national registry. Remember to contact this national registry whenever you change your address or telephone number, because microchips are only as good as the information you provide the microchip company.

Microchip scanning is becoming standard practice at animal shelters and veterinary hospitals. Both are aware of the national registries and routinely contact them to obtain owner information in an attempt to reunite pets with their owners. Some municipalities, such as Los Angeles County in California, now require pets to be micro- chipped, so local governments can cooperate with shelters to better ensure the reunion between pets and owners.

So, why wait a moment longer. If your pet has not been chipped, make an appointment today. Remember, it is safe, it is a permanent form of ID, and it works!!!

Heatstroke is defined as a core body temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which is accompanied by hot, dry skin and central nervous system abnormalities such as delirium, convulsions, or coma.

It is seen in most emergency clinics throughout the country, but localized in the southern states and hot climates.

Heatstroke is more likely to occur in late spring or early summer before pets become acclimated to the higher temperatures.

Factors that increase the chances of heatstroke include confinement with poor ventilation, increased humidity, water deprivation, prior heatstrokes, certain drugs, and as mentioned earlier, the inability to acclimate to changes in a hot, humid environment.

It most commonly develops when pets are confined in an overheated enclosure, such as an automobile, or chained outdoors in the hot sun, especially when they are deprived of water or shade. Heatstroke can also occur in dogs that over-exert themselves in hot, humid environments, either through work or play.

Conditions that predispose to heatstroke include, but are not limited to, diseases of the larynx, cardiovascular disease, obesity, central nervous system disease, increasing age, and a long full haircoat.

Signs and Symptoms

The most common signs of heatstroke reported by dog owners include:

1. Excessive panting and inability or unwillingness to rise.

2. Vomiting and diarrhea, especially following attempts to drink large amounts of water.

3. Hypersalivation, muscle tremors, loss of coordination, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

 Remember: this is a life threatening condition which can lead to multiple organ dysfunction and subsequent death if not treated immediately and aggressively. In the largest study done to assess the prognosis and outcome of heatstroke, the mortality rate was identified at 50 percent.

This means that for every two pets who suffer from heat-stroke, one of these pets will not survive!

Summary

If you suspect that your dog might be suffering from heat-stroke, keep in mind that the goal of emergency treatment is to safely lower the core body temperature as soon as possible.

This includes the following recommendations for increasing your pets chances of survival.

1. Immediately contact your veterinarian's office or emergency hospital to advise them of the emergency as you begin with the cooling process.

2. Cooling can be accomplished by spraying your pet with tepid water from a garden hose or cooling with the aid of a fan.

3. If you have a helper, enlist that person to take the pets temperature every 5 minutes and advise them to discontinue the cooling process once the animal's temperature reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Transport your pet to your veterinarian or emergency hospital as soon as possible.

Prevention

1. Maintain your pet’s ideal weight or work out a weight loss plan with your veterinarian, as obesity is one of the greatest risk factors in death from heat-stroke.

2. Age is another important risk factor in death from heat-stroke, so do your best to keep older pets out of the heat.

3. Whether young, old, sick or healthy, it does not matter - please make sure to give your pet plenty of time to acclimate to seasonal changes in temperature.

4. Provide fresh cool water at all times. Remember that water evaporates quickly on hot days.

5. Provide shelter from the heat and sun.

6. Make sure your pets containment area is well ventilated.

7. Avoid any outdoor exercise with your pet during the heat of the day. Instead, make the morning time your first choice for strenuous outdoor activities, when it is cooler and much less humid.

Follow these tips to ensure a fun, safe, and happy summer with your pet!

External parasites, such as fleas and ticks, may be less of a problem during certain times of the year but internal parasites (such as worms) can be present year- round.

Fleas are probably the most common external parasite of dogs and cats worldwide. In addition to just being a nuisance, fleas are responsible for flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) in dogs and cats, which is estimated to account for over 50% of all the dermatological cases reported to veterinarians. Fleas can carry and transmit several potential illnesses of importance to humans, including typhus and plaque. They can also transmit "cat scratch disease" (infection with Bartonella) among cats who can then spread the disease to humans. Additionally, fleas serve as an intermediate host for tapeworms, which can infect your pet and occasionally humans.

Ticks are also external parasites. They are important vectors that transmit a number of diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, relapsing fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia and tick paralysis. They are second only to mosquitoes as vectors of human disease. It is important for the health of your pet, as well as the safety of your family, to include ticks in your pet's year- round parasite control program.

Heartworms are internal parasites. They are known to occur throughout the U.S. and, though they have been almost 100 percent preventable for decades, they are still common in dogs and cats.

Heartworms are transmitted by feeding mosquitoes and take residence in the heart and large vessels of the lungs of your pet. Because heartworms live in the bloodstream, lungs and heart, they can kill or seriously debilitate pets that are infected with them.

Your veterinarian can conduct a simple blood test to determine if your pet has heartworms or heartworm disease. While heartworm disease in dogs is treatable, it can be expensive and have severe side effects. There is no treatment currently for cats, therefore prevention in both cases is key.

Due to the large number of internal and external parasites and the high risk of pet infection, controlling parasites year-round is the most reliable way to ensure the highest level of health for your pet and well being of your family.

Pets are susceptible to flea, tick and heartworm infections at all times of the year. Regardless of the weather, many of the these pests can survive in your home in areas such as carpeting, baseboards, furniture and bedding throughout your house.

Tips to protect your family and your pet.

• Wash your hands well after contact with an animal.
• Do not allow children to put dirt in their mouths.
• Pick up dog and cat waste from your yard daily, especially in areas where both children and animals play.
• Cover home sand boxes to protect them from fecal contamination.
• Have your pet tested regularly ( two times a year) for parasites that present a risk to your pet and family.

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Information provided in part from The Companion Animal Parasite Council. The CAPC is an independant council of veterinarians and other animal health care professionals established to create guidelines for the optimal control of internal and external parasites that threaten the health of pets and people. It brings together broad expertise in parasitology, internal medicine, human health care, public health, veterinary law, private practice and association leadership.

For more information about how parasites may affect your pet, please visit our Important Links section and click on www.petsandparasites.org for a direct link to this site.