Corner Animal Hospital : Online Pet Pharmacy and Veterinary Service

More than just the heat can be harmful to your pet during the summer. Memorial Day, Labor Day and the Fourth of July are the top three holidays for pet emergencies because of outdoor activities where pets run loose. Firecrackers, with their loud, startling and scary noises, can also be harmful to your pets’ well being. The SPCA of Texas recommends these tips to make your pets’ Fourth of July a safe one :

• Keep your pets indoors with the air conditioner running and the windows closed or keep a radio on to help mask out as much noise as possible. Also try distracting them: follow their regular routine, play with them or crate them up until the fireworks are over. Make sure they have current tags and a microchip to ensure their safe return should they bolt out of fear.
• Be aware of neighborhood pranksters throwing firecrackers over your fence to frighten your pet. Also be careful using sparklers, as they can burn animals as well as people.
• Allow your pets the freedom to seek refuge under the bed, behind the toilet or in the back of the closet. This may soothe them more than cuddling with them.
• Your dog may not want to accompany you to the local fireworks extravaganza. He may prefer some nice quiet time in your lap after everything is over. Also, during the festivities, keep your dog busy with chew toys.
• If your pet gets especially stressed or your neighborhood is particularly noisy, you may wish to talk to your veterinarian about the practicality of using tranquilizers or homeopathic remedies. Consider sending your pet to a nice quiet boarding kennel for the worst of it.
• Even if the proper precautions are taken, some animals may develop deeply rooted fears of loud noises after fireworks displays or thunderstorms. Commonly seen effects include: shaking; trembling; excessive drooling; barking; howling; trying to hide or get into or out of the house, fence, or other enclosure; refusing to eat food; loss of bladder or bowel control or temporary diarrhea.
• The best way to treat this problem is through preventive conditioning, the process of desensitizing an animal to loud noises. Start by introducing your puppy or kitten to loud noises such as handclaps when they are relatively young. As the animal grows, softly bang pots and pans together and escalate the noise. Soon your dog or cat will not be traumatized by loud noises.

This Fourth of July, keep your beloved companion animals indoors where it is safe.

The holidays are a time to create and share memories, laugh and eat great food; however, there are many hidden dangers that are lurking around your home that can cause serious injury or even death for your four legged family members. Here’s a list of some common holiday dangers to look out for:

1. Holiday Plants: even though they are beautiful, they are also poisonous if ingested. Some poisonous plants include holly and holly berries, ivy, lilies, pine, mistletoe and poinsettia. If your pet ingests these plants, common symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and lethargy.

2. Christmas Trees: Using a tree stand with water that your pet can drink from is very dangerous- the water may be contaminated with chemicals or insecticides leached from the tree itself. Also, look out for the metal hooks that display your ornaments, you don’t want your pet swallowing them for obvious reasons. Most cats love to play with string, ribbon, rubber bands and tinsel. What cats don’t know is that if these items are ingested, they can cut their intestines.

3. Food: Unfortunately, you can’t share your holiday food with your pets. Turkey and ham should never be given to your pet because they contain large amounts of dangerous bacteria. Do not feed your pet bones- especially poultry bones that splinter easily. Each year, pets are treated for consumption of splintered bones which cause pain and sometimes death. Sweets, chocolate, macadamia nuts, raisins, grapes, coffee, alcoholic drinks and even bread dough can also be fatal if your dog ingests it.

4. Toys: Be sure that small toy pieces, crayons, and paints are put away in a safe place. More often than not, ingested plastic or cloth toys must be removed surgically.

5. Other Holiday Items: Wrapping paper, ribbon, tape, candles, and styrofoam.

If you are hosting the party, surely you will have some form of stress getting everything ready. What you forget is that your pets can usually feel that stress too, since they are much attuned to your emotions and what you are up to. During a party, make sure you have a place to bring your pet to relax from all the commotion. The excitement can sometimes stress them out. Also, be sure to have a collar on your pets- with the front door opening and closing constantly, there will be no doubt that your pet will think of this as an opportunity to take a little walk around the neighborhood. Be sure that they are safe and not walking around in the streets- with people rushing all over the place, it just takes one driver to ruin your holiday spirit.

We hope these tips will help you and your pet this holiday season!

The Corner Animal Hospital is an online pet pharmacy/ store (www.shop.corneranimal.com) and veterinary service (www.corneranimal.com) in Long Island, NY. Other services include : annual physical exams, vaccines, heart worm tests and preventative measures, dental exams and cleaning, spays and neuters, x-rays, soft tissue surgeries, ultrasound, endoscopy, orthopedic surgeries, and boarding. Opened in 2000, The Corner Animal Hospital is owned by Ivy League Educated Dr. Dorothy Hayes and Dr. Judith Lombardi Daniels. “We treat your pets as family members. Their health and comfort are our primary concern.”