December 20, 2024

From Foods to Decorations to Guests, Follow These Tips this Season

Christmas, New Years and all the winter holidays can pose some challenges for keeping your pet safe. Keep these simple tips in mind for happy holidays.

Holiday No-No Foods

These foods are dangerous for pets and need to be kept away from them.

• Chocolate
• Alcohol
• Bones
• Onions
• Garlic
• Grapes/raisins
• Candy
• Cooked bones

Poisonous Plants

Festive Christmas plants can also be dangerous for curious pets. Consider artificial replacements for:

• Poinsettias
• Holly
• Mistletoe
• Lilies

Decoration Safety

Everyone loves beautiful holiday decorations! Follow these guidelines for decor that both people and animals can enjoy.

• Put out candles if you are leaving the room
• Tape down any electrical cords
• Avoid tinsel
• Cover the water pan under the Christmas tree

Managing Your Pet Around Guests

Help help your pets successfully interact with guests takes a little planning. Here are some ideas.

• Make sure their ID tags are up-to-date
• Hold onto your pet as people enter the house
• Introduce your guests to your pet
• Teach kids the proper way to treat a pet
• Make sure nobody feeds them from the table
• Give your pets a safe place to get away and have quiet time

Cold Weather Safety

• For outdoor pets, make sure to offer fresh (unfrozen) water, warm bedding and wind-free shelter
• Keep your pet away from antifreeze and other cold-weather chemicals like de-icers
• Remember that elderly and infant pets are the most vulnerable to cold

November 20, 2024

An Alarming Increase in Incidents Involving Antidepressants

In the last year, chocolate, grapes and raisins have claimed the top spots in Pet Poison Helpline’s call volume. These toxins account for over 25% of all calls. So, especially as we enter the season of holidays, it’s important to keep these foods out of reach of your pet.

Next on the list are common toxins ibuprofen (Advil) and bromethalin (rat poison). Calls for these toxins are over 7% of the total.

Climbing the list in this deadly popularity contest are antidepressant and antianxiety medications. These only account for 3.5% of total call volume to Pet Poison Helpline over the last year, but the increase is alarming. Over the last five years, pet poisoning calls for these medications have increased 80%. So, if you or someone in your household has a prescription for antidepressants and/or antianxiety meds, please keep them safely locked away from pets (and children).

Pet Poison Helpline’s Top 20 Toxins List

Here’s the full list of top 20 pet toxins from the last 12 months, tracked by Pet Poison Helpline

Small percentages still show many call cases received, since Pet Poison Helpline serves thousands of callers each year. So, don’t let up with your vigilance in keeping coffee beans, coffee grounds, thyroid hormone medication or beta-blockers safely away from your pets. Just because a toxin is less common doesn’t meant it can’t affect your pet.

Top Clinical Signs of Toxicity in Pets

Helpfully, there’s also a list of the top 20 clinical signs to look out for with toxicity. Check them out. This knowledge might just save an animal’s life one day.

Animal Poison Control Options

If your pet has ingested a suspected toxin, and you can’t get in touch with your veterinarian, these animal poison control lines are good resources:

• ASPCA Animal Poison Control – (888) 426-4435
• Pet Poison Helpline – (855) 764-7661

November 7, 2024

November is Senior Pet Health Month, Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month & National Pet Diabetes Month

In November, we count our blessings. Which is why we published our list of 10 Reasons to Love Senior Pets. We also know that senior pets benefit from a little more attention to their daily health.

“Age is not a barrier to a happy, healthy pet.”

Basic Considerations When Caring for Senior Pets

As your pet ages, you’ll want to learn more how to care for them in various ways, such as:

• Increased veterinary care
• Diet and nutrition
• Parasite control
• Vaccinations
• Maintaining mobility
• Mental health
• Environment
• Reproductive diseases

Your veterinarian can guide you on the steps to help your senior pet live their happiest, healthiest life. We recommend making an appointment to talk in person and make a plan.

National Pet Diabetes Month

It is estimated that one in 300 dogs and one in 230 cats in the US have diabetes. As your pet ages, you especially want to learn more about this disease. Here are the symptoms of diabetes in pets:

• Increased thirst and urination
• Weight loss
• Cloudy eyes
• Altered appetite
• Lethargy or weakness
• Poor coat
• Vomiting

Previously, we shared more about “Living with Diabetes: Your Pet.” The good news? With proper attention and veterinary care, diabetic pets can enjoy quality lives.

So, if you’re considering adopting a pet, we encourage you to meet a few senior pets. And if you already have a senior pet, give them a hug from us!

October 29, 2024

November is National Senior Pet Month

Do you have the joy of a senior pet in your life? If you don’t yet, you will as your cat or dog ages. These golden years are often a beautiful time full of special moments.

Here are 10 reasons we love our senior pets.

1. Senior pets have time to cuddle (those younger pets don’t always have the patience!)
2. We have years of joy with our senior pets. Cats are considered senior around 10 years of age. Small dogs are also seniors around 10 years, while larger dogs are seniors around 8 years of age.
3. Senior pets have had years of life to learn how to show love and affection, i.e., socialization
4. Life is calmer with a senior pet, and they usually have outgrown mischievous behavior
5. These pets will take naps with you!
6. When we’ve shared our life with a pet for many years, we know each other so well. Your pet probably knows what you’re going to do or what you’re feeling better than you do
7. Your senior pet has also built up good habits specific to what you care about. For instance, my dog knows the difference between his toys and the kids’ toys
8. Senior pets are also wonderful to adopt and start a new relationship with. They are so grateful for the peace and love that come from finding their forever family
9. It’s easier to be present and treasure each moment you have with your pet, knowing they are in their sunset years
10. We can feel good about giving a senior pet their best life, helping them live happily and healthily. Wild animals don’t get to enjoy “retirement.”

You probably want to add to this list of “Why We Love Senior Pets!” Visit our Facebook page to share your stories and thoughts.

October 14, 2024

Pet Safety Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe & Sound

Spooky season is here, and people love it! About 60% of Americans celebrate Halloween. But 0% of pets enjoy being frightened, so let’s review some safety tips.

Candy is Never Good for Pets

For the health and safety of your cat or dog, keep all candy away from them. Chocolate candy or sugar-free candy are toxic, while sticky candies can become stuck in teeth or digestive tracts. Here are some tips to help your pet avoid the candy:

• Make sure your kids understand that sharing candy with pets is dangerous
• Put the trick-or-treat bowl out of reach of your pet
• Store bags of candy in a cabinet your pet can’t reach
• If you have your leashed dog at a Halloween event, watch the ground for dropped candy

Costumes Aren’t for Every Pet

We love seeing dressed up dogs and cats as much as anyone– they are just so cute in costumes! But not every pet wants to join in the fun. If your pet resists wearing a costume, don’t force it. Here are more costume guidelines:

• Don’t put a mask on your pet for any length of time, even if your pet doesn’t seem to mind. Just long enough to snap a cute pic.
• Choose a comfortable costume that isn’t too tight and allows normal movement (walking, sitting, lying down).
• If your pet shows any discomfort or irritation, remove the costume right away

Home is the Safest Place

Halloween celebrations often happen at night, with large crowds. This experience isn’t for most pets, who are safest and happiest indoors at home. If you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters or going to a party, create a safe space in your home where your pet won’t come face-to-face with strangers.

For more Halloween safety tips, check out these articles:

• Top 7 Halloween Pet Safety Tips
• Avoid Pet Boo-Boos this Halloween

Wishing you and your pet a happy and safe Halloween!

September 5, 2024

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month

If a pet it suffering from chronic pain, the signs can be subtle. Animals are designed to mask their pain, because a sick animal in the wild is easy prey. Unfortunately, our pets today can hide their pain and prevent getting the care that would help them. Here are six behaviors that are common in pets experiencing pain:

1. Your pet’s activity level slows down
2. Your pet eats or drinks less
3. Your pet changes their grooming behaviors
4. There are changes in your pet’s urine or bowel movements
5. Your pet has difficulty standing up after lying down
6. Your pet stops going up or down stairs/ is reluctant to jump up on surfaces

It’s commonly assumed that some of these pain symptoms are a natural part of “slowing down” as our pets age. But that’s not always true, and your pet doesn’t have to live in pain.

What to Do if You Notice these Common Signs of Pain

The good news? We can often ease a pet’s pain. If you notice your pet showing any of the above signs:

• Contact your veterinarian to share your pet’s symptoms
• Do not give any medications without guidance from your veterinarian. Medications make up half of the Top 20 Pet Toxins in Ohio. Our pets usually require different medications from humans.
• Ask about Librela for dogs and Solensia for cats. These are newer, safer medications that treat osteoarthritis

For more information on a variety of topics, look into our Pet Health Resources. For pet-specific articles, see our All About Cats or All About Dogs information.

August 28, 2024

A Guide to Feeding Your Pet Safely

For National Food Safety Education Month in September, we’re shining a spotlight on feeding cats and dogs safely. We’ll cover common toxins, along with the “raw food” trend.

Raw Food Diet: It’s Not Worth the Risk

We’ve shared information about Raw Food Diet for Cats and Raw Food Diet for Dogs before, and our recommendation for both is the same: the risks outweigh any potential benefits. Both dogs and cats face these significant dangers:

• Nutritional deficiencies: With raw food, it’s nearly impossible to give your pet the balance of nutrients they need for good health. Commercially-manufactured pet food actually is formulated for pets’ dietary needs. There’s an important balance between fat and protein, along with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, copper, taurine, calcium and carbohydrates.
• Foodborne illnesses: We cook raw meat for a reason. From slaughtering to butchering to storage in the grocery store fridge, there’s plenty of opportunity for raw meats to grow dangerous bacteria like Salmonella orListeria monocytogenes. These bacteria can cause serious illness or death in both animals and the people who feed them.
• Choking or punctures: Our modern cats and dogs just aren’t designed to chew and eat raw or cooked bones. Choking and punctured intestines are all too likely and often have tragic results.

Foods that Are Dangerous to Pets

Our furry friends have different nutritional needs than humans, and many foods that are perfectly safe for us can be toxic or dangerous to dogs and cats. We all love to share human food with our pets, but we caution you to keep these ingredients away from your pets in both raw and cooked form.

• Alcohol
• Avocados
• Bones – cooked or raw
• Caffeine
• Candy or gum
• Chocolate
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Green tomatoes
• Marijuana
• Mustard – seeds, powder or the condiment
• Nutmeg
• Nuts
• Onions
• Raisins
• Raw potatoes
• Raw yeast dough
• Sage
• Xylitol – an artificial sweetener

We’d also like to point out that most cats become lactose-intolerant as they age.

We hope this information will help keep your pet safe from food dangers. Check out our Pet Poison Prevention Resources for more information on toxic plants, medications and more.

August 12, 2024

August is a Great Time to Get Caught Up on Pet Immunizations

Let’s kick off National Immunization Awareness month with some information about vaccines for your pet:

• Vaccines help teach your pet’s immune system how to recognize and fight off certain disease-causing agents
• Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system’s production of antibodies that identify and destroy these agents– before they can cause disease

Why is it important to have my pet vaccinated?

• Vaccination prevents many pet illnesses
• Vaccination can help avoid costly treatment for preventable diseases
• Vaccination prevents disease that can be passed between pets and/or farm animals to people (zoonotic disease)
• Unvaccinated pets are at risk from life-threatening diseases found in wildlife, such as rabies and distemper

What to watch out for after your pet’s vaccines

It is common for pets to experience mild, short-lasting side effects after receiving a vaccine, such as:

• Tenderness or swelling at vaccination site
• Tiredness
• Mild fever
• Decreased appetite

Seek veterinary care immediately if you notice any of these signs:

• Fainting or collapse
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Persistent and severe coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Hives
• Swelling or puffiness in or around the face, nose, eyes or neck

See our Immunization Resources for more information on vaccines and diseases they prevent, such as heartworm and leptospirosis.

July 8, 2024

July is National Pet Fire Safety Month

The U.S. Fire Administration keeps statistics on residential fires. For the latest year on record, the US saw 374,300 fires, making this a fairly common danger that everyone needs to plan for.

We especially need to plan ahead for how to rescue and care for our pets in the event of a fire (or any emergency requiring evacuation). Animals won’t know how to safely leave, and they certainly can’t follow a home emergency plan. Here are four pet fire safety tips:

1. Get a rescue alert sticker: Place these stickers on a front-facing window or glass door. This will alert rescue workers of the presence of pets. Get one from the ASPCA.
2. Arrange a safe haven: Plan for a place for pets to stay if you have to evacuate.
3. Make an emergency kit: Include the items your pet needs on a day-to-day basis. See what should be included here.
4. Make identifying your pet easy: Keep identification on your pet and have them microchipped, in case they escape during an emergency.

Pet Fire Safety in the News

A recent story out of Colorado Springs highlights that prevention is the best way to ensure pet fire safety. Here are the details:

“Authorities have released a video of a dog starting a house fire by turning on the stove in the middle of the night. The incident happened when a Colorado couple awoke to a high heat alert from their Apple HomePod last week, only to find a fire blazing in their kitchen. Colorado Springs firefighters responded to the fire in the early morning hours of June 26. Investigators discovered the surprising cause of the blaze after reviewing home security footage. The video shows the couple’s curious pup inspecting the stove and accidentally turning it on, which ignited some boxes on top. Fortunately, the owners were able to extinguish the flames, and the man was treated for smoke inhalation.”

Watch the video here.

Thankfully, this incident wasn’t any worse than it was. But watching that dog try to get the food boxes sitting on the stove is scary. It’s a reminder for all pet owners that fire safety is a 24/7 occupation. Of course, those boxes should never have been placed on the stovetop. But what other lessons can we learn and apply in our own homes? Take a walk around your home with your “safety goggles” on and see if you spot any areas for improvement.

For more information, check out “Animal Disaster Preparedness.” Happy July… and stay safe out there!

July 1, 2024

Summer is the Top Season for Lost Pets.
Keep Yours Safe and Sound

While many of us know that more pets go missing on July 4th than any other day of the year, the entire summer season carries risk for your pet to escape or become lost. People and their pets are spending more time outside, traveling together and hosting gatherings. With these changes in routine, your pet has more opportunity than usual to slip away.

The #1 step you can take for your pet is to get them microchipped and keep your microchip listing up-to-date with current contact information. This advice goes for dogs and cats, alike!

Let’s review 15 other steps to prevent a lost pet this summer.

Prevent a Lost Pet:
5 Steps to Take Outside

Your outdoor oasis is only complete when your pet can safely venture outside with you!

1. Check your fences to make sure there’s no place your dog can escape. Our clever canines can sneakily dig holes under the fence, or boards can become loose.
2. If your let your cat outside, supervise them. It only takes one accident or predator for a roaming cat to go missing.
3. With the rise in coyotes around the Cincinnati area, an invisible fence may present a safety risk to your dog. Plus, some dogs are determined enough to endure the shock and break through the barrier.
4. Leash your dog or cat if you’re going to spend time with them in an un-fenced area like the front porch. You never know when something may grab their attention or frighten them, causing them to bolt.
5. If there’s a likelihood of fireworks in the area, keep your pets inside, with the doors and windows securely closed.

Prevent a Lost Pet:
5 Steps to Take When Traveling

Vacationing with your pet can be fun for everyone! It’s important to prioritize safety, because reuniting with a lost pet far away from home is especially difficult.

1. Put together a car emergency kit for your pet, which includes leash, food, water bowl, water and important medications. An extra leash it important just in case your car breaks down (or your pet has to “go” unexpectedly during the drive).
2. Always bring a pet carrier on trips, so you can safely contain your pet whenever your attention isn’t on them, for instance, stopped at gas stations or checking into a hotel.
3. Plan for water safety at the beach or on a boat. Put a properly-sized life jacket on your pet, keep them leashed and always supervise them. It’s not uncommon for dogs to go missing around water, and we want to prevent tragedies.
4. Don’t leave your pet unattended in a car! Even on a pleasant day, the heat can quickly be fatal. Plus, someone may have rescued your pet while you were away. See our article “Danger Zone: How to Help Pets in Hot Cars.”
5. If you’re staying at a rental home with a fenced-in area, thoroughly check for any place your pet might escape. Don’t leave them unsupervised out there, because it’s not a familiar place to either of you.

Prevent a Lost Pet:
5 Steps to Take When Hosting a Party

For many, having friends and family over is a true summer tradition. And the season is filled with holidays perfect for parties. Follow these tips for keeping your pet from escaping in all the excitement.

1. Constantly opening and closing doors are a big temptation to cats and dogs alike. Alert guests to watch for your pet and enter and exit quickly, along with firmly closing the door behind them.
2. The same advice goes for outside gates. Keep an eye on your gates to make sure they are closed.
3. If things get noisy, pets may try to escape the chaos. Give your pets a designated safe place where they can get some peace and quiet. Perhaps make one room of your home off-limits to people.
4. Check in with your pet regularly. You’ll be able to gauge their mood and attitude, along with making sure they are still safe.
5. If you’re having a difficult time keeping track of your pet, feel free to keep them on a leash by your side. They may also find this comforting.

For more tips on pet prevention, visit our article “National Lost Pet Prevention Month.” And if you’re interested in learning more about microchipping your cat or dog, contact us.