Archive for the ‘Cat health’ Category

I receive a newsletter from the Sunbear Squad. The Sunbear Squad transforms animal lovers into animal welfare defenders, with knowledge, tools and inspiration. They have a great website, I highly suggest you checking them out! OK, here’s the article:

Signs Of Heat Stroke in Animals

Do you know WHAT to do?

SIGNS

The signs depend upon the extent of heat stroke. In the early stages, your pet will pant rapidly, have thick, ropey saliva, and have bright red gums. His body temperature will be between 104-106°F.

As the body temperature climbs above 106°F, your pet will go into shock with subsequent organ shutdown.

He will have pale gums, be weak and dizzy, with vomiting and diarrhea. The brain becomes affected and he may seizure or fall into a coma. In this case, he requires immediate, life-saving veterinary intervention.

The normal body temperature of a dog or cat ranges between 38 – 39°C or 103°F. Our pets maintain this temperature through panting, however sometimes they are unable to lose enough heat. Dogs and cats probably do suffer from heat cramps and heat exhaustion like us humans but the symptoms are mild and we don’t recognize them. The condition that we see is heatstroke, and it may cause the death of a pet.

CAUSES

BEING IN A HOT CAR. Never leave your pet in a parked car in sunlight. The car heats up to be like a sauna even on mild days.

EXCESSIVE EXERCISE ON A HOT DAY. Minimize exercise in the heat of the day. Avoid exercising your dog in unusually hot or humid conditions especially at the start of summer. Most heatstroke cases are seen at the start of summer.

NOT ENOUGH SHADE OR COLD WATER. Make sure your pet has plenty of shade to escape to during the day. Make sure your pet has plenty of fresh cool water (the water should be placed in the shade) available at all times.

SOLUTIONS

AWAY FROM THE HEAT. Remove your pet from the hot environment. Get him out of the car and away from the sun.

TO THE VET ASAP. If you suspect severe heatstroke and your pet has collapsed, get your pet immediate veterinary care. In this case, the organs may be shutting down and he needs specialized care to survive. While in transit it is important to continue to apply cool wet towels to the back of the neck and groin area.

WHAT’S THE TEMP? Use a rectal thermometer and find your pet’s exact temperature: if it is 104°F or higher, he has heatstroke, and you need to take action.

COOL DOWN. Run cold water over the back of your pet’s head. Place cold packs wrapped in towels between the back legs, on the belly and in the armpits. Wet towels can be used instead. You can use a garden hose to run the water over the back of his head.

ALCOHOL SOLUTION. Rubbing alcohol will also speed up heat loss; it can be applied to the belly and groin, cooling as it evaporates. Liberally spread it on the skin; the most important thing is reducing the temperature in a controlled way.

DO NOT IMMERSE IN COLD WATER. This treatment does bring your pet’s temperature down, but tends to overcorrect it and then your pet may be seriously unwell, cold and wet.

RE-HYDRATE. Let your pet drink as much cold water as he can. If you have an electrolyte replacement, such as Gatorade, then add this to his water. If your pet drinks lots of water at once it is very likely to vomit. Once your pet is refusing water you can leave the bowl of water with it.

WATCH FOR SHOCK. Pets with severe heatstroke are at risk for shock. In this case you don’t want to wrap him in a blanket, but you can at least provide sugar. Rub corn syrup or honey on his gums while you are in transit to your vet.

DO NOT OVERCOOL. When your pet stops panting, they are likely at a normal temperature. You can check this by taking their temperature again. If it’s 103°F or 38 °C then stop the cooling.

SPECIAL CASES. Certain breeds are at a high risk for heatstroke, namely the brachycephalics (dogs with pushed-in faces). These include Pugs and Bulldogs; they snore and snort and have difficulty breathing at the best of time. In spite of them being a veterinarian’ s best friend, you should avoid exercising them on hot days, and always be on the lookout for early signs of heatstroke.

Be an earth angel. Adopt a not-quite-perfect dog or cat that needs you, and help it heal. Such a companion will teach you much about selfless love, generosity, and tolerance—becoming an earth angel for you.

www.sunbearsquad.org

A few months ago, I was giving my dogs their monthly dose of Revolution, a flea, tick and heartwork preventative. When I say monthly, that’s what it’s supposed to be, but I had found that the top spot treatment was lasting longer than that, so I only used it once every 2 or 3 months.

This was shortly after we adopted our newest dog, Josie, from Georgia Humane Society (an AWESOME rescue and pet adoption group), so this was the first application of the treatment that we had given her. I noticed that evening that she was acting a bit lethargic, but I wrote it off as sleepy. The next morning it became apparent that something was wrong. I checked her gums and they were pale and as I was getting dressed to take her to the vet, she threw up a huge amount of water.

I had heard a few negative things about flea meds, but never had any reactions in my pets, so I continued to use it. After blood tests turned up with nothing, the vet said there was no way of knowing what was wrong and that I should continue to use the Revolution. I’ve been considering all of this and have decided to go the natural route instead. Below, you will find a story that I found on the MSNBC website, and then under that I will place a few natural flea preventative web links. I’m not sure how any of this works, so if you have experience with natural flea/tick/heartworm preventative, don’t be shy and leave a comment with your knowledge. Here’s the story:

Pet deaths prompt warnings on flea meds

EPA seeks to improve safety after increase in harm to dogs, cats

updated 6:18 p.m. ET, Wed., March. 17, 2010

WASHINGTON – Products intended to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks kill hundreds of pets each year and injure tens of thousands, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday as it outlined plans to make the products safer.

The EPA said it will develop stricter testing and evaluation requirements for flea and tick treatments that are applied to a pet’s skin. The agency also will begin reviewing labels to determine which ones need to say more clearly how to use the products.

The EPA’s effort follows increasing complaints from pet owners that the “spot-on” products have triggered reactions in dogs and cats, ranging from skin irritation to neurological problems to deaths. Cats and small dogs appear particularly vulnerable, the EPA said, especially when given products intended for larger animals.

Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, said new restrictions will be placed on flea and tick products, with additional changes for specific products likely — including possible changes in some product formulas.

“These are poisons,” Owens said. “These are products designed to kill fleas and ticks — and they do their jobs.”

The EPA is committed to better protecting the health and safety of pets and families, Owens said, but added that pet owners “need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide.”

The agency announced last April it was increasing scrutiny of topical flea and tick products because of the growing number of bad reactions reported.

The EPA said it received 44,263 reports of harmful reactions associated with topical flea and tick products in 2008, up from 28,895 in 2007. Reactions ranged from skin irritations to vomiting to seizures to, in about 600 cases, death of an animal.

An EPA spokesman said he did not have a breakdown of how many deaths were dogs and how many cats.

Dog and cat owners say their pets have suffered burns and welts on their skin; started to drool excessively; begun to shake uncontrollably; lost control of their legs or experienced other neurological problems after using the flea and tick treatments.

A 2009 study by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported that the majority of illnesses linked to proper use of topical flea and tick products were mild. Cats were more susceptible than dogs to illnesses and deaths from misuse of the products, the report said.

“The important take-home message is that although adverse reactions can occur with all flea and tick products, most effects are relatively mild and include skin irritation and stomach upset,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA veterinary toxicologist and senior vice president for animal health services.

Pet owners should keep using the products as directed when faced with a flea infestation, Hansen said.

Georgia-based Merial Ltd., which makes the popular Frontline tick and flea treatment, defended its product and disputed the EPA data.

“The number of adverse events reported for Frontline has remained consistently low since the product’s introduction in 1996,” the company said in a statement e-mailed to reporters. The vast majority of reactions are minor, the statement said.

In a 29-page report, the EPA said the majority of problems for dogs occurred in smaller dogs, weighing 10 to 20 pounds. Some incidents occurred when products intended for larger dogs were given to smaller animals, the report said. Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, miniature poodles, Pomeranians and dachshunds were among breeds where problems occurred the most, the EPA said.

Similarly, many problems for cats occurred when they were given treatments intended for dogs. The EPA is likely to require companies to revamp labels to clarify that products intended for dogs should never be used on cats, Owens said.

END

Links for Natural Flea/Tick Remedies and Pest Control:

Only Natural Pet Store (I can’t believe the variety they have on this subject)

Earth Easy

Alternatives For Animal Health

These are just a few, there are many safe alternatives to the literal poison in topical flea preventative. Do your research and give your pet a hug!

I have a simple philosophy: Fill what’s empty. Empty what’s full. Scratch where it itches.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth

 

UPDATE:

9/29/2011

Through trial and error, Denny and I have found that Ark Natural’s Flea Flicker! Tick Kicker! spray in conjunction with their Neem Protect Shampoo and Neem Protect Spray, the fleas, even here in the Georgia woods, pretty much steer clear. I found more ticks on myself this year than on our pets, so that says a lot for Ark Natural’s in my opinion. Maybe I should start using it myself….

I got this list from the Food and Drug Association. It is really important that you know what you’re feeding your pets. We choose a raw diet from the grocery store and high grade pet foods, such as Taste of the Wild, Canidae and Felidae, Wellness, Innova, Blue Buffalo and California Natural. These are grain free diets, and you don’t see many recalls on them. What brand of food do you feed your pets and why?

Here’s the list:

The recalls on this list are primarily Class I. Definitions of Class I, II, and III recalls. Additional information about how recalls are conducted can be found at FDA 101: Product Recalls – From First Alert to Effectiveness Checks.

Note: This compiled list represents all pet food recalled since January 1, 2006. If and when new information is received, this list will be updated. The “Information Current as of” date provided above indicates when this Web page was updated; it does not indicate the date when the pet food recalls listed below were initiated. Once listed, each of the recalled pet food products remains listed, even if there are no new recalls associated with that product. Although we have taken care to make sure the information is accurate, if we learn that any information is not accurate we will revise the list as soon as possible. For initiation dates of specific recalls, click on the brand name and then the recall numbers that appear on these pages. For recalls that occurred before September 1, 2008, a date range might appear in the initiation date field. The date range indicates the timeframe within which multiple recalls of this product were initiated. For recalls that occur September 1, 2008 and after, the actual initiation date of each recall event is provided for each product. If a new recall is initiated for a product that had previously been recalled before September 1, 2008, the food product will be listed again, with the new recall initiation date. If a new recall is initiated for a product that had previously been recalled after September 1, 2008, the initiation date of the new recall event will be added to the previous date listed.

Browse by Pet Food Brand
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This is a fantastic article from www.all-creatures.org

EXCELLENT GUIDELINES to SPOT and PREVENT ANIMAL CRUELTY!

1. Be aware. Without phone calls from the concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn’t know about most instances of animal abuse. It all comes from the public, it all starts with YOU–that’s why it’s so important to keep your eyes and ears open. Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you’re more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly–a possible indicator of abuse.

2. Learn to recognize animal cruelty. Here are some signs and symptoms that we see in many of the cases we investigate:

· Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal’s death.

· Wounds on the body.

· Patches of missing hair.

· Extremely thin, starving animals.

· Limping.

· An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal.

· Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard.

· Dogs who have been hit by cars–or are showing any of the signs listed above–and have not been taken to a veterinarian.

· Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions.

· Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners.

 

3. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. We’re lucky here at the ASPCA in New York City, because we have Humane Law Enforcement officers who have the power to investigate and arrest perpetrators of animal cruelty in the state of New York. But every state and even every town is different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact your local animal control or another municipal agency. If you aren’t sure where to report cruelty, you can search our Humane Law Enforcement directory online or ask your local humane organization.

4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.

5. Call or write your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME–and the police MUST investigate these crimes.

6. Know your state’s animal cruelty laws. They vary from state to state, and even from city to city. You can visit the ASPCA’s website and get a wallet-sized printout with outlines of the animal welfare laws in all 50 states.

7. You can fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.  It’s frustrating when I have built a strong case against someone who has been arrested for cruelty to animals and the judge treats it like a simple violation. But with stronger laws, they’ll be more likely to receive tougher penalties. You’ll receive e-mails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws–and you can send them directly from our website.

8. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care that they deserve. But it’s more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And I always give my own pets lots of hugs when I get home!

9. Talk to your kids about how to treat animals with kindness and respect. I regularly see children in homes where animal abuse has been reported. If a parent isn’t treating the family’s pets right, I tell kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day, or if they spent some time playing with them. If the animal has been left outside without shelter, I’ll say, ‘You have a nice house, and if you get cold, you can put a coat on. But your dog can’t do that. Don’t you think he’d like a nice warm place to go, too?’ I know of families who watch Animal Precinct together, and I think it can help children realize that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness. You can see these emotions on the faces of the animals on the show.

10. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. Before I even knew that police for animals existed, I was volunteering at an animal shelter. It’s a great way to make a difference. Some of our ASPCA volunteers foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. You can find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area with our National Shelter Directory.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -Mahatma Gandhi

As a pet sitter in Gwinnett County, I do quite a bit of driving all over the many cities, including Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Snellville and Grayson. Being that so much of my day is spent on the roads, it’s hard not to notice how many unfortunate kitties are hit by cars. If you do allow your cats to go outside, please make sure that they are up to date on vaccinations, spayed or neutered, have collar with ID, and are micro-chipped.

Although cats love to go outdoors  for many reasons, the truth is that outdoor cats have an average life span of 3 to 5 years, when indoor cats have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years old. That’s quite a difference! Being owned by 4 cats of my own, I know how it is to have a cat constantly yowling to get outside. Besides the guilt, it can get pretty loud when you’re trying to sleep or concentrate! There are a lot of things that you can do to “compromise” with your cat. I’ve compiled some good ideas for you to try out with your frisky felines:

Fence: Ok, ok, so keeping a cat in a fence can be nearly impossible. They can jump it or find holes. It’s definitely not fail proof, but to limit escapes, you can hang wire mesh at the top of the fence at a 45 degree angle. This would probably work best on a high, wooden fence. There are also invisible fences that use collars that as the cat gets closer to the boundary that you don’t want them to cross, it will tingle and as they near closer, it will actually give the cat an electric shock to tell them to stay away. Obviously the wire mesh is a bit less harsh.

Leash: There is nothing I love more than harnessing my cats and taking them in the backyard. They don’t really know how to act and it definitely takes some training to get them used to it. You want to make sure you have a well-fitted harness, snug but not tight, and perhaps a retractable leash to give your kitty more free reign. Patience is necessary to leash your cat, that’s for sure! When you start, I suggest starting at a quiet time of day, like early morning or evening.

Cat Door: Our cats have a window that they go out of into our screened porch. We have lattice work around the bottom of the screen so that they can’t claw their way out. They love it out there and we think that they are mostly satisfied with this “outdoor” time, although Comet never stops trying to fly past us as we’re going out or coming in! Some things never change. A fenced yard with the wire mesh on the fence is another place that the cat door can lead to.

Runs and Pens: You can use a wire dog crate to let your cat have some time outside, but there are great alternatives to that. There are a number of habitats, pens and runs that you can buy or build yourself at a huge range in prices, from cheap to extremely expensive. I’ll list a few of the companies and their websites at the end of this blog post.

A few things to keep your indoor cat happy besides supervised out doors time are cat grass and cat nip that you grow yourself (make sure that what you buy is for cats; for a list of poisonous plants to cats, go to http://www.bestfitpetsit.com/archives/201 ), cat trees that they can climb, window perches and boxes, and lots of interactive toys that you and your cat can play with together.

Here are a few of the companies that I found online that sell great enclosures so that your cat can enjoy the outdoors safely:

Habitat Haven

Cages By Design

Purr…Fect Fence

Kittywalk Systems

Safecat Outdoor Enclosure

Cats-On-Line.com

Drs. Foster and Smith

Wild Whiskers

Cats On Deck

C & D Pet Products

Prowling his own quiet backyard or asleep by the fire, he is still only a whisker away from the wilds. – Jean Burden

My husband, Denny, and I have cut some holes in a few cardboard boxes, taped 2 of them together, and the cats are going nuts! I added some catnip, a few of their toys and shine the laser pointer in there one in a while. It is so fun to watch and basically hands free! The best part is, our cats are getting some exercise. Here are a few more ideas for your kitty’s exercise plan, whether they are actually indoor or outdoor cats. Lots of fun and bonding for you and your feline friend!

• Bring out your cat’s primal side and buy some toys with feathers. If they make some sort of noise, even better! Our cats really go for a rattle sound or a bell sound. I suggest something on a string attached to a pole. I can’t tell you how many scratches that I’ve gotten playing with Ajax with a toy in my hand. Ouch!
• You can use that toy on a pole to get your cat to chase it up a tiered cat tree, up and around the furniture, and down and up the stairs. Getting them to move and use their balance and coordination skills is important.
• I also LOVE the laser pointer. Be sure that you don’t shine it in anyone’s eyes, they can do some real retina damage. Get your cat to chase the laser pointer up a tiered cat tree; all the stretching and climbing helps to strengthen and tone the muscles in your cat’s shoulders, legs, hips and back.
• You don’t have to spend extra money to get your cat something fun to play with. Use the cap from your milk jug or water bottle, or even a piece of ice and throw it on the floor so your cat can chase and scoot it across the floor. Be sure that you supervise your cat so that he doesn’t try to swallow the cap or anything. Also, if you have dogs, be sure that the pup doesn’t pick up the caps. Major choking hazard!
• Before you play any of these games with your cat, be sure that they have a clean bill of health. Monitor your cat’s behavior and be on the watch for signs of change in personality, eye color, smell or behavior. Playing with string or yarn with your cat may be funny, but if he swallows the string, thread or yarn (or any other similar object), it could get wrapped around his tongue and if he swallows much of it, the string can wrap itself around your cat’s intestines, causing serious illness and eventually death.

Our cats are now all pooped out from playing. They’re still all 3 a little overweight (well, Ajax is a lot), but we’ll continue to work on it and keep you updated! Please feel free to comment with suggestions, comments or anything that you want to say on this subject!

“The reason cats climb is so that they can look down on almost every other animal…its also the reason they hate birds. – KC Buffington

I realized one day as one of our 3 cats, Ajax, was weighing down my lap with his 17 lbs, it’s time to get this kitty moving! Once I started trying to get this docile senior off of the chair and down on the floor, I immediately recognized that this is truly a daily task that I have ahead of me, and not an easy one!

I bought a laser pointer and had him really going all over the house like a kitten! When our other two cats jump in, though,  Ajax backs off and returns to his horizontal position. I also put some cat nip in the toe of a panty hose knee high and all 3 of our cats enjoyed that, especially when I tacked it up a little high.

Ajax and I spend some one-on-one time together almost daily; me with toy in hand, and he with a kitten look in his eyes. He is 12 years old and still looking good! Since I started this play time with him, he’s gotten down to 16 pounds. I know one pound doesn’t sound like a lot, and it certainly isn’t enough, but it’s a great start in my opinion!

I’ve also started harnessing and leashing our cats one at a time and giving them some time in the backyard. Comet, Chili and Ajax all three really enjoy this time.

What do you do with your cats to keep them active? Any fun games or favorite toys you can suggest?

When I play with my cat, how do I know that she is not passing time with me rather than I with her? – Montaigne