WAIT!!!!!
I hear her coming.
Better get my paws off her computer!!!!
NO, that was Emmett the cat, so I am safe.
OK. Quick now. Read fast, will you? Here is what you need to know:
First, about loud noises and flashing lights and that means thunder and lightening and storms and 4th of July noises and that kind of stuff. Mom found out about the dryer sheets that I wrote about on our Facebook site. You remember those, right? You DO read our Facebook site, right? You rub the dryer sheet all over any scared pet and it somehow makes them feel less afraid - it is maybe because of the electrical charge that allows us pets to know that a storm is coming waaayyyy ahead time. And the dryer sheet undoes that somehow so we feel safe, and it does help a lot of pets so even though it sounds weird maybe you should give it a try. And there is this thing you can put on your pet called an Anxiety Wrap - also called a Thunder Shirt - that is sort of like being held in a nice tight hug to make you feel safe, too. You can google those names and order them online. One of our clients, Janay, wrote my Mom and told us that she thinks the Thunder Shirts are maybe a little better because they are easier to get on and off in a hurry. I was going to ask Mom for one (they come in a lot of really cute colors) but then we tried the dryer sheet and it worked pretty good for me so I think I am OK. But it is good to know that there is more than one thing to help, don't you think?
Now that we have that out of the way, I have some good things to tell you about summer pet care that comes from the Humane Society of the United States, and they ought to know, and it is for your own good to know them, so you can stay safe!
1. Never let your owner leave you in the car in the summer!
In nice weather you may be tempted to go along with your owner in the car while they travel or do errands. Don't do it if they are going to leave you in there!!!! During warm weather, the inside of that car can reach 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, even if they leave you parked in the shade. This can mean real trouble for you!!! Remind your people that pets who are left in hot cars even briefly can suffer from heat exhaustion, heat stroke, brain damage, and can even die. Even if they think that they'll be gone "just a minute," you can be D-E-A-D. And if your people do happen to see a pet in a car alone during the hot summer months, alert the management of the store where the car is parked, and if the owner does not return really fast you better call local animal control or the police department immediately.
2. Watch Out For Fertilizers and Deadly Plants
Summer is often a time when your people will be fertilizing their lawns and working in their gardens. But beware and be really careful because plant food and fertilizer and insecticides can be really bad for you if you try to eat them. Honestly, I don't know exactly why we often eat the stuff we do (and Mom says that a lot to me, especially when I throw it up on the best rug) but all I can say is, is THIS really the time to ask me stupid questions when I feel so bad that I have to throw whatever I ate up, and exactly where DO you think I should go to throw up when I feel bad - on a bed of nails??? Is that where YOU go to throw up? Is it? Huh? And like, it is good to know that more than 700 plants can produce bad stuff that can make you really, really sick. Even stuff like flower bulbs! So be careful.
3. Pet Care 101
My friends, make sure that you are always wearing a collar and identification tag. If you are separated from your owner, an ID tag may very well be your ticket home. Better yet, you should tell your owner to being you in and get you microchipped. Have I taught you nothing? Don't you remember telling about this on Facebook? You DO read my Facebook comments, don't you?
And make sure that you are taking your heartworm prevention medication every single month of the year. Heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can be fatal in both dogs and cats. Another awful and icky thing is fleas and ticks. We have lots of these this summer, 'cause it is so wet and hot. I'm telling you, please remember to use only flea and tick treatments recommended by your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter flea and tick products can be toxic, even when used according to instructions.
And please. Remember the word Leptospirosis. Remember, that is the bad disease that Lizzie died from, the one she talked about in her column all last summer when she got sick, and my Mom is still very sad about this, and she thinks about how unnecessary it is for any pet to die from this disease, and it makes her cry every time she sees a new case in the hospital. So QUIT MAKING MY MOM SAD, and get your fuzzy little heinie in here (or your owner's) and talk to one of our Nurses about whether you are at risk and what you should do if you are. Please.
4. If You Can't Stand the Heat...
And my friend, yes, of course, it is important to exercise even when it is hot, but please be really careful if you are an older dog, a short-nosed dog, or if you have a lovely thick coat. On very hot days, make sure that your people limit your exercise to early morning or evening hours. In the middle of the day, asphalt gets very hot and can burn your paws! And you can get sunburned too, and you really ought to use a children's sunscreen on your nose and ear tips, especially if you have a light-colored nose or light-colored fur on your ears. Because you are a lot more likely to sunburn and even to get skin cancer.
Not to mention, you get too much heat, you can suffer from heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These conditions are very serious and could cause you to be D-E-A-D. You need to know the signs of heat stress, which could be things like heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue. I see people running or biking or roller skating with a dog in the forest preserves all the time this time of year and I tell you, I just want to SMACK those moron owners!!! What are they thinking, making you run like that during the summer heat while they breeze along on wheels or in comfy athletic shoes while you get awful blisters on your feet like we see EVERY WEEKEND here at the hospital. Or even worse, this heat stroke thing??????
If this happens to you, you need to immediately lower your body temperature. Crawl into the shade and tell your owner to immediately pour cool (not cold) water all over you to gradually lower your body temperature. Tell them to apply cold towels or ice packs to your head, neck, and chest only. Try to drink little bits of water or lick ice cubes. Most importantly, have them retrieve their brains from wherever they were hiding them, and have them get you to a veterinarian immediately!!!
5. Help HSUS Spread the Word to Dumb Owners Everywhere!
The HSUS has 4" x 9" two-sided flyers are available (50 for $3) to tell stupid owners that leave their dogs in a hot car that this is a bad and dangerous idea. Your owner can just stick them on the windshield but I also think they should tell the store manager, like I said earlier. The idiots deserve to get in trouble, don't you think? To order the flyers you can send a check, your mailing address and the number of posters or flyers that you would like to receive, to the following address: HSUS/Hot Cars, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. You can also receive a free sample flyer by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the above address.
P.S. Please don't tell my Mom that I wrote this.....
