Helpful Tips for Heat Waves & Summer Vacations
All of us at Blandon Family Veterinary Practice hope that you and your family members are having a wonderful summer! We certainly can’t believe how fast time is flying by us! We wanted to remind everyone of a few topics that are commonly revisited during spring and summer, but cannot be reinforced enough. Even though summer is a time for warm weather, traveling, vacations, and all sorts of parties, we have to remember that many of the things we enjoy can lead to stressful situations for our dogs and cats! Let’s touch on a few topics that will remind us to take care of our pet’s needs before we go out and enjoy the rest of our summer!
Fireworks
Even though the most of the 4th of July Celebrations have already passed, I’m sure that there are a bunch of fireworks still to be set off throughout the summer months. (Those tents are all over the place, and the fireworks go on sale after the 4th of July!) With that said, safety for humans is usually taken very seriously. But it’s not just the loud noises of the various kinds of fireworks that is concerning to our pets. On the contrary, we also have to take into consideration numerous chemical ingredients, threat of burns, and even ingestion of the remnants of whatever type of firework is being set off.
Fireworks can contain a variety of heavy metals, such as iron, copper, barium, mercury, phosphorus and magnesium, and they can cause poisoning if ingested. Most of our pets have an inquisitive side, so it’s not surprising that the most common place for burns is around the face, specifically the muzzle, lips, and tongue. If ingested, the metals or other materials may cause vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, jaundice, tremors, and seizures. Since the symptoms may be more serious than they appear at first, if pets are burned or ingest fireworks, please seek immediate veterinary attention.
Heat / Heat Stroke
Many of us have seen variations of signs outside in the parking lots of some businesses and retailers that say “Please Do Not Leave Children or Pets Unattended,” and for good reason! We have already had some very hot and humid days this summer, and I can’t imagine being stuck inside my own vehicle in that heat for more than a few minutes. I went to pick up new contact lenses the other day, and even though I was only in the office for 20 minutes, when I re-entered my small SUV, the thermometer read 98 degrees. Even with the windows cracked, the heat was almost unbearable. Humans react to extreme heat by perspiring, but the bodies of dogs and cats are very different in this respect. They only have sweat glands located on the footpads, and the footpads only allow for a small amount of excess heat to exit the body. Since the rest of the body is covered in fur, in most cases, you can imagine they get very hot very quickly. Dogs primarily regulate their body temperature by panting, and have also been known to even lick themselves to attempt to cool themselves off. We implore you to be aware of the dangers of leaving pets or children unattended in a car for any amount of time.
Dr. Ernie Ward is a Veterinarian who wondered what it really felt like to be stuck in a hot car for 30 minutes, so he recorded his experience and uploaded a video so we all could get a glimpse of the reality of this dangerous situation.
Here’s the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbOcCQ-y3OY
Heat stroke can also affect animals that are confined and/or chained outdoors, ones that cannot get into the shade, those that don’t have access to water, and also pets who may have long walks or other activities on a hot day. Remember that shade and water are not a magical prevention for heat stroke either. If you wouldn’t want to be sitting in the same shade with water for hours on end, imagine wearing a fur coat and think how your pet feels during that time. Heat is even more dangerous for elderly pets and those with most kinds of serious chronic medical conditions (for example heart conditions, diabetes, etc., etc.). If you would think your great grandmother would be in danger sitting in that heat, then be kind also to your elderly pet and keep them inside.
Owners who have outdoor cats should also watch for symptoms of distress, such as panting, rapid pulse and breathing, and a stumbling or staggering gait. On extremely hot days, even though they may want to go outside, it may be in their best interest to stay inside if the weather forecast predicts steamy conditions.
If you notice any signs of medical distress, such as heavy panting, difficulty breathing, vomiting, tongue and / or membranes turning red, diarrhea, or seizures, be sure to call a us and take them into the office as soon as possible.
Travel / Vacations
For my husband and me, one of our favorite weeks of summer is (you guessed it!) vacation! Since Mike & I spend our week of vacation directing lessons at Twin Pines Camp, we are unable to take our dog, Lucky, with us. Fortunately, my parents usually are able to watch her for the week. This is not stressful for her at all, since she is familiar with their house and loves to spend time with them. But, this is not the case for all of our pets. In most cases, planning a vacation and making arrangements for the care of our pets is a very stressful situation for both the pet and for us too.
There are so many things to think about when we make arrangements for travel and vacations, and some of the most common questions are very important for the health and well-being of our furry friends. — Does my pet have the necessary vaccinations? How much will a week of boarding cost? Is it safe to take my pet(s) on this trip? Will they be less stressed if they stay at home? I’ll touch on a few tips and bits of information that will hopefully make vacationing a little easier for the whole family.
Vaccines
Whether your pet is lucky enough to enjoy vacation time with you, or if they will be staying in a “resort” of their own at a boarding facility, it is imperative that they are up to date on their yearly vaccines (at minimal the “distemper” and rabies vaccines). Most facilities also require that dogs have the “kennel cough vaccine” given (also called Bordatella). We advise, for the best efficacy, that your pet has this one given at least 2 weeks prior to the time of arrival. Another important vaccine for boarding is one for the Canine Flu. Only some boarding facilities will mandate this vaccine, but we advise that ALL dogs be protected against this disease if they spend time boarding. We recommend this because the Canine Flu is much more dangerous than “kennel cough”. Proper protection for a dog having never had the Flu vaccine requires one shot and a booster. It takes about two weeks after their second booster for their immune system to be fully protected. This means proper protection against the Flu will take 6 weeks to achieve. Some boarding places will not accept the pet if the vaccines are not up to date, so please do plan ahead! Owners should provide a record of current vaccinations to the boarding facility.
Health Certificates
For adventurous voyagers who are crossing state borders or traveling to another country, a lot more work may be involved. For travel to other states, usually, a Health Certificate will need to be filled out by an accredited Veterinarian, in addition to the pet being up to date on vaccinations. Achieving the export mandates of some countries can require over 6 months! To find out further information about International Pet Travel, see this link: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/pet_travel/pet_travel.shtml
Don’t Forget Your Pets In the Budget
It is a little overwhelming when looking at all of the options of pet care out there. Staying with family or friends, “at home” pet-sitting, boarding facilities, and pet resorts make up a majority of the list. It may surprise you to find out how much a week of boarding at a kennel or pet resort may cost. Of course, rates may vary when we take things like location, duration of stay, breed, size, etc., into consideration. A few surveys and studies have shown that it may be of less cost to owners if their pets go with them on vacation compared to stay at home or boarding care. If owners are lucky enough to find family or friends to look after their pets, it may be the least stressful situation for the pet, but if it is an option to take them with you to a pet friendly location, it surely is something to think about.
Accommodations
According to a recent survey, 15% of people have smuggled their pet into a non-pet friendly hotel room or airline. Even though it may sound like a clever idea at first, it can be potentially dangerous for both you and your pet. It’s not that the non-pet friendly facilities don’t like pets; usually they are not always equipped with pet safe products and practices. For example, the layout of the area may not be suitable for noise or taking your pet outside, the products used for cleaning and other purposes may be hazardous to your pet’s health, and I’m fairly certain that there would be consequences if staff members discovered a stow away or two. Research various accommodations if you are thinking of taking your pet(s) with you, and if exceptions or rules are unclear, I’m sure a call to the establishment will be beneficial.
Pet-friendly establishments don’t just “allow” pets to be there, they often make a conscious effort in aspects of both design and hospitality that other facilities do not. Other interesting information from a survey about traveling with pets can be found via this link: http://dogvacay.com/blog/state-of-pet-travel-us-2013/
In any case, if your furry family members will be in someone else’s care while you are traveling or on vacation, please remember to have a list of emergency contacts on hand. It may also be advisable to type up a waiver of sorts that allows the care-giver temporary permission to make decisions if your pet would need any medical care if you cannot be contacted. It may seem like a lot of information to get together, but the more prepared you are, the less stressful your trip will be. After all, we want your pets to have a great vacation too!
Hopefully this information was helpful to you, and we hope that you and your families enjoy the rest of the summer season! Feel free to visit us in the office or give us a call!
Our hours are as follows:
Mondays & Fridays: 8am – 4pm
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 11am – 7pm
Every Other Saturday: 8am -12noon
Wednesday & Sunday: closed.
If you have any questions about anything you’ve read, please feel free to call us at 610-268-6208 or stop in to visit us! We would be happy to speak with you and answer your questions to the best of our ability!