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Pet Care

Look here for general pet care guidelines to help you maintain a long and rewarding relationship with your animal companion.

Lost & Found
Preventing a Lost Pet
Providing for your Pet's future without you
What to do when you find a stray Cat or Dog
Finding a new home for a Pet
Summer Care tips for your Pet
Winter Care tips for your Pet
Is Your Dogs' House Legal?
Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
Pain in the Neck
Pet Insurance
Heartworms

Lost & Found

When your beloved dog or cat strays from home, it can be a traumatic experience for both of you. Here are some tips to help you find your pet.

Contact local animal shelters and animal control agencies. File a lost pet report with every shelter within a 6660 mile radius of your home and visit the nearest shelters daily, if possible. If there is no shelter in your community, contact the local police department. Provide these agencies with an accurate description and a recent photograph of your pet. Don't give up, some people will hold a lot pet at their house for several weeks before turning it in to an animal shelter.
Search the neighborhood. Walk or drive through your neighborhood several times each day. Carry a recent photograph, ask neighbors, letter carriers, and delivery people if they have seen your pet. Hand out a recent photograph of your pet and information on how you can be reached if your pet is found. Drive around your neighborhood at night, lost pets will hide during the day.
Advertise. Place posters with your pet's photograph at grocery stores, community centers, veterinary offices, pet stores, telephone poles, grooming parlors, traffic intersections, animal shelters, and other locations. Also place advertisements in newspapers and radio stations. Include your pet's sex, age, weight, breed, color , and any special markings. For safety purposes, do not post your address. Read the "found" ads and respond to anything that might possibly resemble your pet. Remember, a white animal may easily turn gray or tan color after being outdoors for a few days. Check with your local radio stations for lost and found services. Check with your local cable television stations.
Be wary of pet-recovery scams. When talking to a stranger who claims to have found your pet, ask him to describe the pet thoroughly before you offer any information. Be particularly wary of people who insist that you give them money for the return of your pet.
Use the Web.
Don't give up your search. Animals who have been lost for months have been reunited with their owners.

A pet--even an indoor pet-- has a better chance of being returned if she always wears a collar and an ID tag with your name, address, and telephone number. Contact veterinarians about permanent methods, such as microchips.

Preventing a lost Pet

Prevention Tips:

Always keep your pets indoors (Especially Cats).
Make sure that your pet wears current identification tags, with your address and phone number AT ALL TIMES.
Have recent photos of your pet.
Have written descriptions of your pet (size, color, weight, markings).
If someone else is caring for your pet in your absence, leave them this information.

Remember, a pet--even an indoor pet--has a better chance of being returned if she always wears a collar with an ID tag with your name, address, and telephone number. Contact veterinarians about permanent methods, such as microchips.

Providing for your Pet's Future Without You

Because pets usually have shorter life spans than their human caregivers, you may have planned for your animal friend's passing. But what if you are the one who becomes ill or incapacitated, or who dies first? As a responsible pet owner, you provide your pet with food, water, shelter, veterinary care, and love. To ensure that your beloved pet will continue to receive this care should something unexpected happen to you, it's critical to plan ahead. In the confusion that accompanies a person's unexpected illness, accident, or death, pets may be overlooked. In some cases, pets are discovered in the person's home days after the tragedy. To prevent this from happening to your pet, take these simple precautions:

Find as least two responsible friends or relatives who agree to serve as temporary emergency caregivers in the event that something unexpected happens to you. Provide them with keys to your home: feeding and care instructions; the name of your veterinarian; and information about the permanent care provisions you have made for your pet.
Make sure your neighbors, friends, and relatives know how many pets you have and the names and contact numbers of the individuals who have agreed to serve as emergency caregivers. Emergency caregivers should also know how to contact each other.
Carry a wallet "alert card" that lists the names and phone numbers of your emergency pet caregivers.
Post removable "in case of emergency" notices on your doors or windows specifying how many and what types of pets you have. These notices will alert emergency-response personnel during a fire or other home emergency.
Affix to the inside of your front and back doors a removable notice listing emergency contact names and phone numbers. Because pets need care daily and will need immediate attention should you die or become incapacitated, the importance of making these informal arrangements for temporary care giving cannot be overemphasized.
The best way to make sure your wishes are fulfilled is by also making formal arrangements that specifically cover the care of your pet. It's not enough that long ago your friend verbally promised to take in your animal or even that you've decided to leave money to your friend for that purpose. Work with an attorney to draw up a special will, trust, or other document to provide for the care and ownership of your pet as well as the money necessary to care for her.

What To Do When You Find a Stray Dog or Cat

You're in your car, heading somewhere or other, a long list of things to accomplish and already running late. Suddenly, you see a dog by the side of the road. With a sinking feeling, you realize he's alone. Your car is coming alongside him now. You have only seconds in which to act. But what should you do? This is a wrenching scenario for all who care about animals. Once you've seen the dog or cat, it's too late to avert your eyes and drive on. After all, what if your own dog or cat were standing there? So before you pull over, good Samaritan that you are, here are some guidelines for assisting animals safely and effectively.

Be ready to rescue. If you know in your heart that you're a rescuer, equip yourself to do the best possible job. Have in your car at all times: phone, phone numbers of local animal control, a shelter, cat carrier or cardboard box, collars, leashes, muzzles, heavy blanket, water and bowl, strong smelling food, such as canned tuna or dried liver, and an animal first-aid kit.
Consider the safety of the animal. A strange, frightened,, sick or injured animal may behave unpredictably. A sudden move could spook him, causing him to bolt--possibly right onto the highway.
If possible, restrain the animal. If the animal is injured, and still on the roadway, signal approaching vehicles to slow down, or divert traffic around him until he can be moved.
Use caution when approaching the animal. If you succeed in getting close enough to capture him, you stand a good chance of being bitten. Try to place the proper size muzzle on the dog. If you are bitten by an animal whose vaccination status is unknown, you will be advised to undergo preventive treatment for rabies.
When approaching the animal, speak calmly to reassure him. Make sure he can see you at all times as you approach, and perhaps entice him to come to you by offering a strong-smelling food such as canned tuna or dried liver.
Try to lure an animal into your car with food, and close the door. Before you take an injured animal to a private veterinary hospital for treatment, be willing to assume financial responsibility for the animal before treatment begins. If you take a badly injured stray dog to animal control, understand that that agency may be unable to provide expensive treatment for the animal, to relieve him from his suffering they may euthanize him. If you plan to keep the animal in the event no owner is found, notify animal control that you have the animal. You can place a "found" ad in your local newspaper.
Don't assume you are dealing with an irresponsible owner. Accidents can happen to anyone. The frantic owner may be looking everywhere for their beloved pet.

If you're uncertain about whether to assist or keep an animal, here's a final word of advice: first, think of what you would want the finder of your animal to do if he happened to find him injured and his collar missing. You'd want him to take your pet to a veterinarian, and you'd want him to try to find you. At the same time, be reasonable about how much you can afford to do if no owner shows up.

Guidelines for Finding a Responsible Home for a Pet

Perhaps you are helping a rescued animal find a "good" home, or perhaps you didn't realize what a dog needed to thrive and be happy before you acquired one. A puppy or newly acquired adult dog takes as much time as an active human toddler. They require guidance (training) and time (socialization). Rather than isolate your dog outdoors or neglect their social needs, perhaps you are thinking about re-homing your pet if you have not the time or energy to properly care for him. Finding a new home for a pet can be difficult. A "good" home means a home where the animal will live for the rest of his or her life, where he or she will receive attention, veterinary care, proper nutrition, and be treated as part of the family. If you decide to try to find a new home for the pet yourself, rather than relying upon the animal shelter or rescue group, be sure the animal's best interest remain your top priority. There are several options available:

The animal shelter.
Breed Rescue Organization. If you have a dog of a specific breed, you can contact a purebred rescue group. Rescue groups keep adoptable animals until they can be placed in loving, permanent homes. To contact a breed rescue group, contact your local shelter. Before relinquishing your pet, you should make sure the current animal residents appear well-cared-for, and that the group screens potential adopters.

If you choose to find a home for the pet yourself, follow these guidelines:

Advertise through friends, neighbors, and local veterinarians first: then try the newspaper, if all else fails. Your chances of finding a good home are increased when you check references with someone you know.
Visit the prospective new home in order to get a feel for the environment in which your pet will be living. Explain that the pet is part of your family and that you want to make sure he will be cared for properly and that you want to see how the animal responds to the new home. Screen potential homes very carefully.
Don't be fooled. If anyone refuses to allow you to visit their home. Do not place your pet with them. Individuals known as "bunchers" routinely answer "free-to-good-home" ads, posing as people who want family pets when, in actuality, they sell pets to animal dealers.
Dogfighters obtain domestic animals and use them for "bait" letting their fighting dog train on it. These people are "professionals" who even bring children of their mothers with them when picking up pets.
Always be mindful of your own safety when you go to interview potential adopters or if you allow a prospective adopter to enter your home.
Carefully consider all the elements of the new home: Will your pet get along with small children? Is the family planning to keep the dog chained outside as a watchdog? Does the family have a veterinary reference? Do not be shy about asking questions. Your pet's life depends on it.
Ask for a valid form of ID (preferably a driver's license). Record the number for your records and have the new owner sign a contract stating the requirements of adoption upon which both parties agree. Also require the new owner to contact you if he decides they must give up the pet.
Have your pet neutered or spayed before he or she goes to the new home.

Finding a quality home for your pet can be a difficult and time-consuming process.

Summer Care Tips for Your Pets

This summer, DON'T FORGET: Dogs don't sweat like you do. Keep cool water for your pet and check their shade.

DON'T MAKE A TRAGIC MISTAKE: please don't leave your pet in a parked car on a warm day. It's cruel and is punishable by law. On warm days, your pet is safer at home!Dogs left in hot cars can suffer brain damage and even die. Don't take a chance-when the mercury rises leave Spot at home. A dog left in a car on a warm day can collapse from heatstroke in just minutes. Many people love their dogs and want to take them with them wherever they go. When the mercury rises, it's safest to leave Rover at home.

ON A 78-DEGREE DAY, A CAR PARKED IN THE SUN CAN REACH 160 DEGREES IN MINUTES. Even opening windows or parking in the shade won't prevent a dog from getting overheated. The heat is especially hard on dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting and by sweating through their paws. With only hot air to breath, dogs and other animals can suffer irreparable brain damage and even die or heatstroke.

PROTECT YOUR DOG BY TAKING THE FOLLOWING PRECATUTIONS:

· Don't take a chance-leave your dog at home on warm days. Even just a quick trip to the store can be deadly.

· Don't carry a dog unrestrained in a pick-up truck bed. Besides being extremely dangerous (many dogs jump or fall out of trucks). A dog can be unintentionally thrown into traffic if the driver suddenly hits the breaks, swerves, or is hit by another car. The hot metal can burn dogs' feet. Dogs should ride either in the cab or in a secured crate in the bed of the truck.

· Learn the signs of heat exhaustion-restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid pulse, fever, vomiting, glazed eyes, dizziness, or lack of coordination.

· If your dog shows any of these symptoms, get him or her to the shade or air conditioning right away.

· Lower body temperature gradually by providing water to drink, applying a cold towel or ice pack to the head, neck, and chest, or immersing the dog in cool (not cold) water.

· Call your veterinarian immediately.

· If you see a dog in danger, try to have the dog's guardian paged inside the store or call the police: They can unlock the car and get the dog out. It could save a life.

· Plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides can be fatal if your pet ingests them.

· Make sure your pet is always wearing a collar and identification tag. If you are separated from your pet, an ID tag may be his only way home.

· Check with your veterinarian about heartworm prevention. Heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can be fatal in dogs and cats.

· Pets and pools can equal disaster. Prevent free access to pools and always supervise a pet in a pool.

· Another summertime threat is fleas and ticks. Some over the counter flea and tick products can be toxic, even when used according to instructions.

Help Animals battle "Old Man Winter"

When the mercury plummets, animals need extra protection from the elements. Take the following precautions to ensure animals' safety:

Bring animals inside, particularly puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals and dogs with short hair, including pointers, Beagles, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, and Dobermans. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a cozy sweater or coat.

Provide dogs with proper shelter. Doghouses should be made of wood or plastic (metal conducts cold) and positioned in a sunny, sheltered location during cold weather. The house should be turned South, away from the wind. Raise the house off the ground several inches and the doorway should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic. Use straw for bedding-rugs and blankets hold the moisture and freeze up.

Don't allow your cat or dog to roam freely outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb up under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are killed or badly injured when the car is started. (To help prevent this, bang loudly on the hood of your car before starting the engine.) Animals can also become disoriented when there is snow or ice on the ground. More animals are lost during the winter than any other season.

Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet's water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick and freeze to metal.

Clean off your dog's or cat's legs, feet and stomach after coming in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make an animal sick if they are ingested while the animal grooms himself or herself.

Buy antifreeze made with propylene glycol (brands include Sierra and Prestone Lowtox) instead of ethylene glycol, which is a deadly poison even in small doses. Animals are attracted to antifreeze because of its sweet taste, so be sure to promptly clean up spills.

Keep an eye out for strays, too. Bring unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardian or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are wild or unapproachable, provide food, water and shelter (stray cats will appreciate a small doghouse filled with warm bedding) and call the local humane society for information about trapping them and getting them safely indoors.

Is Your Dogs' House Legal?

It is strongly recommended that all pets be kept indoors with the family. Leaving dogs outside can be physically, emotionally, and behaviorally detrimental, especially if he is chained or tethered..

Dogs are flesh and blood. In the wild, they find or dig themselves a cozy den to curl up in during frigid weather. Their fur, like your own winter coat, offers some protection, but not immunity to the cold. Small and short-haired breeds like Pointers and Dobermans can't handle the cold well. Puppies and elderly dogs are especially susceptible to cold and should not be left outside for more than a few minutes during cold snaps.

Is Your Dogs' house Legal?

The law requires a pet to have access to "proper" shelter at all times. Below are some guidelines for your dogs' house:

Use hard plastic or painted wood (metal rusts and conducts heat and cold).
Make sure it does not leak.
Raise it off the ground several inches.
It should face South in winter, North in Summer.
Put a flap over the door (clear vinyl, burlap, an old rug or rubber mat with strips cut Vertically).
The roof should extend 8" over the door to keep the rain out.
Nail a strip of wood at the bottom of the doghouse door to keep bedding from spilling out. Don't use rugs or blankets--they absorb water and can freeze. A thick bed of straw makes a good bed. Add straw every few weeks since the straw packs down.
Put water in a sturdy, tip resistant bucket and use a pail/birdbath deicer. If a Deicer is not used, check for freezing several times a day during winter. Put bowl inside a rubber tire to prevent tipping.

If you are concerned about a dog who is frequently chained or otherwise left outside without proper shelter, food, or water, please contact your local humane society or Police Department. A growing number of anti-cruelty laws and ordinances include "adequate care standards" that make it illegal to keep a dog outside without proper shelter. (A few communities have even enacted ordinances prohibiting the tethering of dogs.)

Why Spay or Neuter? Facts and Myths

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem, not only in Western Arkansas but across the U.S. The most humane solution is to aggressively promote and support the spaying and neutering of companion animals.

Pet Population Facts & Figures:

An estimated 53 million dogs and 59 million cats live with American families.
For every human born, 7 puppies and kittens are born.
ONE FEMALE CAT AND HER OFFSPRING CAN PRODUCE 420,000 KITTENS IN SEVEN YEARS!
A female cat can produce up to 3 litters per year.
An average litter produces 4-6 kittens.
Cats can produce their first litter when they are 4-10 months old.
The gestation period for cats is 58-70 days.
ONE FEMALE DOG AND HER OFFSPRING CAN PRODUCE 67,000 DOGS IN SIX YEARS!
A female dog can produce up to 2 litters per year.
An average litter produces 6-12 puppies in larger breeds; 4-8 puppies in smaller breeds.
Dogs can produce their first litter at 7-9 months of age. The gestation period for dogs is 58-71 days.
An estimated 4-6 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each year. Millions more are abandoned, only to suffer from illness or injury before dying.
As many as 30% of dogs entering shelters each year are purebreds.

Figures provided by The Humane Society of the United States and
American Humane Association.

Why Spay-Neuter Your Pet?

Spaying-neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
Spaying-neutering eliminates or reduces the incidence of health problems that can be difficult or expensive to treat.
Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when the pet is spayed before the first heat.
Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and the incidence of prostate disease.
Spaying-neutering makes pets better behaved, more affectionate companions.
Neutering makes a male cat less likely to spray and mark territory.
Spaying-neutering makes pets less likely to bite. Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems that those who have spayed or neutered.
Neutering makes pets less likely to roam the neighborhood, run away or get into fights.
AND FINALLY, SPAYING/NEUTERING HELPS TO PUT THE BRAKES ON PET OVERPOPULATION.

Facts and Myths

Myth: It is good for female pets to have one litter before being spayed.

Fact: Many people believe that it is somehow "better" for female pets to have a litter before being spayed. There is no scientific evidence to support this belief; in fact, the scientific evidence does not support this belief. Animals are not "better off" for having had offspring. (Source: Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, Inc. )

Myth: Spaying and neutering are painful.

Fact: Veterinarians perform spay and neuter surgeries under a general anesthetic. Animals usually return to normal activity within 24 to 72 hours. Any discomfort experienced is minimal, and well outweighs the suffering and death caused by uncurbed breeding. Altering animals also eliminates the risk of certain diseases, such as mammary and testicular cancer. And keep in mind that unaltered male animals are more likely to be killed by cars as a result of straying from home.

Myth: Animals must be at least six months old before they can be spayed or neutered.

Fact: Although animals have traditionally been altered at six months, veterinarians are now practicing early spay-neuter surgery, which can be performed on animals as young eight weeks. Doctors practicing the technique report that the surgery is significantly easier and quicker to perform. Furthermore, guardians of animals altered younger report fewer medical problems than those of conventionally altered animals. Finally, the spay/neuter procedure, prior to adopting out animals from shelters, is the best way to ensure that unwanted births do not occur.

Myth: Animals, dogs in particular, are less protective after sterilization and show other negative behavioral changes.

Fact: Any changes brought about by spaying/neutering are generally positive. Neutered male cats usually stop territorial spraying. Neutered dogs and cats fight less and are less likely to become lost due to straying from home in search of a mate. Spayed animals do not go into heat or need to be confined indoors to avoid pregnancy. All altered animals remain protective and loyal to their guardians.

Myth: Males don't give birth so we don't need to neuter them.

Fact: The old saying "it takes two to tango" is as true for animals as it is for humans. And while a female dog or cat can only have one litter at a time, male animals can impregnate many females each day.

Myth: Spaying and neutering is expensive.

Fact: While prices vary considerably, many humane societies and municipal animals control departments offer low-cost spay/neuter services. And while the cost of surgery may seem high initially, it's a real bargain when compared to the cost of raising a litter of puppies or kittens. Spaying and neutering also save taxpayer dollars. On average, it costs approximately $100 to capture, house, feed and eventually kill a homeless animal-a cost that ultimately comes out of all out pockets.

Puppy and Kitten Care

Collars do not expand, but puppies and kittens grow quickly! If not loosened, collars can be deadly and literally grow right into your pet's neck-an excruciating, constant pain. But too often owners don't realize how fast their pets are growing, especially the larger dog breeds. So please check your pets' collars at least every week until they're full grown (that can be more than a year for the really large breeds of dog). You should be able to easily slip two or three fingers between their collar and their neck.

However, don't let this simple task stop you from putting a collar on your young pet, since youngsters so easily get lost in their desire to explore the new world. And getting lost without ID is terribly dangerous and frightening to you both. So keep their collars on (with current ID tags), just not too tight

Pet Health Insurance: Responsible Pet Ownership

Every pet adopted from the Sebastian County Humane Society is entitled to receive 30 days of free insurance from Petfinder.com.

With Shelter Care insurance, you and your new four-legged family member can rest easy because unexpected accidents and illnesses common to shelter pets are covered. To activate your free shelter care insurance, you MUST call within ten days of adoption toll-free 1-866-275-PETS(7387)

Shelter Care Coverage for Dogs and Cats:

Kennel Cough
Urinary Tract Infection
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
Ear Infection
Mange/Mite Infection
Canine Parvovirus/Feline Distemper
Foreign body ingestion removal
Motor Vehicle Accident
Fractures
Defined Poison Ingestion

$50 deductible per incident. Should you wish to continue coverage after 60 days, premiums are $6.95 per month

Ask any Pet owner to name the members of his or her family, and chances are the response will include the companion animals in the household. It's no surprise, then, that when the family feline or canine becomes sick, the best possible care is sought to keep him healthy and happy. A recent study by the American Pet Products Manufactures Association found that the average cat or dog owner spends more than $1,100 per year on a pet. This can comprise a considerable part of the family budget.

As the status of pets in American families increases, so does the price of taking care of them. Pet health care costs have risen almost five times that of human health care in the past decade. And, according to a 1996 study by the American Animal Hospital Association, two out of every three pets will be stricken with a serious illness or injury during their lifetime. Unfortunately, family funds aren't always readily available should an emergency arise. Recent innovations in pet health care are making it easier for many owners to cover their animal companion's medical expenses.

For more information concerning Pet Insurance please visit:

Heartworms

The bad news is that heartworm infections can be difficult to treat and are sometimes fatal. The good news is that you can prevent it from happening to your pet.

Heartworms are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, and can migrate to the heart, lungs and the blood vessels near these vital organs within two to three months. The larva complete their migration in six months, ending in the actual heart chamber. The most common symptoms of heartworm infections are coughing, sluggishness, and labored breathing. Left untreated heartworm can lead to heart and lung failure, kidney and liver damage, and eventual death. And yes, all it takes is the bite of just one infected mosquito.

The infection may be present for several months before clinical sign appear, so annual blood testing is important. Should heartworm be present, treatment should begin as early as possible in the course of the disease.

The smart route to travel is one of prevention. Your dog should be given a blood test for heartworm every year in the early spring. If the blood test is negative, your pet may be prescribed a preventive tablet to be given once a month which also controls many common intestinal worms. Heartworm prevention is as easy as that but it must be done regularly every year to ensure continued protection.

Although dogs are natural host for heartworm, cats can also contract the disease. Pets living anywhere throughout the United States can contract heartworm, but the disease is more prevalent in warmer areas where there are greater numbers of mosquitoes. Heartworm infections have also been seen in wild animals such as wolves and fox. These animals tend to have milder infections. In hot, humid areas where this disease is more prevalent, cats may be put on preventive medication as well.

With routine testing and once-a month tablets, you can offer your animal companion complete protection against heartworm infection.