Daily care
Grooming
Cats
Cats do a good job of grooming themselves, but regular brushing to prevent
matting of hair is important. Cats rarely need a bath, but one can be given
if necessary. Cats object to bathing in slippery tubs, so give your kitten
something to cling to, such as a wood platform or a wire screen. Use a shampoo
designed for cats and kittens, as some dog shampoos may be irritating. Place
cotton balls in the kitten's ears to keep out water and use an ophthalmic
ointment (obtain one that is safe for kittens from your veterinarian) in its
eyes to prevent burning from shampoo. Towel dry the kitten completely and
gently comb out any mats. Kittens' teeth should be carefully brushed on a
regular basis. Your veterinarian can provide you with an appropriate toothbrush,
dentifrice, and instruction on how to perform this task so that your kitten
learns to accept this as part of its daily care.
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Mealtime
Kittens
Feed a high quality diet designed for kittens. Your veterinarian is your best
source for information regarding an appropriate diet for your kitten. Dry
foods are usually most economical and have the advantage of providing a rough
surface that will help reduce plaque and tartar buildup on your kitten's teeth,
but canned foods can be fed/supplemented if desired. Amount fed will depend
on the diet, as well as the age, size, and activity level of your kitten.
Kittens can be fed free-choice or at set mealtimes; however, many veterinarians
recommend feeding all pets at set mealtimes because intake can be more easily
monitored. Canned foods should always be fed at set times, because if left
unrefrigerated, they can spoil. I recommend use of stainless steel bowls because
plastic and ceramic bowls can scratch, leaving crevices for bacteria to hide.
The latter types of bowls (and resultant resident bacteria) have been associated
with feline "acne" and skin irritation.
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Recognizing illness
Only a healthy pet is a happy companion. Assuring your pet's daily well-being requires regular care and close attention to any hint of ill health. The American Veterinary Medical Association therefore suggests that you consult your veterinarian if your pet shows any of the following signs:
Abnormal discharges from the nose, eyes, or other body openings.
Abnormal behavior, sudden viciousness, or lethargy.
Abnormal lumps, limping, or difficulty getting up or lying down.
Loss of appetite, marked weight losses or gains, or excessive water consumption.
Difficult, abnormal, or uncontrolled waste elimination.
Excessive head shaking, scratching, and licking or biting any part of the
body.
Dandruff, loss of hair, open sores, or a ragged or dull coat.
Foul breath or excessive tarter deposits on teeth.
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First Aid Basics
A sick or injured animal is often in a frightened state, so if emergency first aid is necessary protect yourself (even if it's your own pet); cats can be handled with gloves or wrapped in a blanket - a dog can be muzzled. If there's any question of seriousness, follow up your first aid with advice from your veterinarian, whose listing should be kept handy with other emergency phone numbers. Of course, before an emergency ever arises, it's a good idea to learn all you can about first aid techniques and pet health care. Never leave dangerous objects like pins, needles, or fish hooks within reach. And be well aware of your pet's normal behavior, so you can recognize what's not normal. Remember that the objective is to relieve suffering . . . perhaps even to save a life. Emergency first aid is most effective when rendered quickly, but calmly.
"Keep your veterinarian's telephone number handy with other emergency phone numbers."
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Poisoning
Family pets (and all animals) risk all kinds of poisoning from all kinds of places. Snakes can poison; some plants can poison; and hundreds of poisonous materials are used around the home by people every day ¡X things like pesticides, weed killers, lawn sprays, acids, fertilizers, paints . . . the list is endless. Here's what you can do if your pet is poisoned:
Keep the animal warm and quiet
Try to determine what the poison was, when it was ingested, and the amount
swallowed Immediately call your veterinarian or your nearest poison control
center
If you decide to take the pet to your veterinarian, bring the container (or
the label) with you. Most of the time poisoning is accidental. Keep poisonous
materials out of reach, know what your pet is doing at all times, and keep
emergency telephone numbers handy.
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Seasonal Health Tip
Heat Stroke
Heatstroke may kill or seriously injure your pet ¡X but it can easily be avoided. Never leave pets in cars on warm days; exercise during the cool part of the day; look for rapid breathing;loud panting; or staggering. Professional help may be needed, but in the meantime quickly get the animal to a shady ventilated area, and sponge off with cool water.
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Flea Season
As a loving pet owner, you'd do anything to prevent your cat or dog from suffering. After all, they're part of the family. Yet every year when flea season begins, the suffering sets in. It's like an old broken record. Fleas bite, and the scratching and chewing starts again. It's a painful and irritating routine for you and your pet. But that's just the beginning.
Adult fleas jump on your cat or dog. They bite them to feed on the blood. Then the fleas produce eggs. Eggs drop from your pet to the ground or carpet. The eggs develop over time into adult fleas. And the cycle starts all over again.
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An Invisible Threat
The adult fleas on your pet can actually cause serious medical problems -- like flea allergy dermatitis or tapeworms, and in some extreme cases, anemia. Flea-related diseases account for more than 50 percent of dermatologic cases presented to veterinarians and more then 35 percent of the total small animal veterinary effort.
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When to Start Treating?
Ideally, flea control should begin as flea prevention -- before flea season starts. Depending on which part of the country you live in, your flea season can last for four months or it can be a year-long problem.
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Where to Turn?
If you are in the midst of flea season and still have problems with fleas, do not despair. Your veterinarian is a flea expert and can advise you on the latest new products that kill adult fleas, eggs, and larvae, and that take care of fleas in your environment. They will base their recommendation on your regional weather conditions (high humidity and heat means more fleas on the way), your pet's health and level of flea infestation.
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Pets and Fireworks Don't Mix
Protect your pet during the July 4th holiday. The sound of fireworks can terrify your animal. It may run away, perhaps into traffic. A pet's ears are more sensitive than ours. Explosive noises may damage your pet's hearing, or the pet may be injured by a falling firecracker. Remember, pets and fireworks don't mix.
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Dont Let Your Pet Go Back to School
When the school bell rings, don't let your pet go back to school. Many dogs and cats will naturally follow kids--or will be encouraged to tag along. Many become lost, injured, or cause a nuisance around the school yard. Keep your pet confined when children leave for school. If you drive, don't take the pets with you. Animals learn quickly and may find their own way to school later on. Brief separations during the days just before the new school year will help those children and pets that are especially close. And if your pet is missing, call the school first.
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Holiday Safety For Cats
The holiday season is a time for celebration, but can also be a time of trouble for your family cat! For example, mistletoe and artificial snow are poisonous; Christmas ornament fragments can perforate the stomach; string, ribbon, and tinsel if swallowed may cause painful intestinal problems; frayed light cords cause shock or burns. Don't spoil your holiday with a medical emergency.
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Considerations for Winter
A "PAWS for PETS" Feature by:
Gail C. Golab, DVM, PhD.
As the winter months and holidays approach, you need to take time to ensure that your pets enjoy a happy, healthy holiday season.
Housing:
It is best to keep pets indoors during the winter months, but if this is not possible, outdoor pets must be provided with shelter. Their home should be elevated off the ground to prevent moisture accumulation and have a door of some kind to keep out winter winds, sleet, and snow. Shelters should be insulated or heated. Water sources may be heated to permit constant access to unfrozen water; thermal units designed specifically for this purpose are readily available. Outdoor pets require extra calories to keep warm feed your pet according to its needs when the temperature drops. In severely cold or inclement weather, no pet should be kept outside. Indoor pets should have sleeping quarters in a draft-free, warm area with their bed or mattress elevated slightly off the floor.
Roaming cats:
Roaming cats, as well as house pets and wildlife, may climb onto vehicle engines for warmth during cold weather. Be sure to check under the hood before starting your vehicle and honk the horn to startle any animals seeking shelter inside.
Frostbite and snow removal salt:
Snow and salt should be removed from your pets paws immediately. Frostbitten skin is red or gray and may slough. Apply warm, moist towels to thaw out frostbitten areas slowly until the skin appears flushed. Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for further care. Snow removal products should be stored out of the reach of pets and small children as their toxicity varies considerably.
Toxic plants and holiday/winter products:
Plants and other items associated with the winter and holiday season can be toxic to your pets. What follows is a general guide. Please consult your veterinarian, animal poison control, and the manufacturer for specifics. Remember, the earlier you seek treatment, the better for your pet!
Low toxicity -- poinsettia leaves/stems; balsam/pine/cedar/fir; angel hair (spun glass); Christmas tree preservatives; snow sprays/snow flock; tree ornaments; super glue; styrofoam; icicles (tinsel); and crayons/paints.
Moderate toxicity -- fireplace colors/salts; plastic model cement Moderate to high toxicity holly berries and leaves; bubbling lights (methylene chloride); snow scenes (may contain salmonella); aftershaves/perfumes/alcoholic beverages; and chocolate (dark is more toxic than milk).
Highly toxic -- mistletoe (especially berries); expoxy adhesives; and antifreeze. Please note that some items have special problems. For example, whereas angel hair is usually considered to be of low toxicity, it can irritate eyes, skin, and the gastrointestinal tract; the content of Christmas tree preservatives varies and often effects depend upon the amount ingested; styrofoam, small parts from Christmas tree ornaments and toys, as well as tinsel, can cause mechanical obstructions in the gastrointestinal tract; snow flock can cause problems if sprayed into the mouth and inhaled; and chocolate, of any type, should never be given to a pet. Antifreeze deserves special mention because even a very small amount can be rapidly fatal to pets.
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Other holiday concerns
If you plan to take your pet with you during holiday visits, make sure that your pet is welcome first (with all the activity, it may be better to board your pet or hire a pet sitter). Holiday treats, such as rich, fatty food scraps, bones from fish, pork, and poultry, alcoholic beverages, and chocolate, can be harmful or toxic to pets. Do not allow friends and relatives to give your pet special treats it could ruin everyone's holiday (including your veterinarian's). Do not allow pets to play with ribbons, yarn, or six-pack beverage holders and don't put ribbons or yarn around your pet's neck. If you want to decorate your pet, invest in a holiday collar. These last for many years, are more attractive, and are a lot safer! Cover or tack down electrical cords.
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Summer Pet Care Tips
Heartworm disease
Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) are parasites transmitted by mosquitoes that
can potentially be fatal to your dog or cat. Many people are familiar with
heartworm disease in dogs, but are unaware that cats may also contract the
parasite (heartworm disease was reported in cats in 38 states by the American
Heartworm Society); in fact, cats infested with heartworms often have more
severe clinical signs than dogs and a poorer prognosis.
Have your dog or cat tested for the presence of heartworms by your veterinarian, and ask about heartworm preventatives. Treatment for this disease can be expensive and risky for your pet prevention is easy and inexpensive. The fact that your dog only goes outside to urinate and defecate, and the fact that your cat does not go outside at all, does not eliminate the risk of disease. Mosquitoes are everywhere!
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Fleas
Normally only adult fleas live on pets, and often they remain there only long
enough to feed. Eggs may be laid on the pet, but usually fall off the pet
into the environment where conditions are right for them to develop (through
a multistage life cycle) into adult fleas. As a result, it is possible to
have a substantial flea problem although you have only identified a few or
no fleas on your pet. Egg and larval stages can survive in your home all year
and in your yard from spring through late fall (all year in warmer climates).
Biting and scratching on the lower back, tail, and abdomen are the most common signs of flea infestation and a dermatitis will often flare up in these areas. Flea control involves treatment of the pet and the environment by means of shampoos, sprays, dips, "spot-ons," powders, oral medications, and collars. Your veterinarian can recommend the most appropriate flea prevention/treatment program for your pet. Fleas carry tapeworms, so be sure to have your veterinarian check your pet for these intestinal parasites as well.
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Ticks
Yet another parasite that is a common problem during the warmer months. Ticks
are not only an irritant and nuisance to your pet, but may transmit several
debilitating diseases, such as Lyme disease, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis.
Many flea prevention/treatment products will also help with control of ticks.
Your veterinarian can help you recognize ticks and show you the proper way
to remove them from your pet (if you simply try to remove the tick by pulling,
you may leave its mouthparts embedded within your pet's skin).
Owners whose dogs have substantial exposure to ticks (eg, sporting dogs, dogs that go camping, and those spending time in forest preserves or woods) should also ask their veterinarian's advice about the appropriateness of a vaccination for Lyme disease.
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Housing and Travel
Soaring temperatures are no more comfortable for dogs and cats than they are
for people. Heat prostration is a common cause of summer illness that can,
and does, kill many beloved pets each year. If your pet spends a substantial
part of its day outside, be sure that you provide a cool, shady spot for it
to escape the hot summer sun and plenty of cool, clean water. A sheltered
area must also be available so that the pet can escape summer storms. Be sure
that areas in which pets are housed are secure and that pets cannot run into
busy streets, fall into deep window wells, or become trapped within or under
lawn equipment.
Some of the worst summer tragedies involve pets that are left in vehicles in the sun with the windows partially or completely rolled up. Temperatures inside a car rapidly climb to more than 100 F and can cause death sometimes in as little as 10 minutes! If you need to leave your pet in a car for any period of time, please do the pet and yourself a favor and leave the pet at home. When traveling with your pet, call ahead to make sure the pet will be welcome at any hotels or homes where you intend to stay. Travel from state to state usually requires a health certificate for each pet, which has been signed by a veterinarian.
Travel outside of the country often requires that the pet be quarantined for a specified period of time, so be sure to check restrictions in the country to which you will be traveling. Remember that sometimes the best solution for everyone is to make arrangements for someone to watch the pet in your home, or to bring the pet to a boarding facility designed to provide it with the special care it needs.
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Pesticides and lawn care products
Many of these products are potentially toxic to pets. Be sure to store these
items where pets have no access to them. After treating lawns and outside
areas, restrict pets from these areas until exposure danger has passed. Remember
that many types of summer foliage (among them hydrangea, wisteria, delphinium,
foxglove, privet hedge, and monkshood) can be toxic to pets as well, so do
your best to prevent your pets from "dining out."
Source:http://www.avma.org"Copyright c 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 by the American Veterinary Medical Association."