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Pet Tip #6 - Mosquito Season
With all
of the rain that we have had recently
mosquitoes are extremely prevalent!
Mosquitoes transmit heartworms.
Protect your dog and cat with
heartworm preventative medication.
Did you know that more cats in Florida
have heartworm antibodies than feline
leukemia and feline AID's combined?
Pet Tip #5 - Ticks Too
Many people have
experienced a dog tick problem in
recent months. Since one tick can lay
8000 eggs it does not take long to have
a huge infestation. The use of both a
tick collar and an approved topical tick
prevention product will go a long way
to protecting your best friend.
Pet Tip #4 - Raisin/Grape Toxicity
There are more and more confirmed
reports of dogs and cats
becoming very ill from eating
raisins or grapes. No particular
variety of grapes has been incriminated
nor do we have exact
figures as to the amount needed
to be consumed before the pets
become toxic. The raisins/grapes
affect the kidneys. Symptoms
include nausea, vomiting and
lethargy. Until we learn more
about this condition do not allow
your dog or cat to eat raisins or
grapes or products containing
either of them.
Pet Tip #3 - Tobacco Toxicity
Tobacco is
inherently dangerous to your
pet. Most of us are aware that
second hand cigarette/cigar smoke
can cause breathing problems in
dogs and asthmatic-like symptoms
in cats. But strangely enough
dogs have been known to eat
both cigarettes and cigars. From 1
to 5 cigarettes and from 1/3 to 1
cigar can be fatal if ingested by
your pet. If you suspect that your
pet has inadvertently consumed
tobacco call your veterinarian
immediately.
Pet Tip #2 - Allergies
Spring has arrived and so has allergy
season. Seasonal allergies
in pets are more common than many
people think. Pets, like
humans can be allergic to ragweed,
pollen, house dust, house
dust mites, mold, animal dander,
feathers, grasses, trees and
shrubs. Animals tend to experience skin
disorders rather than
sneezing and watery eyes. But there are
ways you can minimize
your pet's suffering.
The most common cause of pet allergies
is the flea. A few fleas
can quickly become a full-blown
infestation, which can be
irritating, dangerous for your pet, and
costly. Don't wait until
you see fleas before you begin
treatment. Because in Florida
flea season is year round you must use
a preventive year round.
If you have more than one pet in your
home they should ALL be
treated for fleas. It takes much less
effort to prevent flea
infestations than it does to get rid of
them.
If you have kittens too young for
treatment there are
chemical-free methods of flea removal.
Use a flea comb to scoop
up the fleas, and then trap them with
cellophane tape for easy
disposal.
Provide your pet with a good diet to
help ensure his or her
immune system is equipped to deal with
seasonal allergens.
Pet Tip #1 - Easter Lilies
Easter lilies are a popular plant
during early Spring. If you
share your home with a cat and you
receive this plant as a gift
be aware that Easter lilies have been
found to be toxic to cats.
The primary toxic effects are on the
kidneys. Within minutes to
hours of ingesting some of the lily
plant, a cat may stop
eating, begin vomiting, and become
dehydrated and lethargic. If
no treatment is given, rapid and severe
kidney failure occurs in
a matter of days. All parts of the lily
are considered toxic. If
your cat has ingested part of this
plant, rapid veterinary care
is strongly recommended.
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