Spring is in the air! March 31st is Easter!
With that in our future we also need to remember that spring can hold many dangers to our pets! You wouldn’t think a sunny, warm day could do any harm but let me point out some simple dangers that you may not have realized could harm your pet this coming April and May.
Spring Cleaning?
Yes, we all do it, right? With spring cleaning comes open doors, windows, garages. Good time for a curious pet to escape out into the outside world. If you are going to have your windows or doors open while cleaning it may be best to keep your pets in another room with the door closed so you don’t give them a chance to explore. Keep all household cleaners stored properly and read the labels for proper use and handling. Many cleaning agents are harmful to your pets. Please remember to check your window screens! One push and kitty can fall right out!
Garden fun!
Many of us get out and start spring cleaning in the yard and plant gardens this time of year. Please be aware that many fertilizers can be harmful and fatal to your pets. Please keep them stored away from your pets safely and read the ingredients in your bag of mulch. Click here for a complete list of poisonous plants, poisons, fertilizers and mulch, shared from the ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/pet-safe-gardening.aspx.
With spring come the mosquitoes!
Like all of us who get the sniffles this time of year, your pet can too! If your pet is allergic to the pollens in the air and develops the sneezes, you may need to see your veterinarian! Remember that with the warm spring air brings pesky bugs……. Mosquito’s too! Make sure your pet is current on his/her heartworm test and don’t forget their monthly heartworm prevention! Mark it down folks! It only takes one mosquito to transmit heartworm disease! Click here to read more about heartworm disease, testing and prevention: http://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm.html.
Outside fun!
We all enjoy taking our dogs for a walk in the park this time of year before it gets too hot. Make sure that your pet is properly licensed with the state, current on vaccines and wears a properly fitting, flat collar with an updated ID tag. Better yet, Microchip your pet in case your pet escapes outside on accident! Make sure you register your microchip if your veterinarian doesn’t do it for you. An outdated microchip registration does you no good if the company can’t locate you! Remember, there is an Arizona leash law. Follow it please; it’s for the safety of you, your pet and other people and their pets!
Last but not least…… the Easter goodies!
With Easter come many dangers. First tip is for the soft, cute little bunnies and adorable little chicks. Do you know many people adopt a bunny this time of year only to “get rid of it” within the following 2 months because the novelty is worn off? Rabbits have a long life span, up to 10 years. If you can’t commit to that, stick to stuffed bunnies for your children’s Easter baskets! Baby chicks are cute and may make for a colorful addition to your basket, but unless you live in a rural part of town and already have chickens and know how to care for them, please don’t buy! Chickens do NOT make good house pets!
Now for the goodies…… yummy for the kids, dangerous for the pets! By now you probably know that chocolate is toxic to pets, right? How many of you leave the kids Easter baskets out for days after Easter while they’re finishing up the goods? If you use the colorful plastic grass keep in mind it kitties favorite! The plastic can become entangled in their intestines causing an obstruction. Often seen shortly after ingestion, are vomiting and the inability to keep water or food down. This is an emergency situation that requires surgical intervention that is quite costly. Please keep those baskets up and out of reach folks!
So this Spring, please keep these safety tips in mind for your pets. We want this spring to be fun and happy for all of our pet friends and families! Thanks for being responsible pet owners!
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