Keeping the holidays safe for our pets – Common Human Medications and Pet Safety

The holiday season brings images of presents, Santa, beautiful decorations, parties and festivities. Yet it is also the season for colds, viral and bacterial infections, and the “flu”.  Often the first option is taking over-the-counter medicine for symptom relief. While we are aware of the typical holiday hazards for our pets and have taken extra precaution to keep our pets safe, often we not aware of the hazards for our pets due to OTC and prescription drugs. The Pet Poison Helpline states that “Nearly 50% of all calls received by Pet Poison Helpline involve human medications – both over-the-counter and prescription”.

Some of the common human medications that receive the most calls at the Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline:

• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory bills) A few common ones are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve).  This group tops the list and can cause serious stomach and intestinal ulcers and possible kidney failure in cats, dogs, birds and other small mammals.
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a popular pain medication and though it is safe for humans, even children, it is very harmful to pets.
• Antidepressants such as Efexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro.
• Benzodiazepines and sleep aids such as Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, and Lunesta.
• Cholesterol medicines such as Lipitor, Zocor, or Crestor.
• Decongestants such as Phenylephrine and Pseudoephedrine

A few tips for reducing the risk of your pet accidentally ingesting human medicines:

Many “cold and flu” products are a combination of NSAIDs and decongestants. It is important to check labels for the ingredient listing. It is also important to keep the package so you have the ingredient list available in case of an emergency.

If you carry cough drops, gum, or medicines in your purse make sure it is out of your pet’s reach. Holiday entertaining and additional guests in your home increase the likelihood that your pet could snoop in a purse and find harmful pills. Ask your guests to “guard” their purses and explain the reason why.

Never leave your pills anywhere a pet can reach them. Some dogs can chew through a pill bottle or a 7-day pill box to get to the “treat”.

Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect that your pet ingested any medicine that wasn’t prescribed to them.

For more information and a complete listing hazardous human medications see the following:
http://aspcapro.org/human-animal-medication
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/top-10-human-medications-poisonous-to-pets/.
https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Poison-pills-for-pets.aspx
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/common-human-medications-dangerous-to-pets/

THE HOLIDAYS – the most wonderful time of the year! It’s the season that entices us with aromas and fragrances and tantalizes our taste buds. It is a time for joy, happiness and merriment. For our pets, though, there are some potential hazards to their health and safety. It is challenging to keep our furry family members safe during the holiday season.

HOLIDAY PLANTS AND GREENERY

Deck the Halls with boughs of holly – we enjoy making our homes festive by using fresh greens and flowering plants. Unfortunately many of the more popular holiday plants such as poinsettias, mistletoe, holly and amaryllis are either irritating or toxic to cats and dogs. A safer holiday plant is the Christmas cactus which is non toxic to cats and dogs.

And, of course, we can’t forget the traditional Christmas tree:
O Christmas Tree…..How lovely are your branches……. Yes, lovely to look at but pine needles are mildly toxic and can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach. They are not easily digested and can cause GI problems and vomiting. More toxic, however, is the standing water in the tree stand. It contains fertilizers and probably harbors mold and bacteria – a few sips can cause your pet to become extremely sick. Keep the tree stand covered so your pets can’t drink the tree water.

Remember that eating or ingesting any plant material can cause vomiting and other reactions in your pets even if it not considered toxic.

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

• Tinsel is so pretty at night when the lights are turned on but if ingested by pets can cause blockages in their intestinal tract. Tinsel, lights and breakable ornaments should not be placed on the lower branches of Christmas trees.
• Burning candles are beautiful and add ambiance to our holiday atmosphere but should be placed well out of reach of pets such as on a high shelf or mantel. Instead of real candles consider using reusable flameless candles.
• Snow globes and bubble lights may contain poison chemicals such as antifreeze.
• Wrapping items such as string, ribbon, yarn can cause serious problems if swallowed by pets.

HOLIDAY FOODS

For many people, chocolate is an important “food” for the holidays. It is, however, toxic to dogs and cats. Grapes and raisins, and currants can result in kidney failure in dogs. The artificial sweetener, xylitol, is present in some gums, breath mints, candy, and other human food and is very toxic to dogs. Turkey and turkey skin, and table scraps can be especially difficult for pets to digest and may cause pancreatitis.

It is important to put food preparation items and leftover food away immediately – dogs have a keen sense of smell; the smells coming from leftovers and the trash can are tempting to our pets. Foil, plastic wrap, bags can cause choking or intestinal obstruction if ingested by our pets. Turkey carcasses make excellent soup broth but the bones can splinter and puncture their digestive tract.

Keep the holidays safe for your furry family and friends by being careful of potential problems and hazards.

Wishing you a joyful and safe holiday season!

Two excellent resources:
http://aspcapro.org/resource/shelter-health-poison-control/holiday-safety-tips-pet-owners
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/seasons/winter-holiday-pet-poison-tips/

We’re halfway through the 2^nd hottest month in Las Vegas with an average temperature of 103. Of course, July outshines August with an average temperature of 106. It’s still HOT and keeping our pets hydrated is still a challenge.

Here are a few ideas for adding some cool treats for your dog.

Watermelon Dog Treats are very easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 Cups seedless Watermelon
1 Cup Coconut Water*
Optional: you can add 1/4 cup honey or blackstrap molasses

Blend the ingredients together to make a liquid. Pour the liquid into some ice cube trays and freeze. Note: if you use the silicone bone or paw print molds you must use a cookie tray or something solid to be able to pour the liquid into the molds and then to place in the freezer. Otherwise, you’ll have a sticky mess on your counter, floor or freezer.

*Coconut water is naturally refreshing and contains easily digested carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:
1 Cup ripe bananas
8 ounces yogurt
1/3 Cup peanut butter**

Blend ingredients together. Pour mixture into ice cube trays, plastic or paper cups, or freezer molds and place into freezer.

**Peanut butter – it is best to use unsalted and unsweetened AND check the label to make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol.  Xylitol is toxic to dogs.

These treats are safe for humans also. Personally I like the watermelon treats. I don’t like coconut water alone but combined with the watermelon it is tasty and refreshing.

The ingredients in these recipes are considered safe for dogs. Remember though that these are treats and need to be offered carefully. It is always best to add just one or two new items at a time in case your dog has an adverse reaction to them. If your dog has any medical condition please check with your veterinarian about offering these frozen treats to them.

Stay cool with these cool frozen treats!

Exciting news from the U.S. Postal Service – issue date for the Pets Forever stamps is August 2.

To mark the first day of the program the USPS is holding an event on August 2 at the World Pet Association’s Superzoo convention in Las Vegas.

This series celebrates the animals in our lives that bring joy, companionship, and love.

The stamp art for this series features 20 photographs by Eric Isselée. Included are: puppies, betta fish, iguanas, hamsters, goldfish, parrots, guinea pigs, tortoises, rabbits, kittens, corn snakes, mice, hermit crabs, chinchillas, gerbils, dogs, parakeets, horses, cats and geckos. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps and was inspired by her lifelong love of animals.

Responsible pet ownership is part of this program – for more information about this series:

https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=0&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=forever-stamps&productId=S_680704

www.facebook.com/USPSStamps/

In April Banfield Pet Hospital ® released a comprehensive pet health report comprised of medical data from 2.5 million dogs and nearly 500,000 cats. The State of Pet Health^® 2016 Report, analyzes data from 3 million total pets cared for in 2015 in Banfield’s 925 hospitals spanning 43 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

This report was created to help educate pet owners and raise profession-wide awareness for some of the most common and important diagnoses affecting the health of pets in the United States.

Findings pertaining to Nevada:

Diabetes mellitus: Nevada is listed as one of the five states showing the greatest prevalence of diabetes in dogs in 2015. The report suggests that diabetes is rising in pets. Canine diabetes has increased by 79.9 percent since 2006, while the prevalence of diabetes in cats has increased by 18.1 percent over the same time frame. Modifications to the diet can play a major role in the treatment and management of this disease.

Heartworm disease: This is a very serious yet preventable condition affecting pets and can be fatal. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause permanent damage to the lungs and heart before a pet shows any symptoms. Nevada is the state with the lowest prevalence of heartworm disease.

Dental disease: One of the most common disorders among cats and dogs affecting 68 percent of cats and 76 percent of dogs under the age of three. It increases to 88 percent of cats and 93 percent of dogs over the age of three. Nevada was listed as one of the states with the greatest prevalence of dental disease in both cats and dogs.

Other diseases and categories discussed were Otitis externa (ear infection), fleas and ticks, and Internal parasites,

For more information about this interesting and informative study:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/banfield-pet-hospital-releases-state-of-pet-health-2016-report-highlights-10-year-trends-for-common-diseases-300255151.html

For the full State of Pet Health 2016 Report, please visit http://www.banfield.com/state-of-pet-health

In January 2016 they began tracking and collecting information about incidents of animal cruelty. This will improve the way crimes against animals are tracked nationally and could help strengthen state animal cruelty laws.

Another important aspect is developing the possible link between animal abuse/cruelty and violent crimes against people. There is evidence that many criminals abuse animals before they abuse people. Reporting, tracking and analyzing data can help police identify future violent criminals.

“With this information, law enforcement and victim services would be able to better target their intervention efforts with respect to both animal cruelty and those crimes for which animal cruelty serves as a marker,” said Dr. Mary Lou Randour of the Animal Welfare Institute, which worked closely with the National Sheriffs’ Association to advance their cause. “Identifying and analyzing animal cruelty crimes would provide an important tool for law enforcement.”

The National Sheriffs’ Association’s John Thompson urged people to shed the mindset that animal cruelty is a crime only against animals. “It’s a crime against society,” he said, urging all law enforcement agencies to participate in NIBRS. “By paying attention to [these crimes], we are benefiting all of society.”

www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2016/february/tracking-animal-cruelty

The official definition of animal cruelty according to the FBI is:
Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning, or abandonment. Included are instances of duty to provide care, e.g., shelter, food, water, care if sick or injured, transporting or confining an animal in a manner likely to cause injury or death; causing an animal to fight with another; inflicting excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering, e.g., uses objects to beat or injure an animal. This definition does not include proper maintenance of animals for show or sport; use of animals for food, lawful hunting, fishing or trapping.