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THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION
SEPT/OCT/NOV 2015
20 Years Emergency Veterinary Medicine Behind Us. ANIMAL PAWS Please call for FREE consultation. Last minute bookings for existing clients. (no late fee) BONDED & INSURED Nominated by National Animal Pet Sitting Association for 2015 for one of the Best Pet Sitting Services in the Nation. PETS ENJOY BEING HOME! Pet Sitting, LLC 13 Years of Loving Professional Pet Sitting Experience Cell 908-963-0311 email: michele@animalpaws.net animalpaws.org Vacations, daily dog walking, overnight stays, client education on animal care. We do transporta- tion, give insulin injections, SQ fluids, dog hikes.“Spot It”
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theconnectionsnj.com AUTUMN TIPS By: Michele Patanio, Animal Paws Pet Sitting LLC 908-963-0311 animalpaws.net There’s nothing like crisp, cool air, the first months of school and luscious foliage to get you excited for the changing seasons. Your pet, too, is probably welcoming the break from hot, sticky weather. But pet parents, beware – fall is also a time of lurking dangers for our furry friends. From household poisons to cold weather hazards, the season is a minefield! Here are some tips to keep your pet snug and healthy during the autumn months. • The use of rodenticides increases in the fall as rodents seek shelter from the cooler temperatures by attempt- ing to move indoors. Rodenticides are highly toxic to pets – if ingested, the results could be fatal. If you must use these products, do so with extreme caution and put them in places inaccessible to your pets. • It’s back-to-school time, and those of you with young children know that means stocking up on fun items like glue sticks, pencils and magic markers. These items are considered “low toxicity” to pets, which means they’re unlikely to cause serious problems unless large amounts are ingested. However, since gastroin- testinal upset and blockages certain- ly are possible, be sure your children keep their school supplies out of paw’s reach. • Training tip: If you and your pooch haven’t been active outdoors in a while because of the summer heat, do some remedial recall training. Dogs, like people, get rusty on their skills if they are n ’t using them. • Fall and spring and are mushroom seasons. While 99% of mushrooms have little or no toxicity, the 1% that are highly toxic can cause life-threat- ening problems in pets. Unfortunate- ly, most of the highly toxic mush- rooms are difficult to distinguish from the nontoxic ones, so the best way to keep pets from ingesting poisonous mushrooms is to keep them away from areas where any mushrooms are growing. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you witness your pet eating a wild mushroom. • In order to generate body heat, pets who exercise heavily outdoors, or who live outdoors, should be given more food during colder seasons. • Autumn is the season when snakes who are preparing for hibernation may be particularly “grumpy,” increasing the possibility of severe bites to those unlucky pups who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pet owners should know what kinds of ven- omous snakes may be in their envi- ronment – and where these snakes are most likely to be found – so they can keep pets out of those areas. • Many people choose fall as the time to change their car’s engine co o lant. Ethylene glycol-based coolants are highly toxic, so spills should be cleaned up immediately. Consider switching to propylene glycol-based coolants – though they aren’t com- pletely nontoxic, they are much less toxic than other engine coolants. As always call your veterinarian for questions or help. He or she is your best bet! Hi! Glad Fall is coming and we are done with hot, humid weather! Not my favorite time of year. Fall is best for me. Enjoy this beautiful time of year with all your 4 footed ones! www.theconnectionsnj.com