Summer Hazards For Pets

Hooray for Summer! But the bright, sunny days of summer can also bring with them potential problems for your pets.  Below is a list of various summer-time hazards to which your pet may be exposed and their relative toxicities.

*Please remember that regardless of toxicity level you should always contact your veterinarian if your pet ingests any of the following substances.

Low toxicity:
-Glow jewelry
-Most N-P-K fertilizers
-Plain Bone meal
-Mosquito coils or Dunks
-Charcoal briquettes
-Termite stakes, ant baits, yard insecticides, and roach baits

Moderate toxicity:
-Charcoal lighter fluids
-Moldy items from trash
-Yard or compost pile
-Diazinon or chlorpyrifos granules
-DEET-containing insect repellants
-Citronella lamps/torches
-Some Spring blooming bulbs

High toxicity:

-Pool chemicals
-Metaldehyde
-Zinc phosphide
-Methomyl
-Disulfoton
-Rodenticides

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10 Steps To Help Prevent Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonosis
Definition: Any infectious disease that can be passed from non-human animals to humans.

Zoonotic... even the word sounds scary. And when combined with names like rabies, lyme or salmonella it almost always elicits a reaction.  Luckily zoonotic diseases don't have to be as scary as they sound as long as we follow a few simple safety guidelines. 

Curious to find out what the top 10 ways to prevent zoonotic diseases are? Hit the jump to find out.

1. Schedule annual veterinary visits for your pet, which should include fecal examinations.
2. Keep your pet on year-round monthly parasite prevention, as recommended by your veterinarian.
3. Keep pets indoors or supervised to discourage hunting, and do not feed pets raw or undercooked meals.
4. Wash your hands frequently, especially after handling animals and working outdoors.  Be sure your children wash their hands after playing outside.
5. Wash any wounds, even small nicks and cuts, promptly and thoroughly.
6. Clean cats' litter boxes daily, wearing gloves, and always wash your hands immediately afterwards.  (Though if you're pregnant, you should avoid cleaning litter boxes altogether.  Have someone else do it for you.)
7. Avoid approaching, touching or handling stray animals.
8. Cover children's sandboxes when they're not in use.
9. Always wear gloves when gardening.
10. Protect yourself from ticks by covering your body with a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and a hat.  Check for ticks after hiking, playing or working in tick-infested environments.  Also consider using repellants.
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This week is National Pet Week.

Help us celebrate the special bonds we share with our pets by leaving us a comment about what you love most about YOUR pets!

To find out more about National Pet Week visit PetWeek.org.
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Lyme Prevalence In Chester County

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Spring Hazards for Pets

Spring is a time of year we all look forward to. The weather gets warmer, flowers start to bloom and we are invigorated with new life.  Some common activities at this time of year may include spring cleaning, planting, opening swimming pools, de-winterizing campers or cabins, Easter celebrations, and cook outs. While a lot of fun, these activities can also bring with them some potential problems for your pets.  Below is a list of various spring-time hazards to which your pet may be exposed and their relative toxicities.

*Please remember that regardless of toxicity level you should always contact your veterinarian if your pet ingests any of the following substances.

Low toxicity:
-N-P-K fertilizers
(no added insecticide or herbicide; iron level < 1%)

-Herbicides containing glyphosate

-Bone meal
(with no added insecticide or herbicide)

-Charcoal briquettes
(unused, no added lighter fluids)

Moderate toxicity:
-Spring blooming bulbs

-Chocolate

High toxicity:
-Pool chemicals

-Easter lilies (cats)

-Antifreeze

-Disulfoton (disyston) containing systemic insecticides


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