Sunday, December 23, 2007
Wrap pets in protection this holiday season
Paws & Claws
Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.
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What hints can you give to us first time pet owners about keeping our new family members safe this Christmas? Our dog is now a year old but this is the first Christmas with us.
All holidays can be stressful for animals. While it is easy to overlook your pets during the general excitement, they still need to be kept safe.
It is important that you do not feed bones to your dog after your Christmas feast. Turkey, chicken and even ham bones are bones that your dog would love to chew. But small bones can be a choking hazard for pets or cause them to be ill and vomit. Bone splinters may penetrate the bowel, which could prove fatal.
If you do decide to feed them table scraps as a treat, make sure they are boneless and fed in limited quantities, as most scraps are very rich and can cause gastric upsets. Keep the trash in a secure area, away from temptation.
Keep plants away from pets: Mistletoe, poinsettias and Christmas trees can all cause problems. Mistletoe is poisonous to animals and should be kept out of reach. Some people fill the water container under the Christmas tree with chemicals to preserve the tree. These chemicals can make animals sick. In homes with pets, have the Christmas tree water as pure as possible.
Don’t leave pets outside for long periods. It’s fine to keep pets outside in nice weather, but in cold weather, pets shouldn’t be kept outside for long periods of time. Put them in a heated garage or basement. This is also a good idea when company comes and it will help keep your pets warm and less excited.
Don’t keep lit candles in a house with pets, especially with cats that crawl and jump on furniture and windowsills. Candles look nice, but they can easily be knocked over, causing a fire.
Keep pets out of the kitchen while cooking. It is all too easy to have serious accidents when handling hot and heavy dishes. Hot fat splatters or boiling water can scald both cats and dogs. All pets are inquisitive and want to know what is going on with all the delicious smells.
Make sure that there is a guard round any open fire, as red-hot embers can cause serious burns. Dogs and cats, especially those with thick fur, have a tendency to get far too close to the fire and singe their fur and sometimes even suffer mild burns.
* * * * *
I am allergic to cats. A Maine coon cat lives in the downstairs apartment. I have wiped out the air vents and try to vacuum often. I wash my hands after petting BC. He is not allowed in my apartment, however. I’ve noticed the smell of BC in my apartment. Any tips on allergy proofing my apartment? I will buy a new filter for my room-sized hepa air cleaner, but don’t have the energy to deal with another move. Any tips you can offer, such as carpet treatment stuff?
In cases of severe allergies it is wise to consult your doctor about medications that can help. As your apartment smells of cat, it is possible that BC or a previous cat marked the floors and walls with its urine before you moved in.
I suggest you rent a black light from a local carpet cleaning company or rental store. This ultra-violet light will show you exactly where the stains are. These sites can then be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner such as “Urine-B-Gone” or “Zero Odor.”
Wiping out the air vents with a dilute mixture of vinegar and water will help. Do not use ammonia-based products as these have a urine-like odor.
Avoid contact with BC, as it is the protein in a cat’s saliva that causes your allergies as well as the dander. These substances can be transferred to your clothes as well as your hands.
All holidays can be stressful for animals. While it is easy to overlook your pets during the general excitement, they still need to be kept safe.
It is important that you do not feed bones to your dog after your Christmas feast. Turkey, chicken and even ham bones are bones that your dog would love to chew. But small bones can be a choking hazard for pets or cause them to be ill and vomit. Bone splinters may penetrate the bowel, which could prove fatal.
If you do decide to feed them table scraps as a treat, make sure they are boneless and fed in limited quantities, as most scraps are very rich and can cause gastric upsets. Keep the trash in a secure area, away from temptation.
Keep plants away from pets: Mistletoe, poinsettias and Christmas trees can all cause problems. Mistletoe is poisonous to animals and should be kept out of reach. Some people fill the water container under the Christmas tree with chemicals to preserve the tree. These chemicals can make animals sick. In homes with pets, have the Christmas tree water as pure as possible.
Don’t leave pets outside for long periods. It’s fine to keep pets outside in nice weather, but in cold weather, pets shouldn’t be kept outside for long periods of time. Put them in a heated garage or basement. This is also a good idea when company comes and it will help keep your pets warm and less excited.
Don’t keep lit candles in a house with pets, especially with cats that crawl and jump on furniture and windowsills. Candles look nice, but they can easily be knocked over, causing a fire.
Keep pets out of the kitchen while cooking. It is all too easy to have serious accidents when handling hot and heavy dishes. Hot fat splatters or boiling water can scald both cats and dogs. All pets are inquisitive and want to know what is going on with all the delicious smells.
Make sure that there is a guard round any open fire, as red-hot embers can cause serious burns. Dogs and cats, especially those with thick fur, have a tendency to get far too close to the fire and singe their fur and sometimes even suffer mild burns.
* * * * *
I am allergic to cats. A Maine coon cat lives in the downstairs apartment. I have wiped out the air vents and try to vacuum often. I wash my hands after petting BC. He is not allowed in my apartment, however. I’ve noticed the smell of BC in my apartment. Any tips on allergy proofing my apartment? I will buy a new filter for my room-sized hepa air cleaner, but don’t have the energy to deal with another move. Any tips you can offer, such as carpet treatment stuff?
In cases of severe allergies it is wise to consult your doctor about medications that can help. As your apartment smells of cat, it is possible that BC or a previous cat marked the floors and walls with its urine before you moved in.
I suggest you rent a black light from a local carpet cleaning company or rental store. This ultra-violet light will show you exactly where the stains are. These sites can then be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner such as “Urine-B-Gone” or “Zero Odor.”
Wiping out the air vents with a dilute mixture of vinegar and water will help. Do not use ammonia-based products as these have a urine-like odor.
Avoid contact with BC, as it is the protein in a cat’s saliva that causes your allergies as well as the dander. These substances can be transferred to your clothes as well as your hands.
