Humane Society of Charles County Pet Care Tips

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Humane Society of Charles County, Maryland

P.O. Box 1015 Waldorf, MD 20604-1015
Phone: 301 645-8181

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Pet Care Tips

" Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace. " Albert Schweitzer

Click on the underlined text below to navigate to the pet care information you need. These tips are not meant to substitute for professional veterinary care or common sense. We hope that they will provide assistance in your quest for information.

Pets in Parked Cars (advice from the Humane Society of the United States)

Leaving your pet in a parked car can be a deadly mistake. On a warm day, the temperature in a parked car can reach 180 degrees in a matter of minutes, even with partially opened windows. With only hot air to breathe, your pet can quickly suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke.

Signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid pulse, dizziness, vomiting, deep red or purple tongue.

If your pet gets overheated, you must lower his body temperature immediately!

Get him into the shade and apply cool (not cold) water all over his body
Apply ice packs or cold towels only to head, neck, and chest
Let him drink small amounts of cool water, or lick ice cubes or ice cream
get your pet to a veterinarian right away- it could save his life!

On hot days, your pet is safer at home!

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Pets and Antifreeze

Conventional antifreeze is a danger to your pet. Once ingested, ethylene glycol antifreeze changes into a crystalline substance that will attack the kidneys. You must act immediately if your pet ingests it...get your pet to a veterinarian.

treatment can consist of inducing vomiting. Alcohol administered intravenously can help prevent the ethylene glycol from being converted to the substance that attacks the kidneys. Its unfortunate, but many pets do not survive antifreeze poisoning. The best antidote is PREVENTION.Use these tips:

Keep antifreeze and other vehicle related substances closed up where a pet cannot get to them
Wipe up and wash away spills. Keep your pet indoors or tied up when changing antifreeze
Keep antifreeze in its original container. Seal it before disposal, and label it clearly
If you can, take used antifreeze to a recycling center
Make sure your car's cooling system does not leak
If your pet roams free and returns home covered in an unknown substance, bathe them (its best to keep them in the home or in a fenced yard)
When practical, use a safer antifreeze (propylene glycol...less toxic)

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Summer Pet Care Tips

Summer demands a few areas of extra caution. Heat related problems can occur if you ignore your pet's needs. Here are a few tips to help you safely through the hot summer months:

Never leave your dog unattended in direct sunlight or in a closed vehicle. Heatstroke can occur and lead to brain damage or death
Always make sure your pet has access to fresh water
try to avoid strenuous exercise with your pet on extremely hot days and refrain from physical activity when the sun's heat is most intense
Pets can sunburn, especially short haired pets and pets with pink skin and white hair...keep them out of the sun for prolonged periods
Apply sunblock to ears and nose thirty minutes before going outside in the sun
If your pet is out of shape, don't encourage them to run in soft soil (such as a sandy beach). This is strenuous exercise.

On the 4th of July, keep pets away from fireworks displays. Some pets will bolt and run away due to the load noises or large crowds. Back to the top

Winter Pet Care Tips

Its never to late to "winterize" your pet to help prevent illness and make them more comfortable during the cold months. Here are a few tips that may help:

Just like people, pets need to have a warm, dry area to sleep, without drafts. Put a little more insulation under your pet's bed, or even raise it off the floor if you can.
If your pet stays outside for moderate or long periods, extra calories may be required in their diet to help their body stay warm on cold days.
Bring your pet inside on especially cold days, or if the weather turns bad and they have to deal with cold winds, rain, or snow.
Outdoor pets should have a dry and insulated pet shelter.
If your pet gets wet or has snow, ice or frozen mud caked on its paws, get rid of it immediately. Pets can get frostbitten, so look for skin that turns reddish, white or gray, or even looks like it is scaling or sloughing.
Before you start your vehicle, bang on the hood or honk the horn. Small pets sometimes find a warm engine a nice place to take a nap and put themselves unwittingly in danger by taking shelter in your engine compartment or elsewhere under you vehicle.
Pets will drink anti-freeze! Anti-freeze is useful and necessary, but even a little can kill your pet. Make sure any containers are closed and stored away from areas your pet can get to.
We decorate our homes with beautiful plants during the cold months, some of which are toxic to pets. Keep Christmas Rose, holly, mistletoe, philodendron, and dieffenbachia away from your pets! If they chew parts of these plants, they can become sick, or even die.
Believe it or not, the Holiday months bring potential problems, but can be easily worked around if we use common sense. Watch those Christmas light electrical cords and don't let your pets chew them! Also, keep tinsel, plastic wrap, foil wrap, and sharp ornaments out of reach. Never put ribbons or string around your pet's neck!
Don't feed your pet your treats...no chocolate! Be very careful with bones!
As always, make sure your pet has plenty of water to drink. Water is as essential during the cold months as it is during the summer when its hot!

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Housebreaking your Dog

Start by thinking positively! To housebreak a dog is to teach a dog to relieve himself outside...not to teach him that you get angry when he does it inside. The best time to start is when he is about 3 months old. Before that,you may be wasting your energy because a dog any younger usually cannot control his functions.

Believe it or not, a puppy's bodily functions are fairly predictable. He feels the urge to eliminate when he wakes up, after he eats, and after he plays. If you schedule these activities, you'll have a good idea when to take him outside. Take him for a walk first thing in the morning without an outdoor play period (he should begin to understand that there is only one reason he should be outside). When he does what you took him out to do, praise him lavishly, and get him back into the house quickly! Take him for walks after each meal (a puppy should eat about 3 times a day). This will begin to train the puppy's body to operate on a known schedule. Don't leave food out to nibble on. Stick to a schedule.

When you cannot be with the puppy, keep him confined. No dog will willingly soil his own sleeping quarters. If he starts acting nervous, whines, or starts sniffing around, assume he needs to go out.

If a puppy makes a mistake to which no one was a witness, there's just one course of action. Clean it up (use a pet odor neutralizer to prevent the same mistake). If you grab him by the scruff of the neck and rub his face in it, all you will accomplish is to make the puppy fear you. If you see the dog begin to act incorrectly, you must act quickly. Say " No! " sharply and loudly enough to take his mind off what he was about to do. Then sweep him up and take him outdoors! When he finishes outdoors, praise him!

Paper training is not a preliminary step to housebreaking. It is an entirely different kind of training. You'll want to cover the dog's confinement area indoors with paper. but don't encourage substituting them for a trip outside. treat an impending accident on the paper the same as you would any other place. Otherwise, the dog will learn that the paper is a suitable alternative to going outdoors. If you dog will spend his life indoors, then there is no alternative...he must be paper trained. The training technique is the same for going outdoors, except the trip to the paper takes the place of a trip out the door.

You should notice marked improvement in your dog's ability to control himself in about a week. Within three weeks, even the most backward pup should understand what is expected and may even whine and scratch at the door to be let out. If you seem to be getting nowhere after a month's training, talk to a veterinarian. Your puppy may have physiological problems or an illness that makes him incapable of controlling himself.

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Kitten Care Checklist
If you need some advice on caring for your kitten or your adult cat, try these tips

Feeding: Feed your kitten 3-4 times daily and your adult cat 1-2 times daily. Use only commercial brand-name cat food formulated for your pet's age. Your veterinarian can assist you with your pet's proper diet. No table scraps, dog food, bones, milk (causes diarrhea which causes dehydration) or raw fish (destroys vitamin B1). Fresh water should be available at all times.
House training: Show your kitten or cat where the litter box is located-its mother has probably already taught it how to use the box. Keep it clean by scooping out the waste daily and changing the litter every few days. Use only mild detergents to clean the box. Keep the litter box in an area separate from the food and water dishes.
Grooming: Coat: Frequent and regular brushing will prevent a heavy ingestion of hair, which causes hair balls.
Nails: trim nails every 2-3 weeks to keep them from getting too sharp. Ask your vet to show you how. Providing your kitten or cat with a scratching post will save your drapes and furniture.
Teeth: Wipe your pet's teeth every couple of weeks with cotton, gauze, or a child's toothbrush soaked in baking soda. This will prevent a buildup of tartar.
transporting: Always transport your kitten or cat in a pet carrier for its safety and security. Your pet will also be much happier in an enclosed container.
Safe Toys: Paper bags, shoe boxes, catnip toys, and rubber balls (large enough so your pet can't swallow them) are safe. No small, sharp objects, string or yarn.
Collar and I.D. Tag: Protect your kitten or cat with a current identification tag and collar. Make sure that the collar is not too loose or too tight (you should be able to slip 2 fingers under the collar while the pet is wearing it. Change the collar as the kitten grows.
Bed: Provide your kitten or cat with its own bed, away from heavy traffic areas (like the kitchen). Remember, kittens need sleep during the day as well as night.
Protection and Supervision: A kitten needs almost constant supervision for its safety and for proper socialization to people. An adult cat requires much less supervision. Keep household cleaners, electrical cords and fragile objects safely away from your pet. Also, many plants such as " Dumbcane " and " Poinsettia " are poisonous to pets.
Safety: Keep your kitten and adult cat indoors where it will be safe from countless outside dangers. Toys and attention will keep your indoor cat stimulated and happy. Screen all windows- cats really can fall from ledges or balconies and be seriously injured or even killed.
Veterinary Care: A kitten needs to visit the vet several times in its first year for innoculations. In addition, kittens and cats should be checked annually for internal parasites such as worms). An adult cat needs to visit the vet once a year for a rabies vaccination and a physical exam.
For more detailed information on kitten and cat care, visit your local library or bookstore, or ask your veterinarian.

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Spaying and Neutering
Here are some tips that will make sense when you are thinking of spaying or neutering a pet

Spayed and neutered pets are better, more affectionate companions
Spaying a female dog or cat eliminates its heat cycle. The heat cycle lasts an average of 6 to 12 days, usually twice a year in dogs, and an average of 6 to 7 days three or more times a year in cats. Females in heat can whine or cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals.
Spayed and neutered pets are less likely to bite. Unaltered animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than do those that have been spayed or neutered
Neutered males are less likely to roam the neighborhood, run away, or get into fights.
Your pet will be healthier. Neutered females are less apt to develop breast cancer and uterine infections. Males will be less likely to suffer prostrate gland problems.
You will not have to deal with spraying or staining. Female dogs experience a flow of blood as part of the reproductive process. Unless you are prepared to diaper your pet (and can anticipate the timing) or accept staining of your rugs and furniture, you will want to spay your pet and eliminate this problem. Unneutered male cats mark territory by spraying objects in or out of the house with strong smelling urine. If neutered before they are a year old, cats rarely develop this problem.
You will not have to find homes for offspring
There aren't enough good homes for the dogs and cats we have, and more are born every day. Each year, an average of 15 million pet animals are turned in to municipal and private animal shelters. Only 25% to 30% of these animals are reclaimed by their owners or placed in new, adoptive homes. The rest, some 11 million dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens must be put to death because no one wants them. The best way to reduce the number of pets that must be destroyed is to have our pets neutered.
You help all animals by neutering!

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Illnesses

We'll be adding to this area!
Below are some things you should be aware of and take precautions against (like vaccinations!)as you raise your pet. Always consult a veterinarian for a complete and thorough diagnosis and safe treatment.

Kennel Cough	Dysplasia in Dogs	Ear Mites
Heartworms	Coccidia	Flea and Tick Bite Allergy
Rabies	Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis	Distemper

Kennel Cough for Dogs: Kennel Cough, or infectious traceobronchitis, is a contagious upper-respiratory disease. It is transmitted by airborne virus, and often complicated by secondary infection. It is often caught in kennels or shelters. Dogs with kennel cough are usually bright and alert, do not have a fever, and are eating well. They have a dry, hacking cough often followed by gagging motions. If your dog has these symptoms, consult your veterinarian for treatment. Like a cold, it cannot be cured and must run its course. Antibiotics may be prescribed. Keep the dog away from other dogs, and make sure the dog is rested and warm. If there is fever and runny eyes, and if the dog is less active than normal, a more serious problem may be present.
Dysplasia for Dogs: Dysplasia is a condition usually occurring in large boned dogs, especially German Shepherds. It can occur at both the hips and elbows, but more commonly the hips. It results from the femur (leg bone) head failing to seat itself properly. Symptoms include an inability to run without pain, reluctance to rise from a sitting position and a swing gait. Animals with sever or minor conditions of dysplasia should not be bred. When in doubt, a veterinarian may require an x-ray.
Ear Mites: Ear mites are parasites that live in the ear canal causing irritation. Animals may frequently scratch or shake their heads. Ear mites cause excessive production of a substance called cerumen which results in the ear canal being filled with a hard brown mass. Mites can be seen with the use of an ocoscope and should be treated for an extended period of time to ensure eradication.
Heartworms: Heartworms are diagnosed by a blood test. Symptoms include exhaustion, heavy breathing, coughing, fatigue, and loss of weight. It is difficult and expensive to treat. It is not treatable if other organs, such as the liver, are already damaged. It occurs most commonly in dogs but can also occur in cats.
Coccidia : Coccidia is a parasite that can be diagnosed by a microscopic examination of the animal's stool. Symptoms range from mild to severe bloody diarrhea, which in turn causes weakness and depression, loss of appetite, and emaciation. It is treated with sulfa drugs.
Flea and Tick Bite Allergy : Your pet can suffer an allergic reaction to flea and tick bites. Symptoms include the obvious scratching as well as digging at the skin causing rawness and bleeding. Usually fleas will be seen when the hair is parted. Occasionally, only a few fleas can cause the same problems. The animal should be examined by a veterinarian, and will need to be treated by bathing, dipping, and/or injections. If the animal is confined to a particular area in a house or a shed, the structure should be examined for flea or tick infestation. Care should be taken to use proper flea or tick dip for the kind of animal and its age.
Rabies : Rabies is a severe viral disease that affects an animal's central nervous system. It can be spread via the infected animal's saliva, as from a bite or even a break in the skin. Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies...its the law. If rabies is contracted, there is no cure once the symptoms appear.
If there is even the remotest chance your pet has been bitten by a rabid animal, take it to a veterinarian immediately. If your pet's rabies vaccination is up to date, a booster will be given. If the vaccination is not up to date, your pet may be quarantined and observed for up to 6 months. If signs of the disease appear, the animal must be euthanized...a good reason to keep your pet's rabies vaccinations updated!
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis :This disease accounts for about 40% of respiratory diseases in cats. The good news is that cats can be vaccinated against it. Cats of all ages can contract the disease, however, it is most serious in young kittens. Symptoms can include moderate fever, discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing, and salivation. A cat that recovers will become a carrier, and can shed the virus during periods of stress.
Distemper : In cats, this disease primarily affects the young. This virus is widespread, and exposure is considered common. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, depression, diarrhea, and dehydration. Vaccination is available.

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