Summer Tips

Living in Southeast Texas is not without its quirks. Most quirky of all is the weather; one minute it's 95° outside - bright sunshine and all, and the next minute there's a torrential downpour complete with thunder and lightning. During these months it is most crucial to keep your pet's health and comfort in mind.

MIND THE HEAT - Whether you think your pet will be outside for a few minutes or a few hours, the heat can do BIG damage, and quickly too. Heat stroke can lead to organ failure and death. Brachycephalic pet breeds (dog and cat breeds with flat faces and extremely short or indentend noses) are most at risk. Signs of heat stroke include:

Excessive panting
Difficulty breathing
Drooling and/or vomiting
Weakness
Collapsing

As with any potential emergency, call our office for instructions - you will likely be instructed to come in immediately, but there may be some things you can do to slowly lower your pet's internal temperature on the way to our office.

SHADE AND WATER - Make sure every pet you own has access to both shade and fresh water. Stagnant water can contain bacteria and organisms which can make your pet sick, so make sure you provide them with clean water as often as needed.

TRAVELING - Whether your 140-pound Great Dane wants to ride in the bed of your black pick-up truck, or your 4-pound Chihuahua gets to fly with you to your summer trip in Miami, there are certain precautions you should take.

Vehicle trips: Use common sense. If it hurts your bare feet to stand in the bed of a truck on a hot summer day, it will hurt your dog's paws as well. It is always safer for your pet to travel inside the vehicle as long as there's room. If your pet is too big to fit inside the vehicle, there are ventillated dog crates big enough to fit in the bed of a truck that will both keep your pet in shade, keep your pets paws from being burnt, and keep your pet contained so it won't be tempted to jump from a moving vehicle. For smaller pets that can ride inside the vehicle, make sure they are secured so they don't cause a wreck. Cats especially don't travel well when they're loose in a vehicle - imagine if your cat decided the only safe place in the moving car was to cower underneath the brake and gas pedals!! Our office can assist you in traveling recommendations for the safety of you and your pet.
Plane trips: Depending on where you travel to, you may be in need of a health certificate to show that your pet is current on the necessary vaccinations. Check with your airline to see what is required. Health certificates can be done by our veterinarians during office hours.

PARASITE PREVENTION - Namely heartworms. Heartworms, fleas, ticks and intestinal parasites run rampant during these hot summer months. It is imperative to keep dogs and cats on heartworm and flea prevention year round in Southeast Texas. Some parasites, like ticks, thrive in tall grass and dead leaf litter, just waiting for an unsuspecting pet to walk by. When the weather is accomodating enough for families to take their pets on outdoor adventures like hiking, hunting, or enjoying a weekend at the cabin on the river, pets are exposed to these greedy parasites. Parasite infestation can cause discomfort, vomiting/diarrhea, anemia, diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease, and even death. Make sure your furry family member is protected.

VACCINATING - Weather plays a pivotal role in our pet's immune system when it comes to viral infections. The first "spring showers" of the year often bring in a flood of Parvovirus, Distemper virus, and Canine Influenza exposures. By keeping your pet vaccinated accordingly, you reduce the risk of a fatal infection.
Also, we often expose our pets to viruses unintentionally when we take them to uncontrolled environments where pets mingle. (Think dog-friendly parks or pet stores.) Yes, it may be cute to bring your new 8-week-old puppy to (insert well-known pet store here), but who knows what infectious diseases that other pets have carried into the environment? If another pet owner brings their sick pet in, your new puppy may pick up a viral infection from the traces left behind by the sick pet. Make sure you don't over-expose a young or (yet) unvaccinated pet. Take the precaution of waiting until they are fully vaccinated before you expose them. Our veterinarians and staff can help decide which vaccinations your pet would benefit from.

PROPER IDENTIFICATION - Too many times, a frantic pet owner calls our office to report a lost pet. During the summer season when families are traveling and pets are spending more time outdoors, an increase in lost pets is inevitable. What can be done to help reunite a lost pet with it's owners?

ID tags, collars/harnesses with phone numbers on them.
MICROCHIPPING!!
Contact with all local veterinarians and shelters.
**To learn more about the many benefits of microchipping, visit HomeAgain's website or call our office.

HUMAN FOOD AND WHY IT'S DANGEROUS - And we don't just mean dangeous to our waistline! As humans, our bodies are used to digesting all the compounds found in our food. Dogs and cats have bodies developed differently than ours and cannot handle things that we can.

Even if Uncle Jim just chargrilled that t-bone steak to perfection and insists on giving your pet a portion of it, he may not know that it could cause pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas which is caused by bacteria that the pancreas cannot handle. It is potentially fatal in dogs and cats, and can be caused by any food that is not specifically for your pet. If you insist on giving your pet human treats, consult with one of our veterinarians to make sure it isn't potentially hazardous - but be advised that avoidance is the best measure of preventative!

Seasonal advice for the well-being of your pet available upon request at our office! Feel free to call or come by.

Abshier-Meuth Animal Hospital

Call us today!

281-383-3254

Pet Care You Can Trust.