Summer Pet Safety
 

Dr. Becky Marks, DVM
 

Timberland Animal clinic
 

This week I was up early. Through the screened window I heard birds

begin to chirp and the sun was rising and I came to the realization

that summer has arrived. Now our activities shift outdoors. The animals

are more involved in our activities, too. Consider exposure to summer

elements such as heat, poisons and insects.
 

Every year it happens that a dog dies from heat stroke. Maybe not

from sitting in a sun baked car in a parking lot but by taking the

first long hike of the summer season. If you do not regularly exercise

your dog don't expect him to hold back when the irresistible urges

to sniff and trail are offered to him. They cant pant fast enough

to keep cool and then collapse. Last year a 10 year old dog had been

given the run of the beach. He collapsed and the owner carried his

70 pound dog over a mile back to the car. Not a good situation. Older

dogs with silent heart disease often injure the heart seriously when

overheated.
 

Several poisons are made available to our pets. Snail bait is sweet

and luring for all animals. The product metaldehyde causes severe

seizures and can permanently damage the brain and liver. Ant killers

can be a serious insecticide poisoning causing vomiting, diarrhea,

breathing problems and ultimately liver damage. If your pet becomes

affected save the container to bring to the animal clinic. Lastly,

Salmon poisoning is a more organic poisoning. Dogs that go fishing

or wait for scraps can become very ill from smoked trout, bass or

salmon or just raw blood from the organism found in the fish blood.

Dogs become sick a week or so later with high fever, vomiting, diarrhea

and depression. Just a little drop of blood can start the illness.

All of these poisons can be fatal.
 

El Nino has been blamed for everything. This year the word is the

insect populations will be very high. Spiders and bees can cause allergic

reactions which cause severe facial swelling or hives. In severe cases

the animals are unrecognizable. Have your pet examined immediately! Mosquitoes

are responsible for spreading heartworm disease in dogs (cats rarely). The

disease is easily tested and prevented but infected animals can silently

carry and spread the disease which makes it very dangerous. Ultimately

heartworms cause heart and liver failure. Ticks are more prevalent

on the coast and in the mountains. One client reported ticks on Mt

Tabor this season. Most of you know that certain ticks carry Lymes

disease. Often the disease is initially over looked and mistaken for

a mild illness but leads to a fatal crippling arthritic disease. Tick

bites can go unnoticed. But excellent products to kill ticks and a

vaccine in dogs can aid against Lymes disease.
 

Finally, fleas are not just pests that cause scratching and skin problems

but they too carry parasites. For example, the common tapeworms starts

its life cycle in the belly of a flea. Another less known parasite

causes Feline Infectious Anemia. The tiny organism attaches to the

cats red blood cells and destroys them; hardly a desirable effect. Again

excellent flea products are available to prevent infection. Many wildlife

creatures such as squirrels, rabbits and raccoons make parasite control

more difficult.
 
 
 
 
 

Hopefully your pet will have an uneventful summer. The precautions

against heat, poisons and insects should be carefully considered. Prevention

is the key! EC
 

Dr. Becky Marks is co-owner of Timberland Animal Clinic, 17641 S.E.

Stark. Phone: 255-9766.