Loving the Fur Babies on Love Your Pet Day

by Carol Grinage, volunteer contributor
 



Ladybird prefers crosswords.  

In honor of Love your Pet Day, Friday, February 20, we'd like to share with everyone our new partnership with an organization that enables us to give the fur babies in our lives love after a disaster too.

Let's face it. In spite of the fact that they're messy, noisy and sometimes mischievous (see photo evidence), pet owners wouldn't trade their 4-legged friends for anything. But when disasters strike, such as home fires, it's pets that are often left without help. What are people supposed to do when their pets need food? This is where Don’t Forget to Feed Me steps in.

On a daily basis, Don’t Forget to Feed Me is an organization that helps pet owners who cannot provide for their animals to receive food and supplies. But recently, their mission expanded when we teamed up together.

In January, Don’t Forget to Feed Me delivered 500 “Pet Comfort Kits” to the American Red Cross. The kits will be placed in disaster relief trucks. These kits contain a retractable food dish, pet food, leash, squeaky toy, and treats. When Red Cross workers respond to a home fire and the family also includes pets, volunteers will provide a Pet Comfort Kit to the owner. On average, Red Cross teams in DFW help five families every day.

For more than a century, American Red Cross workers have taken care of disaster victims by providing safe shelter, new clothing and groceries. Now, we can do even more. And our response volunteers already report what a big difference the kits make for pet owners, no longer worried about where fido or fluffy's next meal will come from either. On this Love Your Pet Day, we salute pet owners everywhere, and our newest partner, Don't Forget to Feed Me.

Show your Pet Day love by posting a photo of the creature in your life, and if you'd like, you can use hashtag #LoveYourPetDay.

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Practical Pet First Aid

by Cathryn Homier, volunteer contributor

You wouldn’t trade your furry friend for anything. I know I wouldn’t. Not even when I catch my dog snatching bites to eat from my dinner plate on the kitchen counter. Or when I’ve woken up, gasping for breath, because our cat has decided that the top of my chest is the best place to sleep for the night. 

I don’t know what my life would be like without my pets, so even the times when they’re getting in to trouble, I wouldn’t ever want to be without them. 

And it’s especially because I know they can get into trouble that I want to be prepared in case of an emergency. 

What is the right way to care for your cat if he’s just fallen down the stairs, and didn’t land on his feet? How will you know if your dog starts overheating after your regular morning walk? And what will you do if she does?

Join us for Pet First Aid Training at our
Fort Worth chapter Friday, August 2

Join the Red Cross DFW this Friday, August 2 to learn how to be prepared for emergencies that might involve your cat or dog. Our Cat and Dog First Aid presentation will teach you the prompt, effective first aid actions and care you need to know to protect yourself and an injured animal from further harm, injury or suffering during emergencies. 

All it takes is the wag in your dog’s tail or your cat purring in your lap to know that they love you for taking care of them. Reserve your spot today. After all, man’s best friend deserves the same first aid and emergency preparedness as man himself!

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Being Red Cross Ready For Your Pet: Making a First Aid Kit for your Dog or Cat

written by American Red Cross volunteer Tonya Solis-Mosby

Video c/o American Red Cross Greater New York

On a sunny, blue skyed day there are few greater places to be than outside with your pet. However, for many of us who took shelter in last week's tornado outbreak, our furry friends were also bunkered by our sides, proving their loyalty in good times and more uncertain ones. We've urged you before to remember to keep your family safe by preparing a disaster safety kit. Why not spread the love to all members of your family by including a Pet First Aid Kit in your safety pack?

In case of pet injuries or life-threatening accidents, are you prepared?


One of the first things to remember is, just as with people, the first few minutes after a catastrophe could mean the difference between life and death for a dog or cat. Pet owners should remember pet first aid is only the temporary leading to an immediate veterinary visit.

To get through those emergencies, pet owners should be equipped with a pet first aid kit. If you don’t have one packed, here are just a few items that might help in case of injuries:

1) A pair of gloves to help prevent the spread of germs (person-to-pet and pet-to-person).

2) Gauze for wrapping wounds or to muzzle an injured pet.

3) Nonstick bandages, towels or strips of clean cloth to control bleeding or to protect wounds.

4) Adhesive tape to secure the gauze wrap or bandage. Human adhesive bandages such as Band-Aids should not be used on pets.

In case of poisoning, pet owners might also add the following to the pet first aid kit:

1) Milk of magnesia/activated charcoal to absorb the poison.

2) Hydrogen peroxide (3%) to induce vomit (A very important reminder: contact a veterinarian or poison control before inducing vomiting).

Other items to include in your pet’s first aid kit:

1) A digital thermometer to check your pet’s temperature (rectally only).

2) An eyedropper or a large syringe (without a needle) to give oral treatments or to flush wounds.

3) A muzzle to prevent biting. (Remember to never muzzle a vomiting pet!)

4) A leash for easy transport.

5) A stretcher (can be made of a board, blanket or floor mat) to stabilize an injured pet.

While a pet first aid kit is great to have on hand, knowing exactly what to do for your pet in case of injury or poisoning can also be helpful. Tips on caring for your pet in times of crises can also be found in two publications of the American Red Cross – Dog First Aid by Red Cross Ready and Cat First Aid by Red Cross Ready can be purchased online here.
Be Red Cross Ready to save your pets in times of injury, poisoning or disaster! Have a plan and a kit. More information can be obtained from redcross.org.

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Hot Weather Dictates Extra Attention for Pets

Summer arrived with high temps and humidity, and the mercury is likely to keep rising. As the weather gets warmer, certain dangers for your pets become more prevalent. The American Red Cross has steps pet owners can use to keep family pets safe and healthy this summer.

Summer arrived with high temps and humidity, and the mercury is likely to keep rising. As the weather gets warmer, certain dangers for your pets become more prevalent. The American Red Cross has steps pet owners can use to keep family pets safe and healthy this summer.

The first step is to know what is normal for your pet – their gum color, heart/pulse rate, body temperature and breathing rate - so you can recognize when something is wrong.

Heat stroke is a common problem for pets in the warmer weather, according to Dr. Deborah Mandell, VMD, DACVECC, pet care advisor for the Red Cross. She explained that heat stroke is more common in the early summer because pets are not yet acclimated to the warm weather. Dogs with short noses or snouts, like the boxer or bulldog, are prone to heat stroke. This is also true for any obese pet, a pet with an extremely thick fur coat or any pet with upper respiratory problems such as laryngeal paralysis or collapsing trachea.

“Animals love to play and may not stop playing, even if they are becoming overheated,” said Dr. Mandell, who is also affiliated with the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Some signs your pet may be developing heat stroke include heavy panting, and being unable to calm down, even when lying down. Their gum color may be brick red, their pulse rate may be fast, or they may not be able to get up. If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, take their temperature rectally. If the temperature is above 105 degrees cool the animal down. The easiest way to do this is by using the water hose. Stop cooling the animal when the temperature reaches 103 degrees. Bring your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible as heat stroke can lead to severe organ dysfunction and damage.

Sunny days seem like great opportunities to take your pet for a fun car ride. Dr. Mandell issued a reminder not to leave your pet in the car, even for a few minutes. “The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees,” she said. “It’s just not a good idea to leave the pet in the car, even with the windows cracked open.”

Pet owners also need to be aware that animals may try to get out of a window or door, which are more likely to be open as the weather warms. And some plants in your garden can be hazardous to animals. For instance, many lilies are very poisonous to cats. Visit the ASPCA Poison Control web site to find out which plants and flowers are poisonous to animals.

Your pet is part of the family and deserves to be cared for and protected. Follow these important steps to help keep your pet at their best:

• Give your pet plenty of exercise. Regular exercise will help your pet feel better and live longer.
• Make sure your pet has plenty of fresh, cool water.
• Get to know a veterinarian and make sure your pet has yearly checkups.
• Make sure your pet is up to date on vaccines, especially rabies.
• Get your pet spayed or neutered.
• Keep dogs on leashes outside – another animal may be too much temptation.
• Know how to perform CPR and provide basic first aid until veterinary care is available.

Animals can’t tell you when they aren’t feeling well. Many hide signs of illness until a problem is very advanced. Knowing what is normal for your pet and being able to recognize changes early, can make a huge difference in treatment success.

Don’t forget to include your pets in emergency action plans as well:

• Emergency action plans for your family should include all of your animals.
• Plan to take your pets with you in an evacuation. If it is not safe for you to stay, it is not safe for them either.
• Most Red Cross shelters cannot accept pets because of health and safety concerns and other considerations. Know which friends, relatives, hotels, boarding facilities accept pets in an emergency.
• Assemble a portable kit with emergency supplies for your pets:
• Leashes, harnesses and/or carriers
• Food, drinking water, bowls, manual can opener
• Medications and copies of medical records
• Current photos of your pets and of you with your pets

Additional tips can be found on our Pets and Disaster Safety Checklist. Pet First Aid courses are offered at many Red Cross chapters across the country. The Red Cross has also developed Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid, comprehensive guides with DVDs to help your keep pets healthy and safe. From basic responsibilities, like spaying/neutering and giving medications, to performing CPR and preparing for disasters, these guides offer information pet owners can trust. Contact the American Red Cross-Dallas Chapter to see when classes are available or to purchase guide books. Products can also be purchased online at the Red Cross Store.

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