Avoid seasonal pet hazards

Volume 1/Issue 2
December 2014
Gift baskets help
animals in need
By Autumn Daughetee
Pet Spotlight: December
Lucy, a 4-year-old Basset Hound and American Foxhound mix, rules the roost at the
Fort Worth home she shares with her pet parent Autumn Daughetee. Lucy loves
peanut butter, squeaky toys and high fives. She dislikes hats, inflatable lawn
decorations and squirrels.
Help an animal in need this holiday season while crossing people off your
Christmas list. The Lucy Fund is now accepting orders for Christmas baskets. The
baskets are $50 and include Lucy Fund
salsa, a salsa bowl, Lucy Fund flavored
pecans and assorted sweet treats. The
Lucy Fund also accepts orders for custom
Christmas baskets. Just let us know what
you desire. Baskets must be ordered by
Dec. 10 for Christmas delivery. Simply
email [email protected] to order.
In addition to the holiday baskets, The Lucy Fund also offers Lucy Fund
branded salsa in Scaredy Cat, Purrfectly
Medium and Barking Hot for $6 a jar.
Lucy Fund pecans, offered in cinnamon,
praline and amaretto, are $10. Finally,
Lucy Fund almonds, offered in honey
toasted and chocolate, and trail mix are
also $10. Visit www.thelucyfund.org to
order.
Avoid seasonal pet hazards
By Autumn Daughetee
Practice weather-related pet
safety all year long
Pet owners know that there
are many similarities between raising a
pet and raising a child. The two are not
exactly the same, but there are a number
of parallels. One is that your pet, just like
a curious child, may not understand the
potential dangers they face in the world
around them. It’s up to their “parent” to
look out for them and smart pet parents
know that the changing seasons often
change the dangers a pet can face.
Winter
Winter can be a dangerous
season for your pets. Cold weather and
snow can put your furry companions
at risk. Is it too cold for you to be outdoors? If the answer is yes, then it is also
too cold for your pet. Like people, pets
are also susceptible to hypothermia and
frostbite. Make sure that your animals
do not stay outside for extended periods
without shelter. The exposed skin on your
pet’s nose, ears and paw pads can freeze
quickly and the damage is likely to be
permanent. In fact, both dogs and cats are
safer (and warmer) indoors.
Cold isn’t the only winter danger
pets face. Pet paws can become irritated
when exposed to salt and other deicing
chemicals. What do pets do to irritated
paws? They lick them. This transfers any
chemicals on the paws to the pet’s tongue
and mouth. To be safe, please rinse your
dog’s paws after you return from a walk
or use booties and keep their feet covered.
You can also use sand or cat litter for
traction on ice instead of deicing chemicals and salts.
You might not know that your
pets will use a lot of extra energy in the
winter to keep their bodies warm. Add a
little more food and water to their winter
routine to keep them from depleting their
energy stores.
Finally, please take care around
antifreeze. Both dogs and cats are attracted to automotive antifreeze because
it both tastes and smells sweet. However,
it is highly toxic. Please take care to wipe
up any spills and get any animal you
think might have ingested antifreeze to a
vet immediately.
Spring
Once winter is over, both people
and pets are anxious to get outdoors and
enjoy the spring. However, there are a
few dangers pet parents should be aware
of in order to keep their pets safe.
Spring often heralds the ritual of
spring cleaning. Part of the process often
includes cleaning products and chemicals
that can prove dangerous for curious cats
and precocious pups. Please make sure
that you use all chemicals as directed and
keep them out of the reach of animals.
Birds can be especially sensitive to chemical fumes, so it is best to move them out
of rooms where you plan to employ an
chemicals.
Chemicals can also pose a hazard
outdoors. Numerous products used on
lawns can be very harmful if ingested by
a pet. Keep animals away from pesticides,
fertilizers and soil additives. Sharp tools
can also injure pets who might be running around the yard. Making sure that
all yard tools are put away properly and
not left in the yard can prevent serious
injuries.
It is also advisable to check
the screens on doors and windows each
spring. A torn screen can provide your
pet with an escape route when you open
your doors and windows to enjoy spring
weather. An escaped pet can be hit by a
Hazards continued on Page 2
Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
Meet our vet
of the month
By Autumn Daughetee
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
½ cup water + 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons dry milk
1/3 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup oats
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup canned pumpkin
This is an easy recipe that will please even the pickiest of
pooches. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a wooden spoon,
mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. When the ingredients are mixed to a thick consistency, turn out dough onto lightly floured
surface. Roll out the dough until it is approximately a quarter-inch thick.
Using a bone-shaped cookie cutter, cut out dough and arrange the cookies on a baking sheet. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, cut the dough
into two-inch long strips. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
If your pup enjoys extra crunchy cookies, turn off the oven after an hour
and allow the cookies to sit in the oven overnight. Serve when cool.
Hazards
Continued from Page 1
car or exposed to numerous other dangers.
Summer
The summer season is a hotbed of dangers for your pets. One of the
biggest hazards for animals is the high
temperatures. The oldest and youngest
pets are the most at risk as they are least
capable of regulating body temperature.
This makes them susceptible to heat
stroke and dehydration. Make sure to
provide plenty of water. Place any water
outdoors in a shady spot and keep pets
indoors during the hottest part of the
day.
Swimming pools are another
hazard for pets. First of all, chemicals
used in pool maintenance are also dangerous to pets. Securely store all pool
chemicals out of reach of animals. The
second major swimming pool danger is
drowning. Even dogs or cats who are
good swimmers shouldn’t be left alone
in the pool. Also, make sure all of your
animals know where swimming pool
steps are located, so they can get out of
the pool if they fall in. A few supervised
sessions in the pool can save their life.
Perhaps the biggest summer
danger involves bugs like mosquitoes
that spread disease. Speak with your
veterinarian and make sure that your
pet has all of the recommended immunizations. Diseases like heartworm can be
fatal.
Autumn
After the heat of summer,
autumn is a pleasant time to head outdoors with your pet. A little awareness
of your surroundings can keep your pets
healthy and safe. Snakes are often active
in the fall looking for burrows. Keep a
close eye on your pooch while outdoors
and you may avoid a bite. However, if
your dog is bitten by a snake, make sure
to get them immediate veterinarian attention.
Mushrooms are also more
Dr. Patrick Jarrett
Parker County
Veterinarian Hospital
1724 Blair Drive
Weatherford, TX 76086
817-596-0909
www.parkercountyvet.com
Dr. Jarrett graduated from Texas A&M University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science
and in 1975 received his degree in veterinary medicine
from Texas A&M College of
Veterinary Medicine.
Following the dream of owning his own hospital,
Dr. Pat Jarrett purchased the Parker County Veterinary
Hospital in 1985. His hospital provides veterinary care
for dogs, cats, rabbits, and pocket pets such as hamsters,
guinea pigs, pet mice/rats, and gerbils. His daughter, Dr.
Kim Jarrett Bolton, DVM also serves the community as
a veterinarian at Parker County Vet Hospital, along side
her dad.
prevalent in autumn. The danger comes
from the difficulty in distinguishing between toxic and nontoxic varieties. Even
your dog can’t tell the difference. The
only way to be safe is to prevent your
pets from ingesting any mushrooms.
Cooler weather can send rats,
squirrels, mice and other small animals
looking for warmer places to nest. This
can mean they find their way into your
home. Rodenticides, while effective,
are also highly toxic to pets. Eating a
poisoned mouse is often enough to harm
your pet. Pet owners should never use
poisons. Instead, use traps and place
them in areas out of reach of your pets.
Winter, spring, summer or
autumn, a little vigilance can keep your
furry family members safe and healthy.
The Lucy Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aids pet owners financially,
through their local vet office, with the
treatment of their pet when the cost
becomes a burden on the pet owner.
The Lucy Fund Newsletter is published by The Lucy Fund, Inc.,
www.thelucyfund.org.
Volume 1, Issue 2.
Editor: Autumn Daughetee,
[email protected]
Founder: Katie Phillips
For more information on The Lucy
Fund, please visit www.thelucyfund.
org or email [email protected]. If
you would like to submit a pet recipe
or story idea, please email
[email protected].