Pet Be Cool on Pet Sitter Watch

Help Your Pet Be Cool This Summer

Your pets need to stay cool while you are away and your pet sitter is watching them too!

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It's great to enjoy summer with your pet. It is also a time when we travel on vacations and your favorite pet sitter is coming to your home to care for your beloved pets.  This is the greatest time when your pets have the greatest risk of injury due to heat-related health problems. As a pet sitter I find that sometimes people turn off everything and lock up tightly before leaving with Fio in the house.  So here are some tips on keeping things cool for your pets this summer.

Find A Cool Spot. For indoor pets, keeps the air circulating with a child-proof fan or air conditioner. Provide shade for outdoor pets. And a gentle sprinkle from a hose is always appreciated.
**Plan and provide a cool spot for your pets even when you are away!
Watch out for Signs of Heatstroke.  

·         Rapid panting

·         Hot skin

·         Twitching muscles

·         A dazed look

Wrap pet in a towel soaked with cool, not cold, water. In severe cases, place them in the bathtub. Heatstroke can be fatal.
Never Leave Your Pet In a Parked Car. Not even if you crack the windows or park in the shade. On a 70¯ day, the car temperature can rise above 150¯ in minutes. It's extremely dangerous. And the Number One Cause of heatstroke.

Keep Vaccinations Up-To-Date. This is the time when most pets come in contact with other animals, at parks, campgrounds, etc.

Always Provide Plenty Of Fresh Water. Dogs can only sweat through the pads of their feet and by panting. Evaporation from the wet surfaces of their mouth and nose helps lower body temperature.
Stop External Parasites Before They Bite. Fleas, ticks and ear mites thrive in warm, humid environments. See us for a preventive program.
Also Avoid Internal Parasites. Be sure your dog has been heartworm tested and is on preventive.
Watch For Hot Pavement and Beaches. Sensitive paws burn easily.

The Streets Aren't Safe. Don't let your pet roam. Just in case -- make sure your pet is licensed. We see twice as many fight injuries and bite wounds in summer. And, of course, your pet is no match for a car.

The Yard Isn't Always Safe, Either. Be cautious of pesticides and herbicides. Read the precautions for lawn chemicals carefully and keep pets away from newly-treated yards. If pets come in contact with chemicals, wash their feet, abdomen and chest thoroughly, then contact us.
Brush Regularly. Frequent brushing provides early warning of parasites and skin infections by lifting the coat, permitting a view of the skin below.

It's Allergy Season. People sneeze. Pets scratch. Common pet allergies include pollen, grass and weeds. If your pet scratches excessively or chews at its paws, take your pet to your veterinarian. They can design a program to help.

Watch The Exercise. Don't encourage exercise and dog walking during the hottest part of the day. Short low to the ground dogs internal organs are very close to the hot pavement and your dog’s paw pads can be painfully damaged.  

Watch the Diet.  Let your pets eat less. Overeating can lead to overheating.

Not Every Dog Paddles Well. Animals in the water for the first time should be eased in, never thrown or chased in. Don't let them drink from pools, streams or the ocean. And, if they swim, rinse them off. Salt and minerals can damage a dog's coat.

Sunburn Is No Day At The Beach. It hurts; Short-haired pets and those with pink skin and white hair are especially susceptible. Limit their exposure.

Submitted by:

Debbie Laughlin “Top Dog”

House Calls Pet Sitting and Home Care Services

Pet Emergency Disaster Preparedness

By: Elise Faber, CPDT and member IACP (www.canineprofessionals.com)

This is not about going to veterinary hospitals for pet emergencies.  This is about your pets being prepared for a natural disaster. Did you include your pets needs? Do you let your Pet Sitting Service know where your pets kit is at?

You may have a weeks worth of food for every member of your family, but did you include your pooch in that calculation?

Do you have water? An extra bowl and leash? What about blankets or first aid supplies?

In light of the recent events abroad, it is important to remember to plan for your pet in the case of a natural disaster or an emergency.

Here are some things that you should have or might want to include in your emergency kit for you dog:

1. One weeks worth of food (remember that dog food does go bad, so rotate the food out of the disaster kit and into your pup’s food dish a few times a year)

2. Water--your dog is going to be thirsty as well

3. Dish--1 dish can be used for both food and water. I prefer a small metal bowl because I think it has many uses, but a folding bowl will save space

4. Leash/collar--you don’t know if you will have time to grab one if you leave your house in a hurry

5. Small blanket

6. First Aid Kit
     a. Gauze Pads (3 or 4” squares)
     b. Gauze Rolls (2” roll for small dogs, 3” roll for big dogs)
     c. Adhesive Tape (1” roll)
     d. Individually-Wrapped Sanitary Napkins (for bleeding control)
     e. Triangular Bandage
     f. Tweezers
     g. Blunt End Scissors
     h. Neosporin (never use the pain reliever form)
     i. Rubbing Alcohol
     j. Hydrogen Peroxide
     k. Saline Solution
     l. Vinegar or Baking Soda (a mild alkali for neutralizing burns caused by acids)
     m. Chemical Ice Pack
     n. Q-tips
     o. gloves
     p. plastic bags (ziploc, grocery sized, and at least 1 garbage bag)

7. Muzzle--you never know how your pup will react if injured, this is for your pup’s and your own safety (be sure to try it on at least once to ensure proper fit before putting it in the kit)

8. Photo of You and Your Pet--if your pup goes missing, you need to have a picture of it in order to show the proper officials. Make sure you have both of you in the picture, just in case you need to prove ownership and don’t have your documentation.

9. Vaccination certification--update yearly and ask your veterinarian for a copy at your pup’s yearly check up.

10. Folding crate--this is optional, but several cheap options are available at stores like Walmart or Target. I prefer the type that fold up into a dinner plate shape.


IFAW and other animal rescue organizations are committed to helping wild and domestic
animals at risk from disasters, but you are your companion animal’s most important
lifeline. Be prepared!


Now that you have your emergency kit, what should you do with it?

Keep it next to your human emergency kit and if you are feeling very proactive, make a scaled down version for each car. You never know when you might need a crate or an extra leash or the first aid kit and when you update or exchange items out of your human emergency kit, be sure to check the content’s of your pet’s kit as well.

Before heading out of town be sure that you have contacted your veterinary hospital and notify your pet sitting company of the location of your pet emergency kit.

Happy preparing!
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