Petfinder Blog

Lately there's been a lot of discussion about cat and dog vaccines -- when people should vaccinate, whether they should, and what kinds of vaccines are necessary to keep pets safe.

(Check out the comments on vet blogger Doolittler's recent post on the rabies vaccine.)

Vaccines protect pets from upper respiratory infections, distemper and parvo, in addition to rabies, which is transferable to humans. So why all the debate?

The issue is that some pets have adverse reactions to vaccines. In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association's brochure on vaccinations warns of just that possibility:

The most common adverse responses [to vaccines] are mild and short-term, including fever, sluggishness, and reduced appetite. ...

Rarely, more serious adverse reactions can occur. Allergic reactions appear within minutes or hours of a vaccination and may include repeated vomiting or diarrhea, whole body itching, swelling of the face or legs, difficulty breathing or collapse. ... In very rare instances, death could occur from an allergic reaction.

As many pet parents know, keeping cats entertained and out of trouble can be a full-time job. House cats don't spend their days doing what they'd do in the wild -- hunting for food, searching for mates and protecting their territory -- and often end up bored and looking for trouble.

A great way to keep your cat from getting bored is to have her work for her food. Instructables.com has a cheap and easy DIY cat-powered automatic cat feeder that does just that. Here's a condensed version of the simple instructions from contributor LabelReader (get the full version, with pictures, here):

Supplies:

An 8-oz. round plastic tub, a cat-food dispenser with a circular, flexible pop top that snaps down over the tub, about one day's worth of cat food and a pair of scissors.

Instructions:

1. Cut loopholes in the tub: Cut the bottom corner of the tub to create a slit. A second cut should be made about two cat food pellets' length away from the first one. Insert the point of the scissors and expand each slit until it's about four times as long as your cat food pellets. Each cut should be equally long on the bottom and side of the tub.

iStockphoto

The San Diego Union-Tribune (via Paw Nation) reports that there's something in your refrigerator (or purse) that sounds as dangerous to your pets as anti-freeze and is even more accessible: sugar-free snacks and gum.

That's if they contain the sweetener xylitol, which is harmless to humans and found in many foods.

"Two pieces of sugarless gum can be harmful or fatal for a 20-lb. dog," vet Ashley Weinberg tells the Union-Tribune. Adds vet Valerie Caskey: "One pudding cup can cause harm to a 90-pound Rottweiler."

If you think your pet has eaten something containing xylitol, take him or her to the vet or call the ASPCA's poison control hotline immediately at (888) 426-4435:

Symptoms are vomiting, weak and wobbly appearance or extreme lethargy. A dog's blood sugar can bottom out in 30 minutes, and a pet can fall into a coma, veterinarians say.

These symptoms can be observed from 30 minutes to 12 hours. The longer the pet goes without help, the more grave the condition becomes. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Still, this doesn't mean you need to trash all your sugarless foods: Many don't use xylitol at all. Just check the label and, if a food does contain xylitol, be sure to keep it well out of your dog's reach.

This week's guest blogger, Colleen Mihelich, is the founder and creative director of Peternity.com, which sells pet memorials, grave markers, urns and other items.

We all love our pets madly. They are a constant source of unconditional love, friendship, affection and often of great entertainment. But unfortunately, their life spans are usually much shorter than our own.

As the owner of a pet memorials company, I talk daily with people who have just lost their beloved animal companions, and one of the things I hear most is, "I wish I had prepared for this."

Here are some things you can think about in advance to make it easier when the inevitable occurs:

1. Do you believe in cremation or burial? The answer determines how you will handle your pet's remains, but it's a very heavy question to deal with when your grief is fresh, so be clear about it ahead of time.
   

2. If cremation feels right to you, do you want to preserve the ashes in a pet urn, bury them, spread them somewhere meaningful -- or would you prefer that your veterinarian dispose of your pet's remains? There is no right or wrong answer. Whatever feels right to you is okay.

Next week is officially back-to-school season, when textbooks replace beach days and barbecues. Keeping with the scholastic spirit, we have a question for all you pet parents: Did you know pets can experience separation anxiety when kids head off to school?

If you notice behavioral changes in your pet -- chewing on items that smell like their companion and going to the bathroom
in inappropriate places -- he (or she) may have a case of the back-to-school blues. In particular, dogs who have had to change homes before being adopted into their current family may be more likely to develop separation anxiety.

Here's a homework assignment for treating separation anxiety in pets:

• Start early: If you have a new pet, you can begin anti-separation-anxiety training right away. Don't make a big deal about leaving, and only leave him alone for short periods of time at first. When you come home, simply greet him and return to your routine.

• Promote independence: Both adults and children can actually over-bond with their pets by spending every moment with them. While your family should certainly show love and affection to your animal, remember that independence is healthy. Place your dog in a sit-stay or down-stay to keep him from following you and your family members around the house, and then praise him quietly when you return to the room he's in.

• Invest in entertainment: Leave something to divert your pet's attention when the family is at work and school, such as a pet-sitting video. Another great product is the Kong toy, which keep dogs busy as they search for the treats inside.

• Exercise with your dog before you leave: Ask your children to play or exercise with your dog before heading off to school. A tired dog is less likely to experience stress when you leave.

• Practice gradual departures: Collect your belongings and say your goodbyes, but only leave for a few minutes. Increase these training trips by five or 10 minutes at a time. After a couple of days, your pet should be comfortable being alone for a few hours.

Do you have your own tips for helping your dog cope with separation anxiety? Share them with us after the jump!

It's always a privilege to meet with Petfinder shelters and adoption groups to learn about their work. When the Hedgehog Welfare Society invited Petfinder to the Eastern States Hedgehog Show near Albany, NY, I happily whistled my dog Molly into the navigator's seat of my truck and drove up to the beautiful Schoharie Valley to learn about our prickliest pets.

My introduction to hedgehogs came the first night in the relaxation meditation session for hedgehogs and their humans, led by author Dawn Wrobel. Yes, I got to meditate with hedgehogs!

However, when I walked in, there was not a hedgehog to be seen. Everyone was already seated in a circle, and each human participant had a brightly colored cloth bag on their lap. Now and then a bag would give a twitch or a lurch, and I realized these little sacks were the warm, dark and comfortable mode of transportation for well-loved hedgehogs on the go.

I was in Maryland this past weekend visiting my parents. I hadn't even gotten to their house yet when I saw a collarless stray dog dodging traffic. MAN, people who keep driving really make me mad!

I pulled over and called to the dog. She came running right over, apparently grateful to get out of the traffic. I popped my emergency collar on her and she settled in my air-conditioned car and seemed to wonder where we were going next.

I wondered that myself. My parents are fiercely protective of their spoiled-rotten cats, so taking her there long-term didn't seem like a good idea. Plus, this was going to make me late for dinner, and that always ruins Dad's mood.

I called my friend and colleague, Kim Saunders, back in New Jersey and asked her to e-mail a list of local Petfinder rescue-group members to my phone so I could seek help. In the meantime, I stopped by the local Banfield pet hospital to see if the dog might have a microchip. Thus begins the real adventure.

We've been hearing from more and more of you who included your pets in your weddings, and of course we think this is wonderful. Pets are important members of the family, just like your brother, sister or even children.

Here are a few tips we've developed from speaking with people who have included their pet in their special day:

• When planning a ceremony and reception location, make sure they allow pets.
  
  
• Designate someone (not in the bridal party) to watch your pet for the day.
  
  
• Take photos with your dog before the wedding or on a different day.
  
  
• Know your pet before making the decision to include them in your wedding, because some pets may not handle large crowds and intense situations well.

I was dismayed to get an alert from the ASPCA that the New York City Housing Authority is implementing a new pet policy, effective May 1 (i.e. Friday!) that bans purebred or mixed breed Pit Bulls, Dobermans and Rottweilers.

The new policy also lowers the weight limit for allowable dogs from the previous limit of 40 lbs. to 25 lbs.

The most important thing to note is that, as the ASPCA notes: "Dogs already registered with NYCHA before the implementation of this revised policy, regardless of breed and providing they do not exceed the current 40 pound weight limit, will be grandfathered and allowed to remain in NYCHA housing."

Residents whose pets are not registered have until April 30 to submit a registration form, and have 90 days to obtain veterinarian certification that their dog is spayed or neutered, vaccinated against rabies and licensed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

For more information and links to all the necessary forms, visit the ASPCA Web site.

Wow! California legislators have been looking at adding a tax of about 9% on veterinary services to fix their budgetary crisis. That would make veterinary care for pets even further out of reach for a lot of people. It's hard enough for them to scrape together money for vaccinations with the way the economy is.

The budget puts veterinary care for our pet companions in the same category as playing golf or getting a piece of furniture repaired, services to which they're also proposing a sales and use tax.

You can call the Governor's office at 916-445-2841 to protest it. When you call, select your language choice, then press 5, which will take you right to hot topics. Next press 1 to select the issue of extending the sales tax to veterinary services, and then press 2 to oppose this proposal.

For more information about the measure and how to take action to oppose it, visit the California Veterinary Medical Association's Web site.