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| AnimalER.net |
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This is the human poison control and provides information at
no charge; however, they do not have information on certain veterinary specific products. |
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This is a veterinary specific poison control
and they do have a fee for the consultation. |
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| www.petpoisonhelpline.com |
This is a veterinary specific poison control
and they do have a fee for the consultation. |
| Back to top |
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Everyone dreads the thought of a beloved pet getting
lost, but not many people are sure of what to do in
that situation. Pet owners should remain calm and
follow this guide: |
- Include any information regarding a specific food or medication he/she may require
- Offering a reward many times increases the chance
of a pet being returned by gaining more attention.
- Note the location, time and date that your pet was
last seen.
- Post a notice and flyer on the Animal
Emergency Room Facebook page
- Add a flyer and notice on the Animal Emergency Room blog
www.AnimalEmergencyRoom.blogspot.com
- In addition, contact veterinary hospitals that may
be close by and/or any 24hour emergency facilities.
- Contact any shelters, pounds, animal rescue groups,
either by phone, internet, and/or go in person:
(210) 226-7461
311 or (210) 207-6671
www.SApets.com
www.pets911.com
www.LOSTMYDOGGIE.com
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COMMUNICATION & PERSISTENCE ARE THE KEYS
TO A SUCCESSFUL REUNION
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Kittens and puppies need a lot of care and attention in their first weeks of life. At first, they have to be fed almost every two hours, 24 hours a day. They also need to be stimulated to urinate and defecate. Caring for orphan animals is a big commitment, and you should be prepared to spend a lot of time with them until they become independent. If this is your first time hand-raising babies, a consultation with a veterinarian will ensure that you are equipped with the proper knowledge for your best chances of success.
To feed your tiny companion, kitten or puppy replacer milk (KMR and Esbilac, for example) can be purchased at veterinary offices, pet stores, and some grocery stores. It is advised to not switch brands during the course of bottle feeding since variations in formula can cause gastrointestinal disturbances like diarrhea. Contrary to popular belief, the milk that we drink does not have the right nutrients for growing kittens and puppies. Products
such as evaporated milk and goat milk are also not appropriate.
The best thing to use when feeding little ones is a small animal nurser bottle. These are similar to used for humans, only much smaller. Nurser bottles can be purchased from most veterinary hospital, pet stores, or even pet sections of grocery stores
In the event your tiny companion is unable or unwilling to eat from a nurser bottle, consult you veterinarian for guidance. Milk replacer can also be administered by oral syringe or tube feeding
if necessary; however, this must be done by trained professionals.
In the wild, newborn animals are unable to defecate and/or urinate on his/her own; therefore, the mother is responsible for aiding this process by stimulating him/her after nursing. This is accomplished as the mother grooms her babies using her tongue. As the care giver of your tiny companion, this becomes your responsibility. Each time your puppy or kitten nurses, use a damp cotton ball or soft towel with warm water to gently rub his/her genital area. This will cause him/her to urinate and defecate. Newborn puppies and kittens will make very dilute urine appearing clear or very pale yellow on the cotton ball. Dark yellow urine may indicate dehydration. Stimulation after each feeding needs to be done for at least 2 to 3 weeks, eventually the kitten/puppy learns how to defecate and urinate on his/her own.
As the kittens or puppies grow older, the care-giver can lengthen the time between feedings, as well as increase the amount of milk being fed each time. Around 4 to 6 weeks of age, kittens and puppies can be gradually weaned off the milk and onto kitten or puppy food (dry or wet). This can be accomplished by mixing the milk replacer with the food, and creating a loose gruel consistency. This can be offered between bottle feedings. Over time, decrease the amount of milk in the mixture until there is none. This process can easily take a couple of days to a couple of weeks, each animal is unique. Even though the kitten or puppy can be weaned off the replacement milk, they still need to be fed multiple times a day (start with 4-6 feedings per day). Kittens and puppies are growing animals and need the appropriate food and the appropriate amount of food in order to grow normal skeletal, muscular, and neurologic structures.
If a kitten or puppy is not receiving the necessary nutrients, they can fail to thrive, grow slower than litter-mates, and may have delayed development. Newly weaned animals are susceptible to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and dehydration if not eating and drinking regularly. If not addressed early, these problems can be life threatening.
If your puppy/kitten does not appear to be acting normally contact your veterinarian at once. Care-givers should monitor the amount of food that the kitten or puppy eats in a sitting. A lack of appetite is often the first recognizable symptom in many diseases. Knowing how much the kitten or puppy normally eats can be helpful in ensuring a kitten’s or puppy’s continual health. Weighing them on a sensitive scale (gram scale or kitchen scale) and recording their weights daily will help show their growth rate, whereas weight loss could be a sign of a problem. Another common problem in neonates is diarrhea, which may be caused by intestinal parasites, change of diet, intestinal flora imbalance, and other causes. Regardless of the cause, diarrhea can have fatal consequences. If your puppy/kitten is having diarrhea, contact your veterinarian at once.
In addition to proper nutrition, kittens and puppies must be kept warm as they are not able to regulate their own body temperature. Normally the mother cat or dog does provides warmth by curling her body around the babies. In the absence of the mother animal, a warm nest, warm water bottles, or even towels that have been in the dryer for a few minutes make an ideal bed for neonatal kittens and puppies. Electrical heating pads are not recommended because puppies and kittens are unable to move off of the heating pad to regulate his/her own temperature and can be burned.
Flea control can be challenging in young animals. If your kitten or puppy has fleas, you can use a flea comb or a small amount of blue Dawn dish soap to help remove the external parasites. You need to lather the kittens or puppies up, let the soap set for 30 seconds to1 minute, then rinse them off with warm water. Be careful to not get soap in the kitten’s or puppy’s eyes, ears, nose, or mouth. Once you have bathed the kittens or puppies, you must thoroughly dry them off and place them in a warm area where they will not be affected by any breezes or cold drafts. It is a good idea to have some towels in the dryer while bathing, that way you would have warm towels ready to help to dry off the kittens or puppies. Using the blue Dawn dish soap is NOT a preventative measure and will do nothing to treat the environment. This can help with current problems, but a preventative measure should be considered when appropriate. Many flea preventatives have both age, weight, and species restrictions. Carefully read all instructions before use upon your pets. By using a flea preventative in an inappropriate manner can cause tremors, seizures, brain injury, and in severe cases, death. If you are unsure of what products to use on your pet, please contact your veterinarian, BEFORE, using any new products.
(from Cat Fancy magazine, April 2007; works for approximate
age of puppies also)
| Ears flat against head and eyes closed |
| Umbilical cord falls off |
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Ears and eyes open |
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Holds head and chest up |
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Walks wobbly |
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Walks more steadily; begins to play
and explore |
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Tiny front teeth emerge |
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Really walking, swivels ears |
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Fangs emerge, poops and pees on its own |
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Lower molars emerge |
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Eyes change from baby blue to their
adult color |
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Upper molars emerge |
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Permanent teeth emerge |
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The holiday season is a special time of year when our toxicity barometer rises due to the increased opportunities for our
beloved companions to find those extra ways to get into mischief. We wanted to share with you some of the toxicities that we see more often this time of year.
In case of Emergency
- – Chocolate can be very toxic to animals. Baking and unsweetened chocolate is the most potent, milk chocolate is less potent; however, still harmful in certain quantities.
- – Commonly known as anti-freeze for automobiles, tends to be more present during the holiday season due to the potential of freezing weather. Even the smallest amount ingested is life threatening and immediate treatment is necessary.
- – When ingested by animals, these products can lead to bleeding disorders, which will result in death if not addressed.
- – Christmas tree tinsel, small toys, and holiday decorations are a common cause of foreign body obstruction when ingested. In addition, bones from the leftover holiday feasts can also lead to an obstruction.
- - The holiday kitchen is known to contribute left-over kitchen scraps, which can easily lead to severe diarrhea and commonly pancreatitis or HGE.
Although this is by no means a comprehensive list, here are a few more holiday dangers that you may want to look out for. Always consult a veterinarian if unsure about something your pet or gets into.
- : Here are a few holiday plants to look out for:
- - Can cause GI upset; however, as few as 1-2 berries ingested can be fatal. This ingestion should be treated aggressively due to potential for cardiovascular problems and/or HGE.
- – When consumed, these most commonly cause mild to moderate mucus membrane and GI irritation with potential for vomiting and diarrhea.
- – Certain varieties of these can lead to acute renal failure in cats
- : aside from the tinsel, tree-associated dangers can include:
- – Do not let your pet drink water from the base of the Christmas tree. When using products such as these, be sure to read the label and avoid products that advise against ingestion.
- – Although pine needles do not have a true toxic effect to animals, they can act as GI irritants and can cause intestinal perforations or possibly cause obstructions when ingested, especially in our smaller companions.
- – When ingested, can lead to obstructions, and internal damage. In addition, broken ornaments can cause lacerations.
- : The kitchen is a common contributor to the mischief our beloved companions get into this time of year:
- Turkey – Although not really toxic, the tryptophan can cause the same sleepy effects as on humans! Turkey, along with the other holiday favorites such as ham, or any table food, can cause GI distress from a poorly tolerated change in diet in dogs and cats. This can lead to diarrhea, pancreatitis, and HGE, all of which may require hospitalization to treat. Ingestion of the bones can lead to much more severe issues.
- Bread dough - Ingested uncooked dough will “rise” in the gut, creating not only very uncomfortable GI distention, but also severe acidosis and enough ethanol to cause alcohol poisoning.
- Tin foil and clear plastic wrap – These items commonly get ingested when our companions decide to help themselves to holiday leftovers that we were intending to save for a midnight snack. Saran wrap and tin foil are unable to be digested and typically lead to intestinal blockage.
- Onions, garlic cloves, and coffee grounds – Ingestion of these items can be toxic to animals.
- Grapes and Raisins – Although the exact agent has not been identified, grape and raisin ingestion is well documented to cause renal failure.
- : is a common artificial sweetener found in a variety
of chewing gums brands. This sweetener can also be used in baking. Xylitol is harmful to animals in small quantities.
There may be as much as 1-2g Xylitol per stick of gum, and toxic levels are as low as 0.5g/kg…this means a 10# dog can get 2 sticks of gum and be in toxic range. The ingestion of Xylitol can cause severe hypoglycemia, acute hepatic necrosis, and possibly death. Animals that have ingested Xylitol should have their blood glucose monitored for a minimum of 24 hours, but hypoglycemia can persist for days. Acute hepatic necrosis may show its first clinical symptoms at 48 hours, so monitoring liver enzymes should continue at least this long.
- : When ingested, or even punctured, batteries can be very harmful to pets.
- – These products are typically alkaline, which can lead to oral, esophageal, and gastric lining injury.
- – Nicotine can be found in a variety of sources such as cigarettes, nicotine gum, or even nicotine patches.
- – Certain pets just cannot seem to resist the temptation of chewing on electrical cords. In doing so, electrical shock can be very serious and cause acute onsets
of respiratory distress, burns, and even lead to pneumonia. Many times oral injury may not be apparent for 24 hours.
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In case of Emergency
In the event your beloved pet has an emergency or gets into something he or she should not have, consult the following resources for assistance. |
- Immediately consult your regular veterinarian for treatment options
- Immediately call the Animal Emergency Room at
(210) 737-7380 for treatment options.
We are open 24 hours a day.
- Call the Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-POISON-1.
This is the human poison control and provides information at no charge; however, they do not have information on certain veterinary specific products.
- Call the ASCPA Animal Poison Control Center at
1-888-4ANI-HELP.
This is a veterinary specific poison control and they
do have a fee for the consultation.
- Call the Pet Poison Hotline at 1-800-213-6680.
This is a veterinary specific poison control and they
do have a fee for the consultation.
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| Your regular veterinarian and/or the veterinarians of the Animal Emergency Room may recommend that you call one of the above poison control resources for a consultation so that an antidote for a toxicity can be determined. If this is necessary, please document the number that is assigned to your case. |
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