Category: Disaster prepareness

151 Coronavirus Anxiety can be Contagious to Dogs and Cats

Many vets are getting phone calls from clients who are concerned that their pets are “acting out” in this time of anxiety. This would be completely normal whenever owners are experiencing anxiety or depression themselves. And it would be surprising if any pet parent who is watching the news isn’t experiencing stress,anxiety,fear, or depression. I have been using Fear Free Techniques to manage fear, anxiety and stress in pets for over 3 years now with fantastic results.

Ways Pets Act Out

Seeking attention
Destructive behavior
Not being able to settle down
House soiling
Aggression
Depression

Things Pet Parents Can Do

Keep a normal routine for yourself and pets
Stay calm yourself
Lots of exercise-go for a walk (if allowed); throw the ball in the backyard
Give your pet at least an hour alone for their “me time”
Try to stay on the same diet, feed at the same time
Calming OTC pheromones like Adaptil for dogs and Feliway for cats that can be purchased online

Things Vets Can Do To Help

Behavioral consults over the phone/telemedicine

Medications for anxiety like Trazadone for dogs and Gabapentin for cats

And lastly, plan proactively for your pets care in case you get sick and someone else has to care for your pets temporarily. Decide who the caretaker would be and write down what your pet eats, when they eat, what are three favorite treats, what medications they tske, and special habits they have. Try to keep two weeks worth of food and 30 day supply of meds.

Our pets can give us great emotional support at times of high stress like this, but we have to be there for them too. Give them a hug- as long as it doesn’t stress them out!

150 We were still open!

Yes we are still open! That seems to be the Number One question my staff is getting on the phone. We are using “Curbside appointments “ like most vets. I am using telemedicine to examine the patients. So far we have “seen” dogs, cats, and even a rabbit!

We are doing grooming ( until the city , county or state says we can’t), but no boarding.

Dr Frank Pena is here in person on Fridays.

We are filling medications, medicated diets, and doing lab work. It is now fully Spring so it is very important to keep those dogs and outside cats on heart worm, flea, and tick prevention.

We are referring truly sick pets that need hospitalization or surgery to the Center for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care at 2700 Lake Vista Drive on Hwy 121 near Costco. They are open 24 hours a day. 972-820-7099.

In the vet news: a cat in Belgium who lives with a corona virus positive owner has tested positive. That makes 2 dogs and 1 cat in the whole world. In the US, my laboratory company  Idexx, has run thousands of Covid-19 tests on dog and cat samples with no positives. Should the need arise to tests pets, they are ready to go. I don’t think it will happen, unless this darn virus mutates.

Until something changes, we will be open and ready to serve your pet needs, while staying safe. Let’s all use this time to slow down, reconnect with our new 2 legged and 4 legged families, while staying healthy. We are in this for the long haul.

148 Covid 19 and Garden Ridge Animal Hospital

As this pandemic reaches the US, Texas, and now Dallas, I have four concerns:

1) This is an airborne human virus. We are ramping out our sanitation even more than usual. I am sure no one wants to get sick or infect their loved ones. People might not have symptoms and still be infectious. Please don’t be offended if we not only sanitized the exam table, but also the chairs, doorknobs and light switches. I won’t be shaking hands or hugging people for a while. We will have Clorox wipes out for clients to use at the checkout counter, and our credit card Point of Sale Debit terminal can use “tap” as well as chip insert, if your phone or card is enabled. I want our clients to be assured we are doing everything we can to keep our hospital virus free.

2) We might be short staffed if we get sick. We are a small business and will soldier on. We might have to get creative (telemedicine) for rechecks and refills of medicines. If we have to close temporarily, we will post it on the website- www.gardenridgevet.com

3) We might have future drug shortages. The AVMA is monitoring the manufacturers closely, but there could be interruptions in our supply lines. If your pet is on a prescription medicine or diet, you might try to keep a 30-60-day supply at home “just in case”.

4) There might be fears that dogs (or cats?) might be “carriers” of the disease. As of March 4, 2020, there was one asymptomatic dog in Hong Kong that has tested positive twice whose owner is sick with Covid 19 . Pet hair could certainly carry this aerosolized virus around. If you get sick, it is recommended you let another family member take care of the pet and avoid contact.

125 Lest We Forget

Today, on Sept 11, 2019, I am reminded of the tragic events that happened 18 years ago. That terrorist attack made me really think about my personal and professional emergency preparedness. What if it happened here? What if something happened to me, my business, or my family, including my pets?

So I began a focus every September on Disaster Preparedness, and here we are again. Our most common disasters aren’t big national or regional catastrophes. But a local tornado, house fire, or plumbing leak/flood could happen at any time, without warning. So I encourage everyone to look again at their family disaster plans, and adjust as necessary. Practice if you have young children.

Many events need the same planning. A house fire and flood are both reasons to leave the house with your pets, crates, leashes, food, and records/medicines. Those people in last year’s wildfires in California had only minutes to get out. A tornado or ice storm might leave you stranded inside your home. You still will need food and meds, but ideally you have some water stored and a first aid kit. Be ready.

This is a great time to check your microchips contact info. Many people have disconnected their land line telephone, or changed emails. If Fluffy goes missing due to down fences after a storm, you want for the rescuers to have the correct contact info on the chip. My two little pups climbed over the fence last month, and we were returned thanks to the microchips.

This is a great time to check out the Pet Portal on our website, gardenridgevet.com, and create an account. With that Portal, you can access you pet’s vaccines anytime, anywhere. Forgot to pack the proof of rabies vaccine for boarding? You can pull it on your phone and show the kennel.

This is great time to talk with the all the family members about our plans. As adults, we may know them, but do our teenage children (or spouses) know the details? Where is our tornado shelter in our home? Where is our rendezvous spot outside the house? Who is in charge of the crates, etc? Who is our point of contact outside our area that we can call or check in with?

This is a great time to reflect on the loss of life that fateful day in 2001, but also to be constructive about what we can do to mitigate personal disasters to keep them from becoming tragic.

For a digital 28 page booklet, Saving the Whole Family,
For a Texas perspective of disasters

96 Cold Weather Tips


It feels like winter has finally arrived, and is not leaving.  I am especially aware of it this year with my two 4 month old puppies. 

Sweater weather.  Some dog do need some extra insulation when it is really cold.  Other dogs seem to love it and are friskier.  My Sheltie is one of those cold loving breeds, but he was bred for it with a snow proof coat.  My new short coated terrier/doxie  mix needs a sweater, or a at least a towel wrapped around him when I carry him outside.  He really shivers and won’t spend more than a few seconds outside.   I see numerous small patients that are just more comfortable during the winter wearing a sweater even inside.  So look at your dog after being outside in the cold or rain and dress him appropriately.

Activity.  Few of us want to play outside when it is cold, wet, or super windy like it was this week. Too much indoor inactivity makes us all a little crazy.   In people we call it cabin fever.  Indoor dogs can get it too.  My puppies manifest it by acting out, zooming around more inside, and generally being naughty for attention.  I am trying to counteract that with lots more indoor play, interactive toys, and allowing them to just zoom around.  I used a laser pen for my Sheltie years ago.  It is important to match the play with the dog’s interests.  Ball chasing is great for Labradors, but my terriers want to bite and shake stuff.  Food puzzles are great if your dog is food motivated, and not overweight. Many of my clients are still going to dog parks, they just pick the right day and time for comfort.

Frozen water.  Make sure any drinking water outside doesn’t freeze or your pet can get dehydrated.  Insulate any outdoor dog houses.  Most dogs can tolerate a light freeze if they can get out of the wind and rain, off the ground, and can cocoon themselves in some material like hay or blankets.

Antifreeze/deicing compounds.  It is true that antifreeze can taste sweet and attract dogs and cats to lick it.  Avoid yellowish puddles in streets and driveways.  Be careful applying deicing products (rock salt, “ice melt”) on driveways and porches as the chemicals can burn sensitive bare feet.  There are pet safe deicing products available.

Emergency kit in the car.  It is always a good idea to have an extra leash, blanket and some water for pets.  You never know when the car won’t start, slips off the road, or you might be stranded somewhere. 

https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Cold-weather-pet-safety.aspx
https://www.petmd.com/dog/seasonal/evr_dg_sweaters_for_dogs
https://www.poison.org/articles/2010-dec/ice-melt-products-harmful-to-pets-and-kids
https://www.chewy.com/safe-paw-ice-melter-dogs-cats-35-lb/dp/138554
12 Rainy Day Entertainment Ideas To Keep Your Dog Busy

82 Vet News across the nation this week.

There was a lot of interesting pet related news articles this week that I wanted to share.

1.Texas A&M emergency veterinary team helping out in flood zone
The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team was deployed to Junction, Texas, to provide veterinary care for search-and-rescue dogs working in a flood. “Our goal is always to keep them safe, see problems before they happen and to be there in case of a severe injury happens,” said veterinarian Wesley Bissett, a professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
KBTX-TV (Bryan-College Station, Texas)

2. You tube how to brush dog teeth– 5 min long
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3GIAgrTPE&feature=youtu.be?utm_source=smartbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=smartbrief-article

3. Why do Siberian Huskies have blue eyes? It’s in the genes.
http://www.aaha.org/blog/NewStat/post/2018/10/08/437784/My-what-blue-eyes-you-have-and-now-we-know-why.aspx

4. Which nutrional websites to trust? Here are some guidelines. http://www.tuftscatnip.com/issues/26_10/feature/Which-Nutrition-Websites-to-Trust-986-1.html?ET=tuftscatnip:e2853:2127383a:&st=email&s=p_WeeklyUpdate100118

5.  Bees went silent during last year’s  total solar eclipse
Citizen-scientists placed microphones in flower patches at 11 locations in the path of the 2017 solar eclipse and found that bees behaved normally as the light grew dim and the air cooled, but they abruptly stopped buzzing during totality. The study was published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America.https://www.sciencenews.org/article/what-bees-did-during-great-american-eclipse

6. 3D-printed model improves veterinary surgery planning
Veterinarians at VCA Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists in Ohio worked with engineers at Case Western Reserve University on a 3D-printed model to prepare for surgery to mend a puppy’s severely fractured foreleg. Veterinary surgeon Andy Law said the model enabled him to correct the pup’s bone deformities with a minimum of cuts.
WEWS-TV (Cleveland) (10/10)

7. Distemper outbreak compels La. animal shelter to take action
An animal shelter in St. Landry Parish, La., had to euthanize some dogs, temporarily halt intakes and adoptions, and thoroughly disinfect the facility due to an outbreak of canine distemper. The outbreak might lead parish officials to pass new vaccination requirements, parish President Bill Fontenot said.
KADN-TV (Lafayette, La.)

79 Rescued pets from Florence and Upcoming Test of the Emergency Broadcast System.

As with any disaster, there are amazing stories of heroism and stupidity. Florence is no exception. It does appear that disaster groups have learned some lessons from Katrina and will accept animals What are the lessons learned from Florence?
1. The flood after a hurricane is worse than the high winds. We learned that from Harvey too.
2. People fail to plan for their animals: dogs, cats, exotic pets, horses, livestock, etc. My heart hurt when I saw the photos of dogs in enclosed outdoor runs with the water up to their chests. Or horses penned in areas with standing water. Or wet cats loose in owner’s arms, no carriers.
3. Good Samaritans and pet lovers will step up the plate to help rescue individual pets, and even whole animal shelters. The story about the bus driver that help evacuate the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach, the Dillon County Animal Shelter, Orangeburg Animal Shelter, and Saint Frances Animal Shelter. Last week, he rescued 53 dogs and 11 cats (in crates), got them to rescue groups outside the flooding, and was going back for more.
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/09/photos-pet-rescues-in-the-wake-of-hurricane-florence/570598/#article
https://people.com/pets/community-save-hurricane-florence-pet-rescue-van/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/09/14/animals-trapped-shelter/1307149002/

There is a planned test of the National Emergency Broadcast System, and you might receive an important text message on your phones on Wednesday, October 3. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be conducting tests of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) which includes the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). FEMA has performed three previous tests of the EAS, in November 2011, September 2016 and September of 2017. October 3 will be the first test of the WEA. If a cell phone provider participates in WEA, those who have that cell phone provider should receive the test texts. In reference to the WEA test text, www.fema.gov, explains, “Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA compatible cell phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message. Some cell phones will not receive the test message, and cell phones should only receive the message once. “The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (i.e. Tornado Warning, AMBER Alert). Users cannot opt out of receiving the WEA test.” It continues, “The WEA test message will have a header that reads “Presidential Alert” and text that says: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.

78 Disaster Preparation for Pets– Part 2

In Part 1, we discussed planning for disasters while staying at home. But what if you have to leave to stay safe?

Who? Everyone, even pets leave. No one will come to your house in a disaster and take care of Fluffy, or the gerbils, snake & birds. So be ready to transport.

When? Leave as early as possible. I know that is vague, but you have seen the traffic jams when everyone leaves at the same time.

Where? Ideally you have a close relative in a nearby town that is out of the disaster area. Other ideas are booking a room in a pet friendly hotel in a safe city, or a hotel with a nearby pet boarding facility. Campgrounds might be an option for campers or families with RVs. As a last resort, governments will set up “shelters” like Dallas has done for Houston during Hurricane Harvey, or Houston did during Katrina. These facilities may or may not allow pets, and they definitely recommend or require a carrier for each pet. Imagine how scare Fifi would be in a new wire kennel, in a big building, next to dozens of other scared dogs and cats, with you in the next building.

What to pack? This comes straight from FEMA
• Food. At least a three day supply in an airtight, waterproof container.
• Water. At least three days of water specifically for your pets.
• Medicines and medical records.
• Important documents. Registration information, adoption papers and vaccination documents. Talk to your veterinarian about microchipping and enrolling your pet in a recovery database.
• First aid kit. Cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape and scissors; antibiotic ointment; flea and tick prevention; latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol and saline solution. Including a pet first aid reference book is a good idea too.
• Collar or harness with ID tag, rabies tag and a leash.
• Crate or pet carrier. Have a sturdy, safe crate or carrier in case you need to evacuate. The carrier should be large enough for your pet to stand, turn around and lie down.
• Sanitation. Pet litter and litter box if appropriate, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach.
• A picture of you and your pet together. If you become separated, a picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you. Add species, breed, age, sex, color and distinguishing characteristics.
• Familiar items. Familiar items, such as treats, toys and bedding can help reduce stress for your pet.
(I would add calming pheromones to this list, or a Thundershirt if it helps your dog )

If you have made it this far, I challenge you to discuss this with the family, line to 2 or 3 relatives you could “visit” for a while, plan a few different ways to drive to their houses, gather up carriers, vaccine records, food & water for 3-7 days, and practice getting pets in the car. It will be challenging, but way less to practice now than in the event of an actual emergency.

If you can’t find your vaccine records, give us a call to reprint them. Or they aren’t up to date, let’s fix that.

I have a free red AAHA collapsible water /food dish like in the picture for the first 5 readers who contact me. You must come by to pick it up.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/resources/disaster-prep-pet-emergency-checklist.pdf
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/disaster-preparedness

http://files.dvm360.com/alfresco_images/DVM360//2018/08/07/657c1bfc-fe2f-4458-998b-ba01d4197a65/veterinary-disasterprep-handout-rev1.pdf

77 Disaster Preparedness for Pets- Part 1

As I watch the news this week with Hurricane Florence bearing down on the East Coast, I am reminded that September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. And that means planning with pets in mind. It actually started last week, and the theme is Disasters Happen. Prepare now. Learn how.

The first step is to imagine some likely disasters. Up here in North Texas, I think tornadoes, ice storms, power failures, localized flooding, and possible wildfires. There are many similarities to prepare, even though the causes may be different.

The next step is to figure out if you would shelter in place or leave. If you shelter in place, determine which room of your home would be safest. For tornadoes, ideally pick a room with no external windows, on the ground floor, maybe even a bathtub. I recommend having a leash for every dog and a carrier for each cat. If the power goes out, and the sirens wail, and everyone is freaking out, the last thing you want is your pets all loose and stressed out. This might be a great time to purchase some calming pheromone sprays for pets: Feliway for cat and Adaptil for dogs. These are available OTC at pet stores and Amazon. Some pets might want a favorite blanket or toy, just like children.

Some other items to keep in your shelter room are a charged up phone, flashlight, and a battery powered radio. It is a pretty helpless feeling to be hunkered down in a bathroom, in the dark, listening to the sirens, and you have no clue what is going on. Many cities have a Red Alert system, which will call you if there is a local emergency, but you have to subscribe ahead of time. In Lewisville, they call it Citizen Alert.  In a tornado, the cell towers might go down. Keep a battery powered radio handy, and know some local channels. And there are many apps for phones that can get weather and Dallas News, but not necessarily Lewisville news.

Some basic preparations are to make sure your pet’s vaccinations are up to date, you have at least a week or two of important medications, and that they are microchipped. This is not the time to run out of allergy pills, heart medications, or specialty diets. I see quite a few stray dogs and cats after big wind storms here when fences blow down. A tag on a collar or a microchip really helps reconnect Fido and owner.

What if you have to leave? Sometimes it just isn’t safe to stay home. Would you know what to pack? Where to go? When to leave? I am sure there are many people in the Carolinas or Californians near wildfires asking themselves that same question now.

Next week’s blog will be on “Go” bags and preplanning for a bug out.
For more information: https://www.ready.gov/animals

#40 The Big Chill – Jan 4, 2018

We have all hopefully survived the 80 hours of below freezing temperatures. At least there wasn’t any measurable ice or snow with it. But it was a wakeup call to remind us to be prepared.
I like to tell the story of a former nurse who lived very close by, drove a small sports car, and had a large Great Dane that came to work every day. She seldom wore a coat even in cold weather, because “she lived so close”. And she didn’t travel with a leash because the dog was well trained. Well, one day we had freezing rain that turned to ice right at sundown, and she slid off Garden Ridge into a field while driving home. Her phone battery was dead, so she couldn’t call for help. Fortunately, one of our clients recognized her standing by her car without a coat, with her dog, got her out of cold, allowed her huge 150# dog in her car, and let her use her phone to call for help. Every year after that when we would talk about weather preparedness, we had that employee remind us all to carry a coat & leash, keep your phone charged. And maybe carry a bag of cat litter in the trunk to sprinkle if your tires need traction on ice.
Another common problem I see as a vet AFTER a spell of cold or rainy weather is dogs with urinary tract infections or constipation. Many dogs simply don’t want to “go” outside then, retain urine & feces longer than normal, and can set themselves up for problems. The solution is to encourage your dog to go outside anyway, even if that means going with them, carrying an umbrella, wrapping them in a blanket, taking them for a short walk, whatever it takes to make sure they eliminate urine & feces regularly.
If we have more icy weather, the last reminder is to make sure you are stocked up on your pet’s special foods and medicines. I don’t want Fluffy to run out of heart medicines, or Fido to be out of special kidney diets.
In the event of icy weather, I can’t guarantee we will open at 7:30 AM, or stay open until 6 PM. I insist my staff be safe. We want you to be safe too. In years past, there have been a few days when we opened at 9, or closed early at 5 due to weather conditions, but we try to alert all owners that have pets here or appointments if special circumstances arrive, just like the schools do. We actually watch the school districts decision to help make ours.
Watch the weather, and be safe out there.