Feline First Aid
Knowing some basic first-aid techniques can help you save your kitten's life.

Arnold Plotnick, DVM

 Most kittens endure kittenhood relatively unscathed. A few, however, deplete several of their nine lives in the course of growing up. Knowing the principles of first aid can help your kitten survive that turbulent first year of life. As an interim measure until veterinary care becomes available, the objective of first aid is to prevent a condition from worsening, alleviate pain and suffering and help the recovery process. Getting veterinary help still remains the highest priority. Despite our best precautions, we may find ourselves facing a kitten health emergency. The most common disasters that strike kittens are burns, electric cord injury, choking, bee stings, fractures and poisonings.
The Top 6:

1. Burns: Most kitten burns occur from thermal objects such as heating pads, heat lamps or scalding hot liquids. Kittens may jump onto stovetops and burn their feet or tails. If your kitten experiences a burn, immediately apply a cool, damp towel to the area for 30 minutes. Cover with a loose bandage and take your pet to a veterinarian. Do not put ice directly on the area, and avoid ointments, as they are difficult to remove.

2. Electric shock: Kittens are most likely to chew or bite a dangling electric cord because it is seen as a perfect plaything. Many incidents happen around the holidays. "The combination of Christmas lights and kittens as Christmas gifts increases the chances of this emergency occurring," said Steve Baker, DVM, an associate veterinarian at the Pet Care Clinic in Meridian, Idaho. "We encourage our clients to kittenproof their trees, nativity scenes and other holiday decorations. Nobody wants to spend Christmas Eve in an emergency clinic as a result of natural kitten curiosity."  Biting through an electrical cord can cause, at the very least, a painful electrical burn on the mouth and tongue, which often becomes infected and requires veterinary care. Severely shocked cats can go into cardiac arrest or develop pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs). Kittens that chew through electric cords should be taken to a veterinarian immediately, even if the kitten only appears to have minor burns.

3. Choking: If your kitten gets something stuck in its mouth or throat, it will cough or gasp suddenly. A kitten becomes frantic when scared, so wrap it in a towel and have someone else hold it while you try to look in the back of the throat. If you detect an object, try to spot it with a flashlight, then remove it with tweezers or a spoon handle. Be careful not to push the object further back into the kitten's throat. And be careful not to get bitten. Kittens have very sharp teeth and may bite without trying to or realizing it.

4. Bee stings: Kittens love chasing moving objects, including stinging bugs. "Bee stings or spider bites are often suspected but definitive diagnosis is uncommon unless the event is witnessed by the pet owner," said Steve Marks, Ph.D., associate professor and head of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine's small animal medicine service.
If a bee stings your kitten, immediately put ice on the sting to reduce pain and swelling. Use a magnifying glass to find the stinger. Pull it out with tweezers if possible. Clean the area and apply an antibiotic ointment. After treating your kitten for the bee sting, monitor it very closely for an allergic reaction. Although uncommon, allergic reactions can occur, and the kitten can go into shock. The tissues of the throat may swell and obstruct breathing, and blood pressure may plunge. This is a life-threatening complication. "In most cases, symptomatic care is appropriate. However, if the kitten has difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, the pet owner should seek veterinary advice immediately," Marks said.

5. Fractured limbs: Orthopedic injuries are common in kittens because they love to jump. When a kitten fractures a bone, the initial clinical sign is limping, holding the injured leg up, or walking on only three legs. Simple fractures in which both ends of the bone remain under the skin are not as bad as open fractures in which the bone breaks through the skin. Open fractures are at high risk of becoming infected. If you suspect a limb fracture, try to apply a temporary splint to immobilize the leg. A pencil, tongue depressor or piece of heavy cardboard works well. To effectively immobilize the leg, the splint must span the joint above and below the fracture. Wrap strips of clean cloth or gauze around the leg and the splint so that the leg cannot bend.

Do not try to manipulate the bones back into place, and do not wash out open fractures. If the kitten becomes too stressed during splint application, stop and take it to the veterinarian immediately.

6. Poisonings: The average household contains many items poisonous to kittens. Common toxic substances include ammonia, antifreeze, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, bleach, gasoline, lye, paint thinner, rat poison, turpentine and rubbing alcohol. Indoor and garden plants are a potential problem as well. Kittens love to nibble on plants and dried flowers. Some plants merely cause an upset stomach. Others can be fatal. Cacti, dieffenbachia, mistletoe, poinsettia, acorns, English holly, tulip flower bulbs, oleander, honeysuckle and most lilies are poisonous to some degree.
Always check with your veterinarian before administering medication to your kitten. Signs of poisoning vary depending on the type of poison and quantity ingested. You should be suspicious that your cat has been poisoned if you see signs such as excessive salivation, vomiting, loss of consciousness or seizures. If you see your cat ingest a toxic substance, call your veterinarian and be ready to describe what the poison is, the active ingredients, how much and when it was ingested, and what signs your kitten is showing. If you visit the vet, bring a sample of the suspected poison in its original container. If your vet cannot be reached, call a local or national animal poison control center for instructions. Read the label to see if specific instructions for treatment are given. If not, induce vomiting using syrup of ipecac or hydrogen peroxide: one teaspoon per 5 pounds of body weight. Don't induce vomiting if a strong acid or alkali, or a petroleum distillate like kerosene was ingested.

First aid is not meant to replace veterinary care. However, knowledge of basic first aid allows kitten owners to effectively handle emergencies until a veterinarian can be reached. Knowing the basics may save your kitten's life.

 Springtime for the Younger Set!

Garrett PetMinders

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Initial Consultation:   $20.00

     *We request that this interview take place at least 48 hours before first pet-sitting visit.*
 
Daily Pet Sitting:  $25.00 UP TO 2 PETS. $5 per pet per day over two. Includes up to 4 visits per day of at least ½ hour duration. $5.00 per pet for each additional pet per day. Pet visitations include water change & feeding as directed, plus play and/or walking. For cats and small mammals, we clean cages & litter boxes and other areas as specified, change water & food, play or companion if desired. Visits may be arranged according to the owner's desires. Earliest daily visit not earlier than 7AM - last visit at night not later than 10 PM.

Medication - $5.00 per day - any/all oral meds per pet

Pet Taxi during Sitting - $10.00 per trip + mileage
* Emergency Visitation (less than 24 hr. notice): $10.00 over reg. charge
Holiday Visits: Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, New Year's Eve/New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and all other Federal Holidays:+ $10 over reg. charge

Other Services:
Pet Taxi (to Vet, Groomer or other): $30.00/hr.
Includes any portion thereof (plus mileage)
Dog Walking: $20.00 per  first ½ hour
                    $10.00 each add'l. ½ hr.

*Also included: light pet

grooming brushing, light house sitting (change lights, get mail, take out trash, water plants, other light chores as agreed). Clients north of Accident, MD or out of state agree to pay a mileage charge of $0.45/mi.

Please feel free to visit our website at www.garrettpetminders.com for additional information and our Policies & Procedures.

Destructive Chewing:

Why and How to Curb It 

Dogs explore and learn about the world using their sense of smell, sight, hearing and touch. We touch with our hands to figure out how something feels; dogs use their mouths. Chewing is normal behavior for dogs of all ages. While chewing is normal, dogs sometimes direct their chewing behavior toward inappropriate items. Both puppies and adult dogs should have a variety of appropriate and attractive chew toys.

Sometimes chewing exceeds the realm of normalcy and becomes a visible expression of how the dog may be feeling. Puppies chew to relieve discomfort from teething which can last anywhere from 4 to 8 months. Adult dogs may destructively chew for several reasons:

1: May not know what's ok and not ok to chew on
2: Boredom 3: Anxiety 4: Attention
5: Fear-related and needs the comfort of chewing

How can you manage the situation and teach your old dog a new trick?

First, you have to make sure that anything the dog should not chew is out of reach. This is like puppy proofing the house all over again.  Keep shoes, remotes, trash, toys, books, and other items out of reach and preferably out of sight. If you have a child, close the door to their bedroom where brightly colored toys and books may look like toys to your dog. Keep your shoes in a closet and keep those remotes off the floor!

Second, try to not confuse your dog with toys that resemble household items. The last thing you need is a chew toy that looks like a shoe or a newspaper. Your dog's toys should be unique when compared to other items in the house. This helps the dog to visually make note of what's appropriate to chew on and is "theirs" and what is not. Once you've gotten all items away from your dog that aren't his and have a few toys that he can chew on, then it's time to start some behavior modification. Here are 6 easy things you can do to save your furniture:

1: Try to give your dog more "people time" - Spend time playing, teaching, and reinforcing good behavior.  Walks, trips to the dog park, and time to just be a dog are important. A tired dog is well-behaved dog. A bored dog will find something to do and 9 times of 10 it is something like chewing on your glasses.

2: If your dog gets her mouth on something she shouldn't chew on like the remote control, exchange it with one of her toys or a treat. Teach the phrase "give", "drop" or "leave it." Praise her any time you see her using her own toys to chew on. It reinforces good behavior.You can even put some food in a toy to help reinforce what can and cannot be chewed up. Don't chase your dog around the house trying to get whatever it is she has taken. It becomes a big game and more often than not, your dog wins.

3: When you are out or unable to supervise your dog, confine her to a place where she can't get into trouble. If you have a crate, get her used to being in it again. If you have a room where she can be left without any worries, put her there with a toy with some treats stuffed in it to keep her occupied for a little bit.

4: Give you dog some unsupervised time once new toys and positive reinforcement have been started and show signs of working. Let her have 5 to 10 minutes alone in a room where some objects and items are that she used to want to gnaw on. If she resumes her old habits, back up and keep working with her. Rome wasn't built in a day and dogs can't change in a blink of an eye.

5: If you think your dog might be chewing due to hunger try feeding your dog smaller quantities many times a day. Some dog toys are made to be stuffed with kibble and this will give your dog some mental and physical workout. Small meals 3 to 4 times a day may keep your dog more satisfied than 1 or 2 larger servings.

6: If the chewing goes beyond simple behavior modification and seems to tightly linked to other problems going on such as stress or anxiety and your dog also seems to pace, pant, spin, and seem nervous quite often throughout a day you may need to talk to your vet or a professional dog behaviorist as to what else can be done to help your dog.

Dogs are not perfect. Keep your expectations real. They won't change in a day or a week. There will be at least one instance where your dog will chew or swallow something that she shouldn't have and may need to relearn the rules of the house. Stay patient, try to keep your dog interested in her own toys, and keep her stimulated. Play games, take walks down new blocks, join a meet up group, take her to dog daycare, and spent a lot of "people time" with her. All these things will make her and you happy but it takes time.