Top 5 Summer Tips for Your Pet

June is Pet Preparedness Month, and at Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital, we recommend the following tips to help keep your pet safe this upcoming summer season:

1) Microchip Your Pet- Your pet's collar can easily fall off and become lost. Having a permanent form of identification is very important. Many microchip companies supply a collar tag with your pet's microchip number, so be sure to keep the tag safe. Adding it to your key chain can provide easy access to the microchip number and the microchip company's contact information.

2) Create a First Aid Kit for your pet and have it ready should your pet experience an emergency. We recommend including a rectal thermometer, bandage scissors, bandage material, triple antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, and Benadryl (ask your veterinarian about the recommended items for your pet).

3) Always make sure to have enough prescription medication for your travels and keep medications in their original container.

4) Many states require proof of Rabies Vaccination. Make sure to keep your pet's annual vaccinations up-to-date and have a copy of the Rabies Certificate available.

5) Add your veterinarian's contact information to your mobile phone's contact list or your address book. This could save time should you have to visit an emergency hospital during your vacation.

These tips may require modification depending on your pet's needs. Contact us at (203) 438-8878 with any questions you may have.

We hope you and your pet have a fun and safe summer!!

Labor Day Safety Tips for Pets

1. Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals.

2. Always assign a dog guardian. No matter where you're celebrating, be sure to assign a friend or member of the family to keep an eye on your pooch-especially if you're not in a fenced-in yard or other secure area.

3. Made in the shade. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water, and make sure they have a shady place to escape the sun.

4. Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of paws' reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing-or even kidney disease in severe cases.

5. Keep your pet on his normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea.

6. Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingesting any of these items can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression in your pets, and if inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia.

7. Never leave your dog alone in the car. Traveling with your dog means occasionally you'll make stops in places where he's not permitted. Be sure to rotate dog walking duties between family members, and never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle.

8. Make a safe splash. Don't leave pets unsupervised around a pool-not all dogs are good swimmers.

Source: http://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/labor-day-pet-safety-tips