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6 common pet emergencies to be prepared for

No pet parent wants to think about having a pet emergency, but being prepared can make the situation easier for everyone involved. 

Have a plan, prepare a first aid kit, and with any emergency consult your veterinarian right away.

1. If your pet is bleeding, stay calm: Stay calm and figure out the source. Blood in urine could mean a urinary tract infection.

2. Treat open wounds or bite marks: Use a clean cloth to apply pressure while transporting your pet to the vet. 

3. Comfort your pet during seizures: Keep your hands away from your pet's face. Remove sharp objects and furniture, and calmly reassure your pet. 

4. Prevent and protect from heat stroke: Put your pet in a tub of cool water or apply wet towels to your pet's paws. 

5. Ease an allergic reaction to a bug bite: Less severe cases can be treated with antihistamines and anti-itch sprays.

6. Treat painful, injured nails: Painful nails that have been cut too short can be treated with clotting gel. 

Adapted from 1800petmeds.com, click here to learn more

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Bark4Boughton! Connecticut Canines is ready for the CT GOP Convention at Mohegan Sun tomorrow and Saturday. We proudly support Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton in the Connecticut comeback to become Connecticut's next Governor and leader of the pack!
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With our economy continuing to lag far behind the rest of the nation, far too many in Connecticut are struggling to make ends meet. Each day, thousands of hardworking Connecticut residents face the difficult choice of whether to feed their families or feed their pets. Often, they’re forced to give up the animals they love to already-overcrowded shelters.

The Connecticut Humane Society works to provide pet food for the thousands of families in our state who are unable to afford it themselves and, during these difficult economic times, they need our support more than ever. That is why we’ve joined forces to host a pet food drive at the 2014 Connecticut Republican State Convention.

Please join us in supporting the Connecticut Humane Society by bringing a donation of pet food to this month’s state convention. See the CT GOP Convention website for details.

Most urgent needs:

• Cat Food (dry/canned
• Any Brands
• Dog food (dry/canned)
• Preferred brands: Iams, Purina, Beneful, Grainfree, Blue Buffalo, Kibbles and Bits, Science Diet, Merrick, Pedigree).

Clearly-marked collection bins will be placed throughout the convention area. We’re proud to be partnered with a great organization to support this very worthy cause. Together, we can help our neighbors in need and make sure all of Connecticut’s pets are well-fed.

adapted from the CT GOP Convention website

Born to Run...
If your dog has been a couch potato through the winter it's a good idea to gradually get them back into running as opposed to going full-spring right out of the gate. Just like humans, exercising and gradually building up muscles will help prevent injuries. Before running with you, your dog should be able to walk 30-60 minutes without getting tired. Consider your dog's personality and fitness level. If your pup is carrying a few extra pounds, has joint problems, or is getting up there in doggy years, start slow. And as always, consult your veterinarian with any questions or concerns. 

Is it the scent of flowers and freshly mown grass that has you sniffing — or is it pet hair and dander that has you sniffling? If it’s the latter, open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, and start spring cleaning.

What You Need
To begin, assemble your spring cleaning toolkit. Chances are you already have some of animal–friendly cleaning materials at hand:

• Paper towels
• Old bath towels
• Disinfectant wipes
• Spray stain removers
• Enzyme cleaner
• Liquid floor cleaner
• Mop
• Vacuum cleaner

A number of companies have developed specialty brooms, vacuums, and steam cleaners that can make the cleaning process easier.

While everyone’s home can benefit from clearing out winter debris, pet parents have particular challenges. These tips to combat shedding, odors, and tracked-in dirt are worth the effort.

For All Pets
Shedding. Animals tend to grow a heavier coat in winter to stay warm, which is why springtime often leads to copious shedding. Do you regularly brush your pet? In spring, do it outdoors if possible.

For indoor cleaning, start at the top and work your way down to the floors. Clean pet hair from hard indoor surfaces, including window blinds and sills, ledges, electric cords, and elsewhere it may have settled. Remember to remove stray hairs from upholstery. Various cleaning items can be used, so choose your weapon: a handheld vacuum, lint roller, masking tape, even moist rubber gloves will pick up fur and hair. The last steps, in order, are to vacuum the carpet, sweep or vacuum hard floors, and finally mop.

Smells. Wash your pet’s bedding and use an enzyme cleaner to neutralize odors on other surfaces where he sleeps.

Sanitation. Wash, clean, and disinfect your pet’s food and water bowls as well as the surfaces they rest upon. Plush toys can be tossed in the laundry.

Especially for Cat Parents
Spring may be the time for a new litter box — or simply a good reason to empty, wash, and disinfect the one your cat uses. If you keep the box in a bathroom with a tile floor, you may want to bleach the grout under and surrounding the box and then mop it with clean water. Be sure to rinse the floor thoroughly before allowing the cat back in.

Especially for Dog Parents
If your dog hasn’t had a bath in a while, choose a warm day to wash away winter’s grime. Also hose down and disinfect any outdoor housing the dog regularly uses. And since spring rains lead to muddy paws, keep pet wipes by the front door to use after a walk, or simply let paw prints dry; it may be easier to vacuum later than to scrub now.

The heavy work of spring cleaning comes once a season, but when you have pets, vigilance can help ensure that your home looks good, stays clean, keeps irritants to a minimum, and remains smelling fresh. Happy spring cleaning!

adapted from Home Again

I recently saw this ASPCA list that's very helpful for pet parents. I've adapted it for Connecticut Canines pet parents- keep your furry friends safe!

In 2013, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, Illinois, handled nearly 180,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances, many of which are everyday household items. Read on to learn more about common household items that resulted in frequent calls to APCC, and find out why they’re so dangerous to our furry friends.

1. Prescription Human Medications
The ASPCA handled 24,673 cases regarding human prescription medications in 2013—the top offender for the sixth year in a row. The top three types of medications that animals were exposed to include: heart medications, antidepressants and pain medications. Many instances of exposure occurred when pet parents dropped their medication when preparing to take it, and before they knew it, Fido had gobbled the pill off the floor.

2. Insecticides
Insecticides are used in the yard, home and on our animals, and nearly 16% of all calls to the poison hotline in 2013 were related to insecticides. Always read the label before using any insecticide on your pet, in your home or in your yard.

3. Over-the-Counter Human Medications
Over-the-counter human products, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and herbal supplements, accounted for nearly 15% of calls to the APCC in 2013. Many of these products are tasty to pets, and some can be life threatening if ingested.

4. Household Products
The call center fielded nearly 17,000 calls about general household products in 2013. Household toxins range from fire logs to cleaning products.

5. People Food
Human foods are often appealing to pets, especially dogs. In 2013, people foods clocked in as the fifth most common pet poison. Pets can get themselves into serious trouble by ingesting onions, garlic, grapes, raisins and the sugar substitute xylitol, among other common food items.

Check out the full list of the top 10 pet toxins of 2013. Remember: if you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous, please contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.

Puppy Bowl or Super Bowl?! No contest. Although we did want to see the Budweiser Super Bowl ad "Puppy Love" aka #BestBuds - thank goodness they posted it on Twitter. What a tearjerker, very cute, see it here. The Budweiser Puppy even got his own Twitter name, @BudweiserPuppy after tweeting incoherently on @Budweiser. Did you know that our Beagle mix Harley's full name is Harley Budweiser Dance. Yep, he's a long lost cousin of the Budweiser Puppy's...and Steve likes Budweiser.

Did you see any of the other ads? Any faves? You can see them all here.

Forget the Super Bowl, we had a great time watching Puppy Bowl X on Animal Planet. Did you have a favorite?

Check out some great coverage of the Puppy Bowl, including an overview, fantasy sit/start advice, and what it takes to become the top dog.