Pet First Aid: Cleaning Wounds

Any break in the skin — a cut, a scrape, a broken blister — can allow bacteria and other foreign matter to enter a wound and possibly cause infection. Bleeding can help flush out dangerous material, but you may need to clean a wound to protect your pet from further harm. In fact, if a wound is bleeding profusely, don’t try to clean it right away. This can cause a wound to bleed more. Wait until the bleeding has stopped before trying to clean a wound. Get long fur out of the way. Use a pair of safety scissors (with … Continue reading

Pet First Aid: Bandage Basics

A bandage can help protect a wound from licking or chewing. A bandage is also a great protection from contamination! Bandages are also useful in controlling bleeding and absorbing seepage. Your basic bandage has three parts: the absorbent pad, the gauze wrap, and the tape. You want your padding to be non-stick, otherwise it will be hard to remove later. Wrap gauze over the pad to keep it in place, then use tape to secure the gauze. You can tape over the fur a little, to help keep the bandage in place — just don’t tape too tightly. Be sure … Continue reading

Car Accident Aftercare

If your dog or cat has been hit by a car, they will need to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your pet may walk away from the impact but could have serious injuries anyway! After seeing your veterinarian, you may have a long recovery ahead of you. Here are some tips for caring for a pet who has been in a car accident. Keep the bandages clean and dry. You can wrap bandages in plastic wrap when your pet goes outside to protect them from dirt and damage. Don’t leave the plastic wrap on — wounds and bandages … Continue reading

Pet First Aid: Car Accidents

Car accidents don’t have to be fatal. You may have heard of or seen a dog or cat who walked away from a car accident, thanks no doubt to their amazing flexibility and protective layers of fur. However, just because an animal CAN walk away from an accident doesn’t mean it is uninjured. Internal injuries may take days to show up. Here’s what you should do if your pet is hit by a car: Muzzle them if they are not having trouble breathing. An injured dog or cat may bite the first person who tries to help them. You can … Continue reading

Starting A Pet Sitting Business

If you’ve always wanted to work with animals, you may want to consider starting a pet-sitting business. Pet sitters provide both pet care and home care when the owner cannot be there. What sort of services can a pet sitter offer? Visits to the pets at home (usually between twenty and thirty minutes) Walks and exercise for pets Transport to and from the veterinarian’s office or grooming salon Daily feeding, changing water, and administering any medications House-sitting (including watering plants, bringing in mail and newspapers, and turning lights on and off) A pet sitter allows pet owners to leave their … Continue reading

Providing For Your Pet In An Emergency

Do you have plans for your pets, should you become ill or incapacitated? The unexpected is “unexpected” for a reason — you can’t really know what is going to happen. Do you have someone in mind who will care for your pets in an emergency? Talk to at least two responsible friends or family members who will agree to take care of your pets in an emergency. Make sure they have a key to your house, the name and phone number for your veterinarian, and information about your pet’s care, feeding, and health. Make sure the person you pick to … Continue reading

Is Your Exotic Pet Legal?

Ignorance of the law is no excuse! Before you bring home that exotic pet, find out whether or not it is legal in the area where you live. This can be a complicated search — different levels of local and state government may be involved in animal regulation. Don’t rely on word of mouth; the word you get may be wrong. Use the internet for research, but be sure to talk to a live person at some point. Rules and regulations may change faster than the websites do. Start with your local government — call city hall or the county … Continue reading

Financial Assistance for Pets

Sadly, many pets are surrendered to shelters because their owners cannot afford to keep them, or keep them healthy. Some medical conditions can be very costly to treat; you may not know where to turn for help. The most important thing to know is that help is out there! Many animal shelters, rescue organizations, and veterinarians take contributions to a special fund to help pay for care for sick animals. Ask around; someone you know may have contributed to the fund, or even benefited from it! If you can’t find an assistance program in your immediate area, try searching the … Continue reading

Starting A Doggy DayCare

Is working with dogs your dream? Would you love to spend your days surrounded by furry friends, showering them with affection and attention? You may be thinking about starting your own doggy daycare! The first thing you should investigate is your local laws for pet care and supervision. Will your town allow you to run a doggy daycare in your own home? Will you need to rent a space in an area that is zoned for commercial, not for residential? What sort of business insurance is required? Starting any business takes a lot of planning and some sort of investment. … Continue reading

Preparing Your Pet For a Kennel Stay

If you are going to be leaving your pets at a boarding kennel, there are a few things you should do in advance to prepare yourself and your pet. Make sure your pet is up to date on all vaccinations: rabies, distemper, and parvo virus. Your boarding kennel may require other vaccinations like hepatitis and bordatella (kennel cough). Make sure your pet is well socialized and is comfortable around both people and pets. A pet that does not get along well with other animals, or is fearful or shy around strangers may not be a good candidate for boarding. Make … Continue reading