May 19th, 2010
Dog Dreams by bobmarley753 on Flickr
It would be hard not to welcome spring without arms open wide, rejoicing in the new-found sunny days, full of color, flower-y scents and warmth from the good ‘ol sol. (I realize that this may sound overly dramatic, but I live in a part of the country where it is dark and cold for many months each year. <g>.)
That said, the distraction of spring can wreak havoc on pets if we aren’t careful. Whether we are caught off-guard by a toxin ingestion, a day that turns out warmer than we thought, or we are simply distracted by everyone coming out of their winter hibernation, it is wise to take a few extra minutes to prepare and keep our pets safe.
Here are my top 3 pet peeves of spring:
1) Spring cleaning accidents – spills, leaks and containers left within pet’s reach. Even “child-proof” containers are not safe from bored or curious pets; teeth can cut right through paper, plastic, wood and metal, too. Antifreeze, insecticides, fertilizers, paints and thinner, cleaners and all toxic items should be kept securely stored away from pets and checked regularly.
Accidents happen even in “non-traditional” places, such as antifreeze in basketball hoops.
2) Gardening mishaps – a beautiful, weed-free lawn isn’t without cost. Please consider the toxic possibilities (environmental, too) of what is used on lawns and gardens. Pets are a lot closer to the ground than us, plus they tend to roll around in grass and dirt more often, potentially absorbing lots more chemicals than is considered “safe.”
Also note that all of the ‘-cides’ are poisons — for bugs, weeds, rats, slugs, etc. and are often very poisonous to pets. A popular gardening item, cocoa mulch, is also tempting and potentially toxic to dogs.
3) Spring (and fall) weather fickleness – the morning starts out cold and drizzly, and by afternoon it is 80F. It happens. Usually this sudden change in temperature results in peeling off the layers and soaking up the rays. With sunscreen in place, of course.
I spend a lot of time in my car, waiting. Waiting for kids, people, running errands. I know just how hot it gets in there on a semi-warm day in the sun, with the windows down. It’s hot! On a day that is barely warm enough to be short-sleeved.
Pets, on the other hand, don’t have it so easy. Big temperature swings are harder to acclimate to, especially when left in a car for “just a minute” as their humans run errands. Pets can’t roll down windows and barking is usually just viewed as an annoyance to people passing by. Same goes for pets in yards or enclosures without adequate shade.
Related: Have you helped a pet left in a parked car on a warm day?
Spring is also a time to get out and get active. Shake off those winter doldrums. Like humans, pets have to work up to getting in shape. Pets can overdo it, just like humans can, resulting in injury or heat exhaustion from overexertion.
What’s your pet peeve?
Hopefully by getting these peeves out there, we can raise awareness for pet safety and enjoy this beautiful time of year.
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Posted in K9 Care, K9 Health | 4 Comments »
4 Responses to “Top 3 Pet Peeves of Spring”
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Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM never planned to be a writer. She wanted to be a veterinarian from the moment she learned such a job existed - sometime during the first grade, when she accompanied her mom to the vet with a sick cat. Janet "adopted" all the neighborhood cats, and at age 11 she started training her first dog, a newly adopted rescue Collie. At age 12, she joined a dog obedience 4-H club and was active through high school as a member and as a junior leader.
- DrJTC: Sorry for the delay – just now saw your comment. Good point. I am lucky to live in a relatively bug-free...
- Kathleen Winn: Great tips! We live in the country so our dog is a regular “wilderness adventurer.” Our...
- AboutVetMed: Thanks, Deb! I was relieved we ended up with something to submit.
- Deb: Loved this story. Your “HairBear” turned out really cute.
- Jenni Meyer: Dave, Millions of dogs in this country are killed every day. I applaud what you are doing and had no...
[...] about spring, I have a few pet peeves about spring that I wrote about over on [...]
Fox Tails.
those pesky little dried weeds that get everywhere. I just got one in ma ear yesterday during an innocent roll around in the dirt. #sigh.
Dr. Wilds got it out, but it takes a lot, and it’s not fun.
Oh good one, Imajackrussell! I hate foxtails too (although where I live they are more of a late summer thing, but nasty any time of the year!).
Nancy Kay DVM just did a great blog post on foxtails, too. Check it out: Those Frustrating Foxtails
Thanks for the links. In the dryness of southern california they seem to show up early spring and hang around all summer. When I go visit my grand humom in Oklahoma i hardly see them.