Summer Safety Tips for Pittsburgh Pets and Their Owners

Summer’s in the air (literally), which means it’s time to think about the dangers of heat stroke and other summer-related hazards to your pet. Dogs and (outdoor) cats will have more opportunities to get into trouble, whether it’s suffering from heat stroke or attracting parasites. Protecting your pet from these and other dangers will make your summer--and theirs--a lot more fun.

See our tips below for important information about summer safety, signs of heat stroke in dogs, and more. If you still have questions, give us a call at (412) 882-3070!

Protect Your Pet from Prolonged Heat Exposure

What pet doesn’t enjoy basking in the sun? Yet, too much sun and heat can spell trouble for your four-legged friend, especially if they have a thick coat, are overweight, and/or have a flattened muzzle. Dogs tend to struggle with heat because they can’t sweat to cool themselves off. They need to pant, and over time this becomes less effective. Dogs with flattened muzzles like Pugs, English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and French Bulldogs are at a serious disadvantage because they can’t breathe as easily, which means panting takes a lot more work. These breeds are much more at risk for heat stroke.

Signs of Heat Stroke in Dogs

Heat stroke can be deadly for dogs, much like it can be for humans. If your dog has been out in the summer heat for far too long, they are likely to have these symptoms:

• Heavy panting
• Excessive, thick drool
• Body temperature feels abnormally high
• Struggling to urinate
• Lethargic, listless
• Vomiting/diarrhea
• Abnormally high heart rate
• Weakness
• Confusion
• Bright red tongue

Call our hospital immediately if your pet is showing any of these symptoms.

How to Minimize Your Pet’s Risk of Heat Stroke

To ensure that your pet doesn’t experience more heat and sunlight than they can endure, keep these tips in mind:

• Never, EVER leave your pet in the car--even if the car is running. Cars left running in summer can easily overheat! Even if you think you’ll only be in the store for a couple of minutes, those minutes can be a long time for a dog or cat sitting in a car that’s getting hotter by the second. 
• Don’t allow your dog (or cat) to walk on hot asphalt. Sun-baked sidewalks and streets can burn their paw pads, and the heat risking off the ground can raise your pet’s body temperature. 
• Make sure your pet always has access to fresh water while they are outside. 
• Make sure your pet has plenty of cool shade to shelter in.
• Take your dog on walks either early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun is low and the ground has cooled. 
• Keep exercise/playtime outside to a minimum.
• When in doubt, keep your pet indoors on hot summer days as much as possible, and supervise them when you let them outside. 

Maintain Your Pet’s Parasite Protection

Fleas, ticks, and various kinds of worms are much more prevalent in summer, making them an even bigger risk than usual for dogs and cats. Make sure your pet never misses a dose of their heartworm and flea/tick prevention, as without it they could be at risk not only for an infestation, but an infection (or two) as well! Keeping your pet protected also protects the rest of your family, and your home.

Water Safety 

Why shouldn’t your pet get to enjoy some water playtime? After all, it keeps them cool. But before you let them take a dip, consult these tips and prepare accordingly.

Get Your Dog a Life Jacket

Whether you’re heading to the lake or taking a trip to the Atlantic, your pet should have a life vest at all times to help them stay afloat during swims. This is especially important for deep-chested breeds like Boxers and Bulldogs, who are not natural swimmers like Labradors. Regardless of breed, however, a life jacket that fits your pet correctly is a major must.

Don’t Let Them Drink the Water

Neither lake nor ocean water is good for your pet to drink. Bacteria and parasites abound, and these could make them very sick. Also, if your pet recently sustained a cut or scrape, it would probably be best to keep them out of the water entirely. Wounds are crucial entry points for bacteria and can increase your pet’s risk for infection. 

Why is Parasite Prevention So Important for My Dog and Cat?

Parasites including fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites are a serious concern to
our pets. They not only cause irritation; they can also cause dangerous diseases. At Always
Compassionate Veterinary Care, we highly recommend routine parasite testing as well as year-
round parasite prevention to keep your pet safe from these pesky critters!

Why We Recommend Routine Parasite Testing

At your pet’s annual exam, we often recommend parasite testing to ensure your pet is free of
pests and make sure their parasite preventatives are working. Since many parasite
preventatives are monthly, it can be easy to miss a dose, or even give it to your pet late, which
opens the door for an infestation.

At your pet’s annual exam, we’ll recommend three tests:

Fecal Testing
This test is valuable for all cats and dogs, not just puppies and kittens who are prone to getting
worms from their mother. Your pet can come in contact with a wide variety of intestinal parasites from tapeworms and hookworms to giardia and coccidia in their environment. These intestinal parasites cause little to no symptoms, but over time, they can damage your pet’s intestines and may cause conditions like anemia. Fecal testing is the only way to ensure your pet is free of these parasites and offer appropriate treatment if any are found.

Heartworm Testing
Heartworms are transmitted from the bite of an infected mosquito, and they travel through your
pet’s bloodstream to the blood vessels around the heart and lungs, where they lodge
themselves. Over time, they’ll mature and multiply, causing irreversible damage to your pet’s
heart and lungs. The symptoms of heartworm disease in its early stages are very mild and may
include lethargy, a cough after exercise, or reluctance to exercise. Yet, many pets have no
symptoms at all. By the time symptoms are noticeable, the disease has advanced to a
dangerous stage that is difficult and costly to treat. Since dogs are the typical hosts for
heartworms, we will often recommend testing them yearly. Yet, cats can be infected, too.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for a cat with heartworm disease, making prevention even more
essential.

Lyme Disease Testing
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that can infect dogs, cats, and
humans alike. Ticks are usually found in wooded areas, but they can be as close to home as
your backyard! Dogs are more likely to be bitten by ticks, only because their skin is less
sensitive and they are often more likely to be outdoors in tick-infested areas with their owners.
Cats, on the other hand, have very sensitive skin and often remove the tick before it has a
chance to bite. Therefore, we only recommend routine Lyme testing for dogs who are often
outdoors with their owners. Lyme disease in dogs is often asymptomatic, meaning there are
very little or no symptoms. In some cases, dogs fight off the disease on their own, yet others
can get gravely ill. Testing helps us recognize Lyme disease in your pet so we can more closely
watch their symptoms and get them the care they need if they take a turn for the worst.

Preventative Options

At Always Compassionate Veterinary Care, we’ll talk to you about your pet’s needs and which
parasite preventatives will work best for them. Some, like Revolution Plus for cats, protects
against multiple parasites, all in one dose. Meanwhile, others like Heartgard, only protect
against one parasite (heartworms). Depending on your pet’s needs and your abilities, we’ll help
you find the safest, most effective parasite prevention option! Schedule an appointment today!

The Importance of Cat & Dog Vaccinations

Vaccinations play a vital role in your pet’s preventive care. They protect cats and dogs from highly prevalent and dangerous diseases. At Always Compassionate Veterinary Care, we take a proactive approach to your pet’s healthcare and will develop a unique vaccinations protocol for your cat or dog. Vaccinations can prolong your pet’s life and give you more good years with your best friend!

Which Vaccinations Does My Pet Need?

Some vaccinations are considered core and are recommended for all cats and dogs, while others are only recommended based on your pet’s lifestyle. When you bring your pet in for their annual exam, we’ll discuss their lifestyle to get an idea for which vaccines they’ll need to stay healthy. 

Factors we’ll consider include:

• Age
• If your pet travels with you, and where
• Whether your pet is indoors or outdoors
• What other pets are in the household
• If you take your pet hiking with you
• And more

Based on our discussion, we’ll determine an effective vaccination protocol that includes the core vaccines as well as the appropriate lifestyle vaccines. 

What Are Core and Lifestyle Cat & Dog Vaccinations?

Core vaccines are highly recommended (or even required by law in many states) for every cat and dog regardless of their lifestyle. These vaccines protect our pets from diseases that are easily contracted, dangerous, and even potentially fatal. Some, such as rabies, can also be contracted by your human family, making the rabies vaccine for dogs and cats even more important. Lifestyle vaccines, on the other hand, are only recommended for pets at risk. 

Here’s a look at the core vaccines we recommend for every pet:

• Rabies – Highly contagious and almost always fatal, rabies is as dangerous a disease as you can get. The common carriers of this disease are raccoons, bats, foxes, and skunks. Your pet can come in contact with these animals in the backyard or even inside your home if a bat gets in! For this reason, the rabies vaccine for dogs and cats is required by law in the state of Pennsylvania. 
• DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza) – This combination vaccine protects dogs against four diseases. These diseases can be deadly to puppies and compromised pets, while taking a serious toll on healthy adult pets. 
• FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia) – This combination vaccine protects cats against three diseases. These diseases are highly contagious and can cause serious illness and even death in cats. 

Lifestyle vaccines include:

• Lyme disease – We recommend this vaccine for dogs who frequently hike in wooded areas with their owner.
• Leptospirosis – This vaccine is recommended for dogs who frequent areas where wildlife is present. 
• Bordetella – Also known as “kennel cough” this vaccine is often required for boarding, grooming, and training facilities. 
• Canine influenza – We recommend this vaccine for social dogs who often visit dog parks, are boarded often, participate in dog shows, or are in other social situations. 
• Feline leukemia – This cat vaccine is recommended for outdoor cats. 

Have any questions or concerns about cat and dog vaccinations? Contact us today at (412)-882-3070!

Pet Poison Control and Safety

Poison Control and Emergency Prevention for Dogs and Cats in Pittsburgh

Do you have a poison control plan for your pet? It can be hard to admit, but our homes are often full of objects and substances that can be highly poisonous to our pets. With March being Pet Poison Prevention month, we thought we’d reiterate the importance of poison control, and also share with you some ideas for a helpful cat/dog first aid kit that you can keep on hand in case of an emergency. Our veterinarians are always available to answer any questions you have, so don’t hesitate to contact our animal hospital for more information!

What Household Items are Hazardous to Pets?

Here are some of the most common health hazards to dogs and cats. If you think your pet has ingested any of these, seek medical attention immediately. It’s ALWAYS better to be safe and make sure your pet is out of harm’s way, than to wait and see how they are in a few hours or the next day.

• Grapes and raisins – This popular snack for humans can be deadly for pets if ingested. One of the main effects of eating grapes/raisins is kidney failure, so be careful about where and how you store (and dispose of) your grapes and raisins. You just never know when your pet might get curious and try to sample a bite!
• Chocolate – Dark chocolate, pure cocoa, and baking chocolate are the most toxic varieties for pets, due to their high caffeine and theobromine content. Consuming sufficient quantities of this kind of chocolate can result in heart arrhythmia, muscle tremors, and possibly seizures. That being said, we encourage you to keep ALL chocolate away from your pet, regardless of how light or dark it is.
        • Xylitol, regularly found in sugar free gum, candy, and mints – Xylitol is extremely dangerous for dogs. While humans can metabolize Xylitol without any trouble, dogs absorb this sugar alcohol very quickly, which leads to abnormally low blood sugar levels (and an increase in their insulin levels). Without timely treatment, this can be fatal. Breath mints (including Tic Tacs), toothpaste, mouthwash, vitamins, and even some peanut butters can also contain Xylitol, so be sure to check labels and be extra careful about where you store and dispose of these items.
• Antifreeze – One of the most dangerous household poisons, antifreeze has a sweet scent and flavor that many pets find attractive. Whether it’s a full bottle or a puddle in the driveway, clean up any spilled antifreeze and store the container in a secure, high-up place where your pet can’t reach.
        • Rodenticides (rat poison) – Ingesting rat poison can be deadly for your pet. Allowing them to wander outside your property can increase their chances of coming across these poison pellets, so check the perimeter of your property (if rodents are an existing problem) and keep a very close eye on your pet.
• Over-the-counter medications – If you and/or your family members have over-the-counter (OTC) medications in the house, keep them shut away and out of reach of your pet at all times. If you take your pills in the bathroom, shut the door just in case you drop one. Dogs are extremely quick when they want to grab something! Among the most dangerous OTC drugs are ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Ingesting these can cause damage to the kidneys and possibly be fatal, so always keep your pill bottles in a secure place.
• Fabric softener sheets – Believe it or not, these inconspicuous sheets, while full of chemicals, can be attractive to pets thanks to their pleasant odor. Ingesting one or more can cause poisoning and even choking.
• Batteries – Always dispose of used batteries properly. Batteries contain highly toxic fluid and even simply biting the TV remote or chewing on a battery-powered children’s toy can put your pet at risk for poisoning.

What to Include in Your Dog or Cat First Aid Kit for Poison Emergencies

A first aid kit can prove life-saving for your pet. Here are some of the most important and practical things to include:

• Your veterinarian’s phone number, and the numbers to nearby emergency vet clinics (plus directions)
• The number for the Pet Poison Helpline: 1-855-764-7661
• Hydrogen peroxide (3% concentration, non-expired) to induce vomiting – DO NOT administer to your pet without consulting a licensed veterinarian first!
• A set of tablespoons and/or teaspoons for measuring the proper amount of hydrogen peroxide to give to your pet in case you need to induce vomiting
• A turkey baster, bulb syringe, or oral dosing syringe for quicker and easier administration of hydrogen peroxide
• Corn or maple syrup
• A sweet beverage rich in electrolytes (such a Gatorade)
• A can of tuna (packed in water), chicken, or some other canned pet food
• Rubber gloves
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• Dawn (or other liquid dishwashing detergent)
        • Diphenhydramine tablets (25mg) or liquid – do not give in combination with other ingredients or pain relievers

When NOT to Induce Vomiting

Depending on what kind of substance your pet ingests, inducing vomiting can sometimes be as harmful as the poison they consumed. ALWAYS contact your veterinarian before attempting to induce vomiting in your pet.

• If your pet has ingested any fast-absorbing OTC medications. Inducing vomiting won’t be of much help to your pet, as the medication has already dissolved.
• If your pet consumed battery fluid or some other, highly acidic substance, inducing vomiting can do serious damage to their esophagus.
• Oily substances can potentially become a choking hazard or even cause pneumonia in your pet if vomiting is induced.
• If your cat has ingested a poison, do not try to induce vomiting at all. Hydrogen peroxide can irritate or even cause ulcers in the stomach, and this can be life-threatening to your feline. Don’t risk it!
        • Brachycephalic (smush-faced) dogs can also be at risk of aspirating if they are given hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting.

Common Choking Hazards for Dogs and Cats

Some household items aren’t necessarily poisonous, but they can cause choking, which is just as dangerous. This includes batteries, strings, plastic bags, small children’s toys, plastic packaging, bottle caps, and more. Dogs are especially notorious for swallowing all manner of objects, but cats are certainly capable of this, too. Regard your pet as you would a toddler and take pains to remove any possible choking hazards from their environment. If necessary, child-proof your cabinets and drawers or keep certain rooms closed off to prevent your pet from entering.

Why is Pet Dental Care so Important?

Pet dental care is one of the most overlooked areas of veterinary medicine. More dogs and cats experience dental disease than those that don’t, and while awareness of dental disease has increased significantly, the condition itself remains as prevalent as ever. While we can’t easily explain the disparity, we can shed light on what proper dental care is all about and how you can improve your pet’s oral hygiene. For a more in-depth discussion about their dental needs, you can contact our animal hospital and set up a consultation with your veterinarian.

When to Start Your Pet’s Dental Care Routine
The moment your new puppy or kitten enters your home, you should start thinking about getting them a pet-friendly toothbrush and toothpaste. The sooner you and your pet get accustomed to brushing their teeth, the sooner it will become a (healthy) habit. You can also get in touch with your veterinarian if you’re having trouble getting your pet comfortable with the practice. This can take time, so patience is key!

While it’s never too late to start a habit of brushing, older pets may be more difficult to train. If brushing their teeth ends up being too stressful and time-consuming, there are other options. Some other effective dental solutions include:
- Finger brushes
- Dental chews
- Dental toys
- Water additives
- Prescription dental diets

When You Need Professional Dental Care
Unfortunately, brushing alone will not prevent dental disease. Just like your own dental regime, your pet will need routine visits to the vet in order to maintain their oral health. Annual wellness visits are essential in preventing dental disease because pets are masters at hiding their symptoms. With a close eye, though, you may be able to detect these subtle signs:
- Bad breath
- Difficulty eating or grabbing toys
- Discolored teeth
- Chewing only on one side
- Traces of blood in food or water bowls
- Loose teeth

At annual wellness exams, we always include a dental evaluation and look for these, and other signs of disease. If we find any, we will recommend a professional dental cleaning. A professional cleaning involves an in-depth assessment of your pet’s oral health as well as the treatment to prevent or reverse disease. A full dental cleaning will include:
- Digital dental X-rays
- Ultrasonic and hand scaling to remove tartar
- Polishing of each tooth to smooth enamel and reduce future tartar buildup
- Extractions, as needed, of damaged teeth*
*Our goal is to prevent dental disease from ever causing the need for extractions. Yet, in the event your pet does need it, we provide pain medication so they wake with minimal discomfort.

Why You Should Prevent Rather than Treat Disease
Preventing dental disease not only saves you money, it spares your pet the painful and dangerous experience of dental disease. Disease not only takes a toll on your pet’s mouth, it can also spread to other areas of the body and damage their heart, liver, and kidneys. By the time if gets that far, your pet will not only need dental care and extractions, but also treatment for their damaged organs. This is far more costly that routine dental cleanings! Additionally, with preventative care, you can help your pet live a healthier and longer life with you.

Schedule your pet’s dental appointment today to keep disease at bay!

The Importance of Pet Wellness Care

Pet wellness care is an integral part of every companion animal’s health program. The best thing you can do for your four-legged family member is commit to bringing them in to see their veterinarian annually or semiannually for an exam. At our animal hospital in Pittsburgh, we provide every pet with a personalized, complete wellness plan that focuses on preventing the onset of disease and raising their quality of life.

Ensuring a Healthy Start for Puppies and Kittens
Puppies and kittens are tougher than we give them credit for, but they can also be at a much higher risk for illness and infection than adult dogs and cats. Their immune systems are still developing, and if they are 6-8 weeks old, they have likely lost the antibodies they obtained from their mother’s milk.
Additionally, puppies and kittens are often born with intestinal parasites such as roundworms, which can be passed from the mother to her litter either while they are in the womb or nursing. Intestinal parasites can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other issues in young pets. With blood and fecal testing, we can screen for these pests and offer various safe treatments to eradicate the intruders.

Setting a Health Baseline and Maintaining Your Pet’s Health
Another important benefit of annual/semiannual wellness exams is being able to establish a baseline of health. This allows us to compare your pet’s “normal” health status with proceeding exams, which can make it easier for us to detect unusual health changes sooner. Furthermore, our goal when your pet reaches adulthood is to maximize and maintain their health for as long as possible. Seeing them annually means we can monitor their condition and offer advice to improve it.

Detecting Disease, Parasites, and Congenital Issues
Routine wellness exams are the best opportunity we have for screening your pet. This includes blood, fecal, and urine testing, which can tell us a lot about what’s going on inside. Thanks to our capabilities, we can screen dogs and cats for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, intestinal parasites, bladder infections, diabetes, thyroid problems, and much more. 

Keeping Senior Pets in a State of Comfort
Like us, dogs and cats also experience the effects of aging, including arthritis, muscle weakness, vision and hearing loss, diabetes, heart disease, and more. We hope to prepare every pet for this stage of life with consistent wellness care and an eye toward the future. Weight loss, pain management, joint health, and immune system support are just a few important aspects of senior pet wellness care.

Winter Pet Safety in Pittsburgh

Is winter pet safety on your agenda this season? Make it a priority to ensure that your four-legged family member stays healthy (and cozy) in the midst of freezing temperatures. Pittsburgh winters can be tough, not just for humans but for our furry friends, too. Our animal hospital recommends that you take precaution and consider all the possible risks before letting your pet outside.
If you still have questions for your veterinarian, please contact us right away.

Prevent the Risk of Frostbite

Dogs and cats are just as vulnerable to frostbite as humans are. While a fur coat can offer some protection, it can’t fight off the cold indefinitely or prevent frostbite on the tips of the ears, the nose, and even on the paw pads. If you can’t handle the cold, then your pet can’t, either! Let them stay indoors with you—provide extra cushioning for their bed (if they have one) and consider getting a pet-friendly heating pad to soothe their achy joints (if they’re advanced in age).

If you do take your pet outside for a bathroom break, keep an eye on them and let them in as soon as they’ve done their business. For walks, get a sturdy coat that suits their size and shape so they can stay warm. Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes can tolerate the cold extremely well, but an extra layer of protection doesn’t hurt.

Snow and Ice are Dangerous for Pets, Too

Pets can sustain leg injuries from slipping on ice and melting snow (kind of like us). De-ice your driveway, patio, and any pathways around your house, and sweep away puddles wherever you can. It might be a good idea to keep your pet on a leash when you take them outside for a bathroom break, to ensure they don’t take off running.

When walking with your pet, lead them around ice and snow puddles. Rubber booties are also a helpful way to keep your pet from slipping on sheets of ice, thanks to the additional traction they provide.

Antifreeze and Sidewalk Salt

Antifreeze is known to be fatal for animals if ingested. It has a very sweet, syrupy smell and taste that curious pets can’t help but investigate. If you spill any antifreeze while readying your car for winter, clean it up immediately. Make sure your antifreeze container is tightly sealed and stored high on a shelf or in a closet where your pet can’t get to it. You can never be too careful with antifreeze.
In addition to being painful for pets to step on, it can irritate your pet’s paw pads and stick in their fur. Licking this salt can also burn their mouth or cause minor stomach upset. Check your pet’s belly and feet for pieces of salt and wipe them away before letting your pet inside. If you have a cat or two, clean salt residue from your shoes/boots so they don’t try to lick it off.

Your Car Could be a Temporary Home for Strays

Before you start your car in the morning, be sure to knock on the hood a few times and honk the horn just in case a cat has decided to shelter next to the engine. In harsh weather, strays will find any shelter they can against the elements, and under the hood of your car is as good a place as any to them. Keep this in mind and try to give these animals a chance at survival before turning the engine.