Protect your Pets Archives | South Lake Tablet

Tips for Your Pet’s Stress-Free 4th of July

Michelle Delaney — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 06:12:39 +0000

Keep Pets Safe and Calm This Fourth of July – This Fourth of July weekend promises to be full of celebration as people head outdoors for fireworks, concerts, picnics, and neighborhood barbecues. But amidst the excitement and festivities, it’s crucial not to forget our furry friends.

Lonnie

Top Priority: Protect Pets from Fireworks – While fireworks symbolize patriotism and celebration for many, they can be a terrifying experience for pets. The loud booms, flashing lights, and strong smells can trigger intense anxiety, fear, and even cause fatal accidents in animals. All pets—whether cats, dogs, or others—instinctively associate loud noises with danger.

Tips to Keep Pets Safe:

Bring Them Inside: If possible, keep pets indoors during fireworks displays. Close windows and blinds, and create a calming environment by playing soft music or turning on the TV to muffle the noise.
Create a Safe Space: Designate a quiet, comfortable area where your pet feels secure—perhaps a closet, under a bed, or their favorite room. Add blankets, toys, or a bed to make it extra cozy.
Secure All Exits: Make sure all doors, windows, and gates are securely closed. Frightened animals can bolt unexpectedly and may become lost.
For Outdoor Animals: If your pet must remain outside, partially cover their enclosure with a tarp and provide a sheltered space where they can hide and feel safe.

Helping Lost Pets

More pets go missing around July 4th than any other time of year. If you find a lost animal:

Keep the pet in a safe, calm place for at least 48 hours—owners often search close to home.
Visit a local vet to scan for a microchip.
Contact the owner if the pet has ID tags or registered microchip information.
Walk the pet around the neighborhood and knock on nearby doors.
Post photos and details on local social media and community pages.
Hang “Found Pet” flyers near where the animal was located.
Reach out to local animal shelters for further guidance. If no owner comes forward, you may consider fostering the animal longer-term.

Special Care for Cats

Cats, too, can suffer greatly from the stress caused by fireworks. To help them stay calm:

Set up a quiet, enclosed space—such as a closet or covered box—lined with blankets or their favorite bedding.
Keep cats indoors, even if they typically venture outside. Fireworks may cause them to flee and become lost or injured.
Play white noise, gentle music, or use a fan to help mask outside sounds.
Use calming aids like pheromone sprays or diffusers (e.g., Feliway), or consult your vet about options for cats with severe anxiety.
Ensure ID tags and microchip information are current, just in case your cat escapes.
Let your cat hide if they need to. Stay nearby and offer comfort without forcing interaction.

With a little preparation and extra care, you can ensure a safe and stress-free holiday for your beloved pets.

Wishing you and your four-legged companions a happy and peaceful Independence Day!

The post Tips for Your Pet’s Stress-Free 4th of July appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

Protect Your Pets

Michelle Delaney — Sun, 15 May 2022 18:58:26 +0000

As temperatures soar, it’s imperative that we keep our pets cool and safe, so here are 7 hot weather safety tips to help you do just that.

Avoid burnt paws. If the pavement is too hot for your bare feet, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws. Always check the pavement before bringing your dog outside. If you can’t avoid walking your dog across hot pavement, invest in a product that protects his feet. If your dog doesn’t like the feel of protective coverings such as boots, try a topical product such as Musher’s Secret, which creates a protective wax barrier between your dog’s paws and any surface they touch.
Leave pets at home. Dogs cool themselves by panting, which precipitates convection; that is, their panting exchanges warm body temperature for cooler air outside. If the outside air isn’t significantly cooler than their body temp, their cooling system doesn’t work and they can get heatstroke. Studies show that on a 75-degree day, temps inside a car (with windows cracked) can raise to 100 degrees in 10 minutes. Temps in dark-colored cars can rise, even more, reaching temps of 200 degrees! Is taking Fifi with you to the market worth risking her life? Didn’t think so.
Keep plenty of fresh water accessible in deep bowls. All that heavy breathing takes a toll. Dogs lose moisture much faster than humans, so they should always have access to fresh, cool water. Deep bowls of cool water will stay chilled longer than shallow bowls, and you can also add ice to prolong the chill.
Be sensible about exercise. *Exercise early in the morning or late at night when the sun’s intensity is less. Even then, watch for signs of heat stress, some of which can include: excessive panting, increased salivation, glassy eyes, and pale gums. To keep bored dogs occupied during the day, try making a “pupsicle”. It will help keep your dog cool and occupied for hours.
Maintain their coat. A shaggy coat can actually help insulate your dog against the heat. If you have a thick-coated dog or cat, try FURminating them. The FURminator pet brush removes thick undercoat while leaving the outer coat which insulates and protects their skin from sunburn. As long as air can circulate through the fur, this will help keep your pet cool.
Keep up on flea prevention. Ideally, your dog or cat should already be on a monthly flea preventative because it’s much harder to eradicate fleas from your home after they’ve already started to reproduce. Flea larvae is practically bulletproof, and get this – – vacuuming actually encourages them to hatch! If you are nervous about using flea medications containing Fipronil and other ingredients, there are now all-natural lines you can try. Consult with your veterinary office for recommendations.
Do you suspect heatstroke? If you think your pet has overheated, place cool (not ice cold, as this can do more harm!), wet washcloths on his head and neck, and cool compresses on his belly and under his back legs. Call your vet’s office immediately and seek their advice about next steps. Heatstroke can quickly lead to coma, cardiac arrest, and death, so don’t hesitate to seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.

*A brachycephalic (flat-faced) breed may have a harder time cooling themselves in hot weather. Owners of flat-faced breeds like pugs, bulldogs, boxers, Pekinese etc., should keep exercise to a minimum and take extra care to keep their dogs cool.

To learn more about protecting your pets, visit: FOUND ANIMALS

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Protect Your Pets. It’s Getting Cold Outside

Michelle Delaney — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 16:40:04 +0000

Temperatures are expected to drop below 40 degrees these next couple of nights.

Pet owners are urged to bring pets in from outside when temperatures drop below 45 degrees. Dropping temperatures along with wind chill can prove deadly for domesticated pets.

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