Razy Rack

Razy Rack is a bone shaped biscuit with hooks to hang your leashes, collars, harness', clothing and the other things you have for your pet. The Razy Rack comes in different sizes, and is also customizable. To order one for yourself or for someone else go to www.razyrack.com

Take a look at my Razy Rack

Keep your pets safe this 4th of July

Hot outside

I think this photo says it all!

Eighty percent of pet owners have owned a pet afraid of fireworks. Do you constantly worry about your pets during firework displays close to your home? Do you fear you may come home to find that your pets are unhappy or, even worse, dead because of the extremely loud noises? If you can't ask for quieter fireworks, you will have to do the best you can to comfort your pet. Here are the ways to keep your pet safe and cared for during fireworks.

Know when fireworks will be happening and how they'll impact your home. Contact your local municipality to find out when your area is likely to have fireworks. Mark the dates on a calendar so that you can keep track of when to ensure your pets are cared for. If you know or suspect that the fireworks will be heard at your house, take the precautions outlined in the following steps.

• Check that your pets' ID tags and microchips are in date; mark the calendar when renewal payments are due and be sure to make the payments. If your pet does go running off during fireworks events, it's much easier to be able to identify its ownership with these features.
• Fireworks upset pets as a result of the noise, smell of sulfur, and flashing lights.

Desentisation of noises helps to prevent a phobia of loud noises, use a cd like Sounds Scary, well before the firework season, or after the event.

 

Prepare the house. The house becomes your pets' safety zone, so it's important to prepare it properly.

• Keep some lights on. Keeping a light on will calm your pet and make him feel more secure, rather than being scared in a dark room.
• Dampen the noise. Close the curtains in the room and, if your animal is a caged one, cover up the cage in a thick blanket, but make sure it is breathable so your animal doesn't suffocate. This will also help to stop the flashes of light affecting your pet.
• Plan to use familiar sounds to drown out the noise of the fireworks. Music from a stereo or turning on the TV are likely familiar sounds that can sooth your pet. Just make sure not to play these sounds ridiculously loud as they can become bothersome themselves.

 Provide suitable sleeping spots

Prepare the room. Select a suitable room where you will contain the pets for the duration of the fireworks. An inner room that is least impacted by the noise is ideal. It should be a room that you can close off to prevent your pet from running about the house and injuring itself, wrecking furniture, etc. If you have more than one pet, be sure they don't mind being confined in the same room, or select several rooms for different pets. For example, dogs and cats will usually appreciate being kept separate.

• Make the room cozy. Put down familiar, clean bedding somewhere pleasant such as under a table, on or behind a chair, etc. Add some familiar chew toys, scratch pads, balls, etc., to keep your pets amused and distracted.
• Ensure that the room temperature is pleasant; warm if it's cold weather, or cool if it's hot weather.
• Consider whether sound might be soothing. If your pet is used to music, turn some on at normal volume. Also, the sound of rainwater is very soothing to pets.
• Use lavender. This is optional, but you might like to use lavender scented items to help calm your pet. Use a spray or gently bruise the leaves and flowers of some fresh plants. Just make sure that it's out of reach of your pet. Using heated scent oils or incense is not recommended as a frantic pet can knock them over and start a fire or injure themselves.
• Add a litter tray for cats.
• Remove any sharp items from the room in case your pet starts jumping or running around.

Keep your own worry under control

Prepare yourself. In the desire to ease our pet's pain, sometimes we can transfer some of our anxiety and upset to the pet. If you've prepared properly in advance, there is no need to feel upset and worried as you can be reassured about the safety of your pet.

• Realize that the startled and frantic reactions of your pet are often the principal source of your own upset. Being ready for their reactions can help to keep you calm as well.

Confine your pet.

Confine your pet. Half an hour to an hour before the fireworks are due to be set off, place your pet into the chosen room. If you're concerned about not being able to locate your pet (for example, cats aren't always easy to find), consider finding your pet several hours earlier. Mealtime is a good time to round up every pet, provided it falls before the fireworks are set off. If your dog needs a walk, be sure to walk her before confining her.

• Even if your pet is caged, place it into the secure and comfortable room you've selected.
• If your pet is a horse or other farm animal, make sure it has clean bedding and is inside the stable or barn.

Provide food and hydration.

Provide food and hydration. Be sure to leave sufficient water and food for your pet in the confinement space. Many pets will be uneasy, or even frantic. If your pet has access to water, it will help calm him, and food supplied in your pet's regular portion will make him feel like it's a normal day.

Keep an eye on your pet, and if possible, stay with her.

Keep an eye on your pet, and if possible, stay with her. Comfort her and talk to her. Be friendly but don't fuss over her too much; this can increase her anxiety if she picks up on yours and can reward and encourage fearful behavior. If it's not possible to stay with her, (perhaps because you're out or busy (you may be at the firework display), don't worry - the previous steps should ensure that your pet has been adequately cared for.

• Allow your pet to hide somewhere in the room if wished. It's your pet's way of coping (a "bolthole") and dragging them out of a safe spot can increase their anxiety levels. Don't fuss over her too much.

Check on your pet after the fireworks.

Check on your pet after the fireworks. Reassure him and remove the protection (blankets, etc.) as long as you're sure that the loud fireworks are over. Let him have free run of the house to see how he behaves before considering letting him return outside (it might be best to wait until morning, if possible). Check for signs of stress in your pet:

• For cats, signs of stress include running away, soiling the house, hiding away and refusing to eat.
• For dogs, signs of stress include barking a lot, running away, soiling the house, hiding and cowering, clinging to owners, whimpering, trembling and shaking, pacing and panting, and refusing to eat.
• If your pet is stressed, keep him indoors overnight. Keep a litter tray somewhere in the house, or walk a dog after the fireworks but don't let him off his harness and be sure to stay with him the whole time.
   

Do a yard sweep before letting your pets back outside.

Fireworks can contain dangerous chemicals like oxidizing agents (which typically are from the chemical potassium nitrate), reducing agents (like charcoal or sulfur), coloring agents (which are potentially dangerous heavy metals), and less dangerous substances like binders (a starch or sugar source) and regulators (a wick or fuse). The range of toxicity varies with what type of firework is ingested, how much is ingested and what type of coloring agents are used. Fireworks can also be dangerous to pets physically – when exposed to the spark or smoke, a thermal burn injury can result.

Fourth of July Safety Tips

 

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.     
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.
• Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.

Warm Weather Pet Care

Below is a list of safety tips to keep your pet safe and cool this summer

1. Always provide plenty of fresh water and make sure that if the water bowl is outside it is safely secured so it doesn’t get tipped over and is in the shade.

2. Pets can get sunburned, especially if they are white, so make sure they have plenty of shade outside.

3. Apply a mix of equal parts of SPF 15 sun block and petroleum jelly to pets with pink noses before they go outside. You can also purchase sunscreen for your pet that is apporved for use on your animlas.

4. Dogs’ pads burn easily so avoid hot surfaces like blacktop during the hottest part of the day.

5. Before starting your walk, give the sidewalk a test with the palm of your hand. If it is too hot to touch then it can burn your dog’s footpads, so avoid that surface.

6. To avoid overheating exercise your pets either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Avoid exercising your pets between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. because this is the hottest time of the day.

7. Fleas, mosquitoes and ticks love the summer so make sure to protect your pet from these summer pests

8. Watch for signs of heatstroke such as excessive panting, red gums, dry to the touch gums, or disorientation. If you suspect heatstroke, take your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

9. To cool down a pet that Is over heating, apply cool water [not ice cold, which can cause shock] to their coat and pads and take them to the Vet right away.

10. Avoid taking your pet in the car during the summer months and NEVER leave a pet in a parked car. Even with the windows down, it only takes a few minutes for the temperatures to rise in excess of 150 degrees, which can cause stroke, brain damage or death.