We provide educational seminars for our supporters on various topics such as Pet First Aid Training. Call the York County SPCA for details.

HOW TO PREVENT ANIMAL BITES

Dog bites are a major health problem for children. School age children receive more than 47% of all reported dog bites. As many as two-thirds of these dog bite incidents happen around a child's home and involve a dog that the child knows. The Dauphin County SAFE KIDS Coalition offers the following animal safety tips:
Always leave animals alone when they are eating and drinking.
Never tease or scare animals; remember, animals protect their own territory, property and owners.
Never mistreat or hurt any animal.
Never pet animals when they have babies.
Never try to stop animals that are fighting.
Leave injured, sick or dead animals alone and go get help.
Leave all wild animals alone.
Never keep wild animals.

WHAT TO DO IF THREATENED:
Stay CALM
Stand STILL
DO NOT RUN OR SCREAM
Speak firmly (don't yell) - NO, SIT, STAY, DOWN, or GO HOME
Back away slowly - always face the animal
Don't stare at the animal - look over the animal's head
Shield yourself - Hold your back pack or package in front of you

Remember, dogs speak with their bodies. Some warning signs are: glaring eyes, nose is wrinkled, hair is standing up, tail is up and stiff, legs are stiff, tail is between their legs, ears are back, corner of mouth is back, and the teeth are showing and growling or barking.

ADOPTING A GERIATRIC PET

There are many changes that come with age. Your pet may be sleeping more because body systems are slowing down. "Accidents" may occur. Arthritis is common in aging pets. Older pets feel colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. Dental disease is a common problem which can shorten your pet's life. Each animal experiences the changes differently. Most will experience some loss of hearing, sight, taste and smell. Some may even become forgetful. Although the symptoms can't all be cured, many can be helped. Because of an animal's relatively short lifespan, significant changes in vital body systems can occur over a few months. For this reason, it is recommended that check ups be done twice a year. The life of your older pet can often be extended and have better quality by regular veterinary care.

Routine blood tests and a urinalysis give important information about your older pet's health and may provide a plan to help prevent or slow down oncoming problems. Liver and kidney failure are among the leading causes of death in dogs and cats. If a decrease in function is picked up early, dietary and medical treatments may be helpful in prolonging your pet's good health. Diabetes also may appear in some older patients and can also be detected by the blood chemistry analysis. Infection and internal bleeding can be diagnosed. Sometimes, the results may suggest that further tests be performed to diagnose other possible problems, or the veterinarian may get a picture that the organ systems tested are working well and that's always good news! Most veterinarians have the equipment to do blood Chemistry Analysis and CBCs on the premises. This is a big asset in getting the results quickly and easily for your pet's best care. Please consult your veterinarian for more more information on Geriatric Health Blood Screens to help you keep them healthy.

Good nutrition becomes even more important. Variations in body weight may be very important. Overweight pets will have more difficulties in older age. Some organ system changes may require a change in diet as well. Because of decreased absorption of nutrients, pet vitamins given daily are highly recommended. Make life easier for your older pet any way you can:
Place food and water or litter pans in easily accessible places
Provide a soft, warm place to sleep
Don't leave your pet outdoors unsupervised if possible
Decrease the need to use slippery floors
Keep toenails trimmed
Groom/massage regularly
Play each day
Tailor exercise to animal's ability
Have regular veterinary checkups and geriatric tests

Home checkups should be done monthly and you should check for:
Normal appetite and drinks normal amounts
No large changes in weight (weigh every three months)
Normal attitude
Teeth and gums free of tartar and swollen red areas, no bad breath
Eyes and ears clear and clean
Hair coat shiny and no flaking or hair loss
Breathes without difficulty or excessive panting or coughing
No lumps or bumps
No ticks, fleas, lice
Gets up and walks without discomfort
No vomiting or diarrhea
Normal urinations and bowel movements including housetraining/litter use

Early care is critical in many situations. If you notice a change in your pet's condition, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Adopting a geriatric pet can provide you and your family with many years of joy and happiness in pet ownership. With proper veterinary care, your pet will be a welcome member of your family for many years to come.

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH FELINE HOUSE SOILING

Have your pet spayed or neutered. Commonly, cats mark as a result of sexual or territorial competition. Cats that are spayed or neutered are less likely to have house soiling problems.
Have your cat examined by a veterinarian to rule out a physical cause such as an urinary tract infection, coccydia and overactive thyroid. Clean the litterbox often. In multi-cat households, each cat should have his or her own litterbox.

To train your cat, take the cat to the litterbox every few hours. Praise and reward the cat when it does its business. Try different cat litters until you find one your cat prefers.

If the cat does soil, rRemove the odor from the affected area - immediately. Use a product designed to remove the stain and odor of feline stool and urine. If nothing else is available, a 50-50 solution of white vinegar and warm water works. Another suggestion may be to put citrus odors (sliced lemons and air fresheners) on the locations where your cat is marking. Cats tend to stay away from citrus scents. Place the cat's bed or food bowls by the area since cats tend not to mark where they eat or sleep. Place a litterbox in the room the cat has been soiling.

Confine the cat to one room of the house when you are not home. Keep a litterbox in this room. Only allow the cat access to the other rooms when you are home to supervise. Punishment is not effective and may make the problem worse. Do not strike or physically punish your cat for soiling. Placing the cat's nose in an area they soiled is ineffective and can heighten the problem.
As a responsible pet owner, be patient and show compassion.

If these options do not correct your cat's marking problems, you may wish to consult with your veterinarian about the use of medications that could be effective in treating this problem. Since there may be a risk your pet could have an adverse reaction to these medications, you should consider medicating your pet only after all other options have been exhausted. Some cats have stopped house soiling when given Paxil, an anti-depressant similar to Prozac, helping to eliminate marking problems. Do not give your pet a human's dose of Paxil.
For more information or advice, please contact your veterinarian or the York County SPCA at (717)764-6109.

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