Snakes are out--keep your horse safe

Picture is taken from the Equss Magazine 2015

It's that time of year that the snakes are now out of hibernation.  Baby snakes have also left the den and are out exploring the wonders of our desert.  I have a Desert Mohave Coon Rattler that likes to hang out at my house, due to the ground squirrels.  Unfortunately, he has already killed one of my dogs.  I have named this snake Clyde.

This is Clyde

There are 22 venomous snakes in AZ and 40 non-venomous snakes.

Horses seem to get bit more in the face.  This is due to the fact that they are usually grazing in the pasture or munching on hay that is on the ground and a snake just wants to pass through and the horse is curious, so it gets bit in the face.  

50% of snake strikes are dry bites (snake just wants the threat to go away).  The fangs of a snake are quite small, and looks smaller than the pricks from thorny bushes.  

Now, dogs and cats that are bitten have a higher death rate just by the size of the body, compared to a horse's body, so they have a better chance of survival.

Signs & Symptoms

• Nose may bleed
• 
  

  Elevated RR
• Full body sweating
• Full body clamminess or coldness
  
• Pale Mucus Membranes
  

You should have the following supplies to deal with snake bites:

• 2-4", 6" or 10" water hose (depending on how long the face is--better to have extra long than too short
• Vaseline to lubricate it

What to do if a snake bites your horse on the face:

• Lubricate the hose (do not try to stick a dry hose in the nose)
• You're going to guide it in, gently, and it needs to hang out a couple of inches.
• Tape the hose with duct tape to secure
• Call Vet (even for dry bites due to the bacteria)
• Describe the snake by color/patterns
• Do not try to catch the snake, apply any type of tourniquet or SUCK OUT THE VENOM!!!!
• Keep head up to keep Toxins from spreading
• Take a full set of vitals every 15 minutes till your vet arrives

What to do if a snake bites your horse on the leg or body:

• Clean the wound with clean drinkable water
• Apply cold water to the wound
• If it's on the foot, place the foot in a bucket of cold water
• Take a full set of vitals every 15 minutes till your vet arrives

The bite (including dry bites) delivers large doses of bacteria. Your horse will need a tetanus booster and antibiotics, as well as pain management. Most vets do not carry antivenom and if they do, it's normally $400-$600 per dose. Your vet will discuss the treatment options you have.

Unfortunately, we can't keep the snakes away, but we can definitely be aware of our surroundings in our pasture and stalls. Remember, snakes do not chase you or your animal and normally they're passing through or on the hunt for an animal that their radar has honed in on.

There is a product out on the market called Snake Away! I have used it around the perimeter of my backyard (you place the dry granular mixture around the outside of the perimeter) and it worked beautifully keeping Clyde away, but unfortunately we had two good rains and it washed away. It works for both poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. It's effective for 3 months, unless it rains. So, I guess it's time to buy some more.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Teri Ann Tate is an Equine & Pet Health First Aid Instructor and teaches her clinics in Laveen, and Fountain Hills, as well as throughout Arizona, Southern California and New Mexico.  Teri Ann says if just one out of four additional animals could be saved by using just one pet first aid technique many animals would survive, according to the American Animal Hospital Association.  To learn more about Teri Ann's Equine and Pet Health & First Aid Clinics, go to her website, ComfyPetsofAZ.com or call her at 602-579-1437 to sign up for a clinic near you.

Poisonous Toads to your Pets

Poisonous Toads to your Pets

Colorado River Toad: Arizona & California

Bofu Toad: Florida

I am sure you’re all saying about now, poisonous toads in Arizona and Southern California….whatcha talking about Teri Ann?  Yes, that’s right, we have a particular toad in Arizona and Southern California that is poisonous to our pets.

That particular toad is known as the Colorado River Toad, and also known as the Sonoran Desert Toad, and is one ugly beast with lots and lots of warts all over its brown & green skin.  They can be as small as three inches and up to seven inches long.

I am sure your next question to me is, how is the toad poisonous to my pet(s)?  The toxin, as an exudate of glands within the skin, contains 5-MeO-DMT and Bufotenin.  The toxin of the Colorado River Toad is secreted through the skin.  A wild animal, say a Coyote, approaches a toad and sniffs it first and then may lick it.  At that moment, the Coyote has just licked the venom of the Toad which will not taste good at all, thus making the Coyote run from it’s hunt.  This is how the toad survives when predators want to eat it.

Now if you have a curious dog like I do, who has to stick her nose into everything including whatever jumps and hops on our property, this can cause a problem.  I live in Laveen, AZ on a 2-acre property nestled at the bottom of South Mountain.  I am sure you’re thinking about now that Arizona is a desert after all, so don’t toads have to be near water?  Yes, they do and Arizona is not as dry as you think.  Arizona has eight main canals, which run hundreds and hundreds of miles, as well as 924 miles of Lateral Ditches that take water from the large canals to various delivery points in irrigated areas.  If you live near any of these canals or laterals like I do, and as many of my clients do, sooner or later you and/or your pet will meet Mr. Toad.

The curious thing about the poisonous toad is that your dog does not have to actually lick it to be poisoned.  The toad is attracted to water, such as pools and water dishes, so all the toad has to do is sit on the rim of your dog’s water dish and hop off.  Your dog trots to the dish to get a drink and licks the rim of the dish, thus licking the poison off the rim.  This is why it’s very important that you monitor your outside pets and clean out their water bowl, including the rim, thoroughly on a weekly basis.  They are also attracted to the light and that's why you might find them sitting under your porch light.

Unfortunately, you may not even know your pet has come into contact with a toad because they normally don’t stick around and they’re quite fast little devils that’s for sure.  So, one morning you walk outside to check on your dog and you notice he’s just not acting right.  He’s stumbling around and it seems he’s acting so strange that you think he/she is hallucinating.  The biggest clue is the foamy salivation.  These are sure signs of toad poisoning. 

Signs and Symptoms:

• Depression
• Foamy salivation
• Irregular heartbeat
• Seizures
• Fever
• D/V (Diarrhea & Vomiting)
• Weakness or Collapses

Treatment for your Pet:

The first thing a pet owner needs to do, if toad poisoning is suspected, is to rinse out the dog’s mouth with a hose (do not stick the hose down the throat and drown the poor thing).  Your objective is to dilute the poison in his/her mouth as much as possible, thus removing traces of the toxin. 

The next thing is to call your veterinarian for further advice/treatment.  Depending how severe the signs and symptoms are, you may be asked to bring your pet in immediately. For those pets that are very anxious or frightened, your vet may want to give him/her a sedative and perhaps an overnight stay for those pets that have elevated heartbeats, and fluid therapy, due to dehydration from the D/V.

It is very important that you remove the toad, if you can locate it, from your yard.  However, do not touch it with your hands.  Pick it up with a shovel or scoop it in a bucket and take it back to the canal/lateral ditch from where it came from.  After all, you don’t want your pet to come into contact with it again.

My personal experience:

As a pet care provider, and one that lives and works near many, many canals and lateral ditches, I have first-hand experience dealing with toad poisoning.  I have an Akita in my care, named Dozer.  He’s a big cuddly bear and is just so curious.  One day his curiosity got the best of him and he came across a toad in his backyard (his backyard faced a lateral ditch but wasn’t real close, so the toad sure had to do some hopping to get to his backyard).  He decided to play with Mr. Toad and was soon overwhelmed with toxins.  He showed all the classic symptoms, including the hallucinations and the foamy salivation.  His owner called the vet and rinsed out his mouth.  He was transported to the veterinarian and thankfully he was okay.  However, it took a couple of days for the toxins to completely leave his body, so when I came over to take care of him, he still had that look of confusion in his eyes.  Believe it or not, that wasn’t Dozer’s only experience with a Colorado Toad….nope….not long after his first encounter, he found another one, or perhaps it was still the first toad that he came across that never left his yard.  His owner knew exactly what to do in the second instance.

I would also recommend that you teach your young child(ren) that if they encounter a toad in their yard, or out walking, that they not touch it and to alert you immediately.  Remember picking up a toad with your hands isn’t the smartest thing to do…..after all…..you will then have the toxins on your hands as well.

Florida Toads:

The Bufo Toad, also known as the Giant or Cane Toad, resides in South Florida and is very dangerous to your pet.  The signs and symptoms are the same as our Colorado Toad. 

Dangers of Heat Stroke for your dogs

Keeping Your Dogs safe from Heat Stroke

by Teri Ann Tate

Last year we had a horrible & preventable tragedy regarding a 1-year-old chocolate lab that died a violent death on a third-story patio, facing the west sun last summer..  The puppy died of heat stroke, which basically means his organs were cooking.  The apartment residents, the community and of course the social media community is outraged over this preventable tragedy.  On June 9, 2016, the owner of the dog, Adrian Gonzalez, was arrested for felony animal cruelty.  Apparently, he has a history of leaving his puppy out on the patio, which faces the west sun, when he leaves.  The residents have complained to management, but nothing was ever done.  The police were called, when the residents heard the puppy crying in pain that fateful day.  But, because of privacy laws, which I think need to be changed tremendously, the police were unable to knock down the front door, so they called the fire department.  Unfortunately, by the time firefighters arrived the puppy was dead. 

As we all know, the sizzling months of the Arizona summer can be deadly for our animals, and unfortunately, we’ll continue hearing stories of people leaving dogs in their vehicles as they run into the store for just five minutes, or even outside in the blazing heat without any shade or water.  Short-snout dogs have it the worst, during our summer heat.  The top 5 are the Pugs, Pekinese; Bulldog; Shih Tzu; and the Boston Terriers. 

To keep your dogs safe during the summer, follow these tips:

• If you see a distressed dog in a locked vehicle or on a patio, immediately call 911
• A dog locked in a vehicle, for 10 minutes, when the outside temperature is 90 degrees, will heat up to 109 and twenty minutes the temperature inside the car will be 119.  If the outside temperature is 95 degrees and the dog is in the vehicle for an hour, the temperature inside the vehicle will reach 140 degrees
• Walk your dog early in the morning or late at night, when the sun is down
• If you must walk your dog in the middle of the day, try to locate a patch of grass or walk on a greenbelt
• To see if the sidewalk is too hot, place the back of your hand on it and if you're unable to hold it more than 5 seconds, then it's too hot for your dog's pads
• Dogs can burn their pads severely on the hot asphalt/sidewalk. Try doggie sandals or booties
• If your dog is an outside dog, make sure they have plenty of shade and fresh water at all times  Clean out their water bowls daily.  After all, if you wouldn't drink it, why would you force your dog(s) to drink from it.  I have seen several dog houses with built-in ac units
• If you have an all dirt backyard, place blankets on the ground, for them to lie on, this also works during the cold months with keeping their body temperature regulated

Heat stroke, or hyperthermia, is when an animal’s temperature is over 106 degrees.  Heat stroke, again, is basically cooking of the organs, where it can lead to death if not dealt with quickly.  Dogs pant to cool themselves, but in extreme temperatures, they’re unable to control it.  To keep your animals safe during the summer, here is what to look for and treatment from heat exhaustion and heat stroke:

Signs and symptoms:

• Heavy panting or difficulty of breathing
• Collapse or Ataxis (dog walks like he/she is drunk)
• Increased heart rate and respiratory rate
• Foaming at the mouth
• Bloody diarrhea or vomit
• Gums are bright red
• Capillary Refill Time is less than 1 second
• Seizures or even coma

Treatment:

• Get the animal immediately out of the environment (into a cooler place or shade)
• Take a rectal temperature to get an accurate core temperature
• Cool slowly with wet towels to be placed on the brachial & femoral arteries, head, feet, abdomen and chest of the animal
• Fan the animal, or provide shade (if outside) by using an emergency blanket
• Use a water bottle to spritz the animal
• Transport immediately to the nearest veterinarian--it could mean Life or Death

·        Let’s keep our furry friends safe this summer; after all they’re our family.

Teri Ann Tate is an Equine & Pet First Aid Instructor and teaches her clinics in Laveen, Surprise, and Fountain Hills, as well as throughout Arizona, Southern California and New Mexico.  Teri Ann says if just one out of four additional animals could be saved if just one pet first aid technique was applied, according to the American Animal Hospital Association.  To learn more about her Equine and Pet First Aid Clinics, go to her website, ComfyPetsofAZ.com or call her at 602-579-1437 to sign up for a clinic near you.

Onions are Toxic to Your Pets

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month 

Onions are Toxic to Your Pets

Onions are very toxic to dogs and cats.  The toxic ingredient in onions is called thiosulphate.  It actually takes a couple of days, after ingesting the onions, to show signs and symptoms.  All types of onions including raw, cooked or dehydrated are toxic.

Signs/Symptoms:

• Haemolytic Anemia (this causes the pet's red blood cells to burst while circulating in the body)
• Labored Breathing
• Liver Damage
• Vomit/Diarrhea
• Discolored Urine
• Pale Mucous Membranes 
• Elevated RR & HR

Treatment:

• Evac to your vet immediately if you suspect Onion Toxicity 
• The vet will induce vomiting by giving activated charcoal to decontaminate
• The vet may perform a daily blood smear test to evaluate the level of anemia 
• A blood transfusion may be necessary if severe anemia is present
• IV Dextrose (sugar) if needed

Cats are more susceptible to Onion Toxicity 

Safety 1st: When cooking with onions, it is best to make sure your pets are safely away from the kitchen counter.  Cats love to jump on counters and see what you are up to.   Never walk away and leave the onion(s) on the counter....cats and dogs are curious creatures, especially if it means food.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Horse Wormer is Toxic to Your Pets

March - Pet Poison Prevention Month

Horse Wormer is Toxic to Your Pets

I bet you never gave it any thought that when you went out to worm your horses, with your dogs tagging along, that the wormer that you’re giving a 800-1,200 horse is actually deadly to your dogs that are running around watching you.

There are two ingredients in equine wormers that are toxic.  Moxidectin and Ivermectin.  I personally have used wormers that carried both of these ingredients and one day, years ago, when I was getting ready to use it on my horse, Hazi, I was told by my friend to make sure that she completely swallowed the dose and to not allow it to hit the ground since her dogs were around.  At first I was a little perplexed about this and then she explained that all it takes is a dog to swallow a small drop of this stuff, which the dog will immediately shows signs and symptoms of toxic poisoning.  After taking several Equine classes, including Equine First Aid and Equine Anatomy and Physiology I now educate my equine clients of this fact. 

Also, even though it’s very rare, a dog that eats horse manure can actually ingest toxic amounts by eating the manure of horses that have recently been dewormed.  But, again, it is very rare.

Signs/Symptoms

•          Drooling
•          Dilated Pupils
•          Ataxia (think of an animal losing balance or acting like its drunk)
•         Trembling
•          Seizures
•          Coma

Death will occur unless you rush your dog/cat to the veterinarian immediately.  Do not hesitate at all when dealing with equine worming poisoning.  Equine Worming Medication also will poison your barn cats,

How to stay safe:

When deworming your horse, make sure your dogs are out of the pasture, or you make sure that your horse completely swallows the dose.  I have seen some horses actually hold it in their mouth until you look away and then spit it out.  To ensure that the dose is swallowed, you need to insert the syringe as far back in the mouth as you can, push the plunger, and then stroke the horse’s neck/throat area to ensure that it is completely swallowed.  You can also hold the head up to ensure that the dose is swallowed.  After dosing, hang out with your horse to make sure he/she isn’t pulling a fast one on you, so he/she will spit it out the moment you walk away.

Be diligent and be safe.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Ladies...what poison is lurking in your purse for your pets

Ladies...what poison is lurking in your purse???

March is Pet Poison

Prevention Month

It is very important that we keep all prescription & OTC drugs away from our pets, as we do our children.  Most of us are very cautious keeping harmful items away from our children, such as child-proofing our home, but what about your counter area where dogs can jump and reach a bottle of aspirin or a prescription bottle?  Pets are curious when it comes to stuff in our home.  A dog, for example, may grab a bottle of prescription pills from the counter and before you know it, has chewed the cap off and swallow the pills inside.

Ladies, what about your purse?  You may keep it away from your child but what about your curious dog who starts to investigate the items inside.  These are the most common items that are poisonous to your pets found in a purse:

• OTC Drugs
• Prescription Drugs
• Hand Sanitizer (Alcohol content is very high)
• Cigarettes (Nicotine) 
• Birth Control Packet
• Asthma Inhaler

It's better to be safe by hanging up your purse or putting it out of reach of your pets and children.  If you think your pet has ingested a poisonous item from your purse, it's very important to know what item it is before contacting your vet or the pet poison hotline.  For example, you noticed that your purse is on the ground with the contents scattered about.  You find a bottle of OTC medicine (Ibuprofen) and the top chewed off.  You're not sure how many pills were inside, but you notice your dog not acting right (depressed, ataxia, vomiting, etc).  The more information you have the better that they can treat your pet.

Always have on hand:

• Your veterinarian phone #
• Pet Poison Hotline 1-800-213-6680 (there is a cost for this service, but includes consultation and all follow-up calls regarding the current situation.

#1 RULE:  Safety Always

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Ibuprofen Toxicity in your Dogs

Ibuprofen Toxicity in Your Dogs

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month:

Ibuprofen Toxicity in Your Dogs

You might think that it’s okay to give Ibuprofen to your dog for his/her pain or arthritis, after all it’s okay for us humans so it must be okay for our dogs, correct?  No, actually it’s not. 

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, otherwise known as NSAIDS.  These drugs are great for humans in dealing with headaches and pain and cause less upset stomachs such as when taking aspirin.  We use NSAIDS to reduce inflammation and pain, which in this case reduces the presence of prostaglandins.  When a dog swallows Ibuprofen, blood no longer flows in the kidneys as it should and the stomach is no longer protected.  This is why you will see a lot of blood because the toxicity has caused bleeding stomach ulcers.  So, not only does your dog have to deal with stomach ulcers but kidney failure as well.

This is what happens to dogs that eat Ibuprofen

The dog in this picture was taken only after 30 minutes of ingesting IBP

As we keep our house safe of poisons and harmful chemicals from our children, we need to remember to do the same for our pets.  That bottle of Ibuprofen that you had left on the counter, after taking a couple of IBP for a headache, before running to work is now left unattended for your curious dog.  Yes, it may have a childproof cap, but as we all know those caps are not foolproof and a dog can chew the cap off.  Ask my dog, Willa.  She has eaten a cap right off the bottle.  Luckily, I was around when she did.

Signs & Symptoms of IBP Toxicity:

• Vomiting up blood (look at picture above very carefully & you will see the pool of blood that was vomited within 30 minutes of ingesting the Ibuprofen)
• Diarrhea
• Ataxia (stumbling like being drunk)
• Depression
• Anorexia (not wanting to eat)
• Black tarry stools (darkish-reddish-blackish in color)

When observing any of these signs, it’s imperative that you take your dog to the veterinarian right away.  This is another reason to know where your after-hours emergency veterinarian clinics are located near you.  The vet will determine the extent of damage by performing blood work and a physical exam.  It’s a good idea to take the bottle of IBP with you, so you can show the vet the extent of how many pills your dog may have swallowed. 

Treatment (can include):

• Hospitalization
• IV Fluids
• Activated Charcoal (not in all cases) and can only be given if within 2 hours of digestion
• Blood Transfusion, if severely anemic
• Medications
• Additional blood work, after 1-2 days, to test the kidney functions
• Surgery is rare, but may be necessary to repair and remove the perforation and treat for abdominal infection

Complete kidney failure is very possible and will result in no urine production and the prognosis, unfortunately, is very grave.

If your dog does survive IBP Toxicity and is sent home, most likely you will be asked to feed him/her a bland diet of chicken and rice, for example.  You will need to continue in monitoring your pet for failure to eat, vomiting and black tarry tools.

As always, let’s keep our homes safe for our children and pets.  Have the numbers of  your vet, after-hours emergency veterinarian hospital and pet poison control center on your refrigerator for easy access.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes