Pet Care

Your Dog's First-Aid Kit

Your Cat's First-Aid Kit

Houshold Items that are Poisonous to Animals

Articles of Interest from Humane Organizations

Caring for Your Kitten

Caring for Your Puppy

Before You Get Your Puppy

Your Dog's First-Aid Kit

Everyone who shares a home with a dog should havea basic canine first-aid kit on hand. The HSUS recommends including:

• A good pet first-aid book

• Phone numbers:

  • Veterinarian

  • The nearest emergency veterinary clinic

  • A poison-control center or hotline

• Paperwork:

  • Proof of rabies vaccination status

  • Copies of other important medical records

• Rectal thermometer (your dog's temperature should not rise above 103°F or fall below 100°F)

• Sterile gauze rolls and pads for bandages

• Adhesive tape

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl)

• Over-the-counter antibiotic ointment

• Epsom salts

• Tweezers

• Petroleum jelly

• Antiseptic lotion, powder or spray

• A Nylon leash

• A carrier for small dogs 

• Cotton balls or swabs

• Splints and tongue depressors

• Towels

• A muzzle or strips of cotton to prevent biting

• Penlight or flashlight

• Scissors

• Needle-nosed pliers

• Ice pack

• Plastic eyedropper or syringe

• Sterile saline solution

• Glucose paste or corn syrup

• Styptic powder or pencil (sold at veterinary hospitals and pet supply stores)

• Latex gloves

• Ear-cleaning solution

• Nail clippers

Your Cat's First-Aid Kit

Everyone who shares a home with a cat should have on hand a basic feline first-aid kit.

• A good pet first-aid book

• Phone Numbers:

• Veterinarian

• The nearest emergency veterinary clinic

• A poison-control center or hotline

• Paperwork:

• Proof of rabies vaccination status

• Copies of other important medical records

• Rectal thermometer (your cat's temperature should not rise above 103°F or fall below 100°F)

• Sterile gauze rolls and pads for bandages

• Adhesive tape

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Tweezers

• Petroleum jelly

• Antiseptic lotion, powder, or spray

• A pillowcase to confine your cat for treatment

• A carrier

• Cotton balls or swabs

• Splints and tongue depressors

• Towels

• A muzzle or strips of cotton to prevent biting

• Penlight or flashlight

• Scissors

• Needle-nosed pliers

• Ice pack

• Plastic eyedropper or syringe

• Sterile saline solution

• Latex gloves

• Ear-cleaning solution

• Nail clippers

Household Items that are Poisonous to Animals

Articles of Interest from Humane Organizations

Pet Preparedness
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has just published an excellent article on how you can protect your animals in case of a disaster. You can check out the article online at Pet Preparedness, and you can watch a video featuring Kim Cattrall, star of a popular TV program, introducing the subject.     

Need Help with Kittens?
Need help with a newly rescued bottle baby kitten? Check out the "Kitten Rescue" web page at www.kittenrescue.org/handbook.htm.

Cat Perch - Build-It-Yourself
Does your cat spend its time sitting by the window watching the world go by? If so, why not build it a perch to let it watch in comfort. Just follow the link for some easy, do-it-yourself plans for building a perch that will make your cat proud!

Pet Health Information, Lost and Found, Tips, etc.
Animal Disabilities is a relatively new resource for information regarding specific disabilities, mobility assistance, alternative therapy, behavioral information, and veterinary assistance programs.

Describe Your Cat
What if you had to describe your cat to a friend (or a Happy Tails cat to a potential adopter)? The ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats (pp. 71-79) contains a information to help you describe your cat in common, cat-acceptable terms. The link provides an abbreviated version of their guidelines.

Nerdbook™ is a looseleaf, pocket-sized book that veterinary students and veterinarians carry around as a quick reference. In the old days, each student had to write his or her own book. The nerdiest student had the best book. In 1994, a recent UC Davis graduate, Dr. Sophia Yin, finally published a looseleaf book. (That would make her the nerdiest!) Now students have a foundation to which they can add their own notes. Veterinary Nerdbook® brand looseleaf notebook is a trademark of CattleDog Publishing®. Check out Dr. Yin's own Nerdbook entries for a special treat. (www.nerdbook.com/ and www.nerdbook.com/sophia)

Advice & Pet Behavior

The Dog Hause is a playground for Pets and Pet Lovers.
http://www.doghause.com/

Petsville is part of the Pet Savers Foundation.
http://www.petsville.com/

Drs. Foster and Smith has wonderful pet advice. Started by two veterinarians, it is now a huge catalog seller for pet supplies and advice.  
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/

The Doggie Door provides great advice for dogs regarding behavior issues, aggression, etc. http://www.doggiedoor.com/

Best Friends Animal Society has a comprehensive pet care library that covers such diverse topics as living with disabled or diabetic pets, coping with behavioral problems such as separation anxiety, providing emergency pet care, and grieving the loss of a beloved companion.
http://www.bestfriends/org/theanimals/petcare/

Information on Building a No-Kill Nation

Maddie's Fund is a foundation dedicated to making the United States a no-kill nation by 2010. Richard Avanzino, former executive director of the San Francisco SPCA, leads the foundation. The foundation has earmarked $200 million dollars towards achieving its goal. We can stop the killing. http://www.maddies.org/

"Save our Strays" is an extremely informative book for all animal lovers, welfare groups, and animal shelters. The book, written by Bob Christiansen a longtime animal welfare professional, is a "bible" for the no-kill movement and for the reformation, which must take place at traditional kill shelters. The book gives plans on how to stop the killing of adoptable animals. It is available through the The Center for the Study of Community Animal Management site. http://www.saveourstrays.com/

For a comprehensive listing of no-kill organizations nationwide, check with Pets911. (www.1888Pets911.org/)