National Heartworm Awareness Month

NOT FOR DOGS!

Chocolate, Macadamia nuts, avocados…these foods may sound delicious to you, but they’re actually quite dangerous for our animal companions. Our nutrition experts have put together a handy list of the top toxic people foods to avoid feeding your pet. 

The following foods may be dangerous to your pet

• Alcoholic beverages 
• Apple seeds 
• Apricot pits 
• Avocados
• Cherry pits
• Candy (particularly chocolate—which is toxic to dogs, cats, and ferrets—and any candy containing the toxic sweetener Xylitol) 
• Coffee (grounds, beans, and chocolate-covered espresso beans)
• Garlic
• Grapes 
• Gum (can cause blockages and sugar free gums may contain the toxic sweetener Xylitol)
• Hops (used in home beer brewing) 
• Macadamia nuts 
• Moldy foods 
• Mushroom plants 
• Mustard seeds 
• Onions and onion powder 
• Peach pits 
• Potato leaves and stems (green parts) 
• Raisins 
• Rhubarb leaves 
• Salt 
• Tea (because it contains caffeine) 
• Tomato leaves and stems (green parts) 
• Walnuts 
• Xylitol (artificial sweetener that is toxic to pets)
• Yeast dough

As always, if you suspect your pet has eaten any of the following foods, please note the amount ingested and contact our office or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Separation anxiety in dogs is distinguished by destructive behavior when the dog is left alone. Behavior such as barking, howling, demolishing household items, digging, chewing and peeing are signs.  Some dogs will go into a panic and dig at a door to try and break out and find you. Normally this is set off when you leave the dog at home and can even start when the dog senses that you are leaving.

It is typical for a dog with separation anxiety will also respond to your return with hyperactivity after being home alone for even a short time. Some dogs will even follow you from room to room to ensure they will not be left alone.

Use a distraction for your pet while you are out. This is a good way to relieve some anxiety.                   

For example:

·        Leave the radio or tv on so the dog can hear humans talking

·        Leave them with a toy or a treat ball to give them something else to focus on.

For a dog with more severe separation anxiety problems you should start trying to desensitize your dog. Here are a few examples of how you can start putting your dogs anxiety at ease

·        It can be helpful to change your leaving routine so that the dog is unaware of your plan to leave. Normally a dog will notice small signs like when you are putting on your shoes or grabbing the keys, your dog’s separation anxiety starts kicking in and the panic begins. Try to make leaving the house unexpected to your dog by putting your shoes outside or leaving without doing your normal leaving routine. Then after waiting 10 minutes outside return to the house. This begins to desensitize the dog to the fear of separation. It is good to make sure that leaving the house and arriving is always a calm event, if the owner responds to the dog in an excited way it increases the excitement of the dog.

 

·        Another way is to show the dog repeatedly that the leaving routine doesn't need to result in a panic attack. You go through the familiar leaving routine, grabbing keys, putting on shoes and picking up a bag to leave then sitting down again. After repeating this exercise a number of times, try going one step further and finish the leaving routine by opening the door and standing outside it for a minute with the door open.

These exercises need to be repeated over and over to desensitize the dog.

It is important to get a dog with separation anxiety comfortable with even short absences, daily routines like getting the mail, result in a short absence. Use this time to make your dog feel that even though you are leaving, you will return.

Once your dog can handle short absences (30 to 90 minutes), he'll usually be able to handle longer time alone and you won't have to repeat this process every time you are planning a longer absence.

The hard part is at the beginning, but the job gets easier as you go along. Nevertheless, you must go slowly at first. How long it takes to condition your dog to being alone depends on the severity of his problem.

When It Comes To Your Pets, Know Your Toads

 If you are a pet owner and live in South Florida, you should know about the Bufo Toad (bufo marinus); known to the NWF as “are one of the leading threats to native wildlife”. The Bufo toad prefers warmer moist climates, so summertime in South Florida is perfect breeding ground for these pests. They lurk in yard, under bushes hunting the insects buzzing around your porch light.

The Bufo Toad, also known as a Cane or Marine Toad, was originally brought here to help maintain the insects in the cane fields, but they quickly became a nuisance. They fed on other toads, snakes, insects, and small creatures (anything that fits in its mouth). The poisonous toxic glands on the backs release a corrosive and toxic liquid when it feels endangered.

 

  

A few precautions are:

1.    Most important. Know what they look like! Adults can be 6-9 inches with reddish-brown, dark brown, or grey warty skin. The large triangle parotoid glands are prominent on the shoulders. A Florida native toad will have oval parotoid glands  . (size does not determine one to be more poisonous then the other. It is the size of your pet and the amount of toxin)

2.    No invitations. Bufo love pet food, so leaving it outside will only bring unwanted guests to dinner. Keeping the food and water inside will eliminate the invitation.

3.    You sleep, they hunt. The most active time for a Bufo is at night, early morning, and after rain. Keeping your dog under supervision while outside during these times is the best way to avoid the risk of any run-ins.

4.    Playing hide & seek. Is your landscaping full of big bushy plants and shrubs? These are great hiding places for these dirt dwellers. If you have these safe havens, check regularly or remove.

5.    Supervision. All dogs are curious, but an unsupervised puppy or playful dog and a Bofu are only asking for a trouble. Don’t risk the chance of delayed treatment if the two do meet.

6.    Build a barrier. 20 inches high mesh, buried 6cin around the parameter of your yard. It’s not foolproof, but it is a start. If there are high volumes in your neighborhood, it could be worth the investment.

If you’re pet does go head to head with a Bufo the quicker you respond the better for your pet. First you have to remember DO NOT PANIC. You will need a clear head to help your pet. First rinse the mouth out with water, going side to side. Spraying water straight back will only force the toxins down or drown your pet. DO NOT DROWN YOUR PET BY FORCING WATER DOWN THEIR THROAT! The toxin is sticky so you may need to wipe the mucus membrane out of the mouth. After that you will want to call your vet and let them know you are coming, then calmly transport your pet to the vet for further care. 

After the initial mouth rinse you can use a wet paper towel (replacing frequently) to wipe the toxins from the palette, gums, tongue, and teeth. Don’t forget to wipe the paws off also.

(Using a hose does give a higher risk of pushing toxins down your pet’s throat, as well as causes more trauma for your pet.)

 Symptoms that your pet has been poisoned by a Bufo Toad:

● Increased salvation or foaming ● Brick-red gums

● pawing at mouth or vocalizing              ● uncoordinated

            ● Difficulty breathing                               ● seizures/convulsions

*If too much time passes, the possibility of death increases.

How to kill the enemy

1.    Freezing Toads- Considered the most humane way. First you must catch it. You can spread benzocaine ointment on it’s back (a small amount) and it will cause the toad to be unconscious in 20 minutes. Then, place in the freezer for 3 days and discard responsibly! The Florida Wildlife Extension at UF recommends this method. 

2.    Snake Killer Deterrent- If you prefer to do the preventative route though it won’t eliminate all Bufo Toads, it can radically reduce the numbers in your yard because they detest the Snake Killer. Spread it around the perimeter of your yard, specifically concentrating in well-known Bufo Toad areas, like by bodies of water, near lights, or anywhere you may have noticed them hiding out in the past.

3.    Bucket Trap- Bury a 5-gallon bucket (or larger), so the opening is level to the ground. Grease the buckets sides well, so the toads cannot get away. Throw some pet food in the bottom. There MUST be a light source overhead or nearby. You can do this by setting it up under a floodlight and using foil to reflect the light or setting up a light directly above the bucket. (A light source must be present nearby to attract the frogs) They will smell the dog food and become curious. You may need to build a barricade around this to protect your dogs and kids. If so, make sure there is a large enough opening at the bottom for the toads to hop in.

4.    Bleach- the most extreme solution, as bleach kills the Bufo instead of acting as a deterrent or trap. Though not the most humane, the quickest solution is to pour 1/2 cup bleach over Bufos. They will die almost instantly and then you can responsibly discard them. This method should be used only as a last resort against Bufo Toads or in an emergency situation.

Hopefully, this has provided some solutions to anyone with a Bufo Toad problem.

A dog poisoned by a Bufo Toad will die 100% of the time if not treated.

Be careful if you live in an area with these giant toads and

keep an eye on your pets at all times!

Bufo Toads can cause eye and skin irritation to humans as well as other side effects.

For more information go to Poison Control Center

Note:

* With very few exceptions, any toad in Florida that is larger than 4 inches is NOT native and is almost certainly an invasive Cane Toad.

* In the known range of these toads, it is a good idea to catch and identify ANY toad you see in your yard to be sure that they aren't dangerous