Seasonal Advice

Firework Season

Firework season is a fun and exciting time of year, but it can be a worrying time for our pets at home. Here are a few of our top tips to help you to make your pet more comfortable:

  • Make your home a safe space, by providing dens for your dog or cat. Covered crates or cardboard boxes with blankets, are ideal to help them feel secure.
  • Turn on the radio or TV. Classic FM provide a special set for the time of year to help soothe and comfort dogs and cats. You can ask your smart speaker!
  • Try pheromones such as Pet Remedy or Feliway/Adaptil. These can help reduce stress, and you can use plug-in diffusers or sprays. Start using these products at least a couple of weeks before fireworks or a party event.
  • WARS sell Pet Remedy and can provide advice.
  • For pets with more severe reactions to fireworks, you should chat to your vet for additional advice. They may suggest some medication to help.
  • Ensure you gently comfort and soothe your pet. Talk to them calmly and provide company, don’t leave them alone.
  • If your pet is playful, and enjoys games, you could try to encourage this to help keep them distracted.

Winter Advice

During the Winter, when the temperature start to drop. it’s important to know how to keep your pets safe. Here are a few of our top tips:

  • Make sure you and your dog are visible on walks. You can get your dog a reflective collar or harness, or even a fluorescent coat or a light-up collar. Ensure you are also visible by wearing something that is easily seen, such as a reflective jacket or light.
  • Wrap up on walks. Yes, coats and jumpers can look funny but they do serve a purpose in keeping dogs warm, especially old or young dogs. Just like in summer months, don’t leave your dog unattended in the car. The cold can be just as dangerous as heat.
  • Wipe your dogs’ paws after walks to remove any salt or grit, which can be harmful. Also, check between toes for snow as this can prove painful if it solidifies.
  • On walks stay away from bodies of water. Even if a body of water looks frozen, you don’t know how solid the ice may be. If dogs do go in cold water, make sure you dry them and warm them up slowly, and do so as soon as possible.
  • Ensure your cat always has access to come indoors. Most cats will want to snuggle up in the warm and stay cosy. Try not to let them stay outside overnight.
  • Keep all your pets away from various food, plants and decorations that can be harmful or poisonous, especially this time of year. Things that can be threatening include: Poinsettia, Lilies, Chocolate, Christmas pudding or cake, grapes and raisins. mince pies, onions and garlic, bones, nuts, tinsel and other decorations, Christmas tree needles.

Easter Advice

Easter is a time of year to enjoy chocolate and hot cross buns. Whilst for us humans, these are tasty treats, for our pets these can be dangerous. Follow our top tips below to enjoy a safe Easter with your pets.

  • Hot cross buns contain raisins and these are known to be toxic to dogs and possibly other animals. A tiny amount of raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs, which can be fatal. This also applies to currants, sultanas and grapes.  Keep hot cross buns and treats containing dried fruit or grapes, well out of reach of your dogs. Don’t be tempted to share even a tiny piece with them. Ensure you explain this to your children also.
  • Chocolate Easter eggs are poisonous for dogs and cats, due to chemical called theobromine. Don’t be tempted to give your pet a tiny corner of chocolate, as it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures and even death in extreme case. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is.  If your dog or cat ingests chocolate, contact your vet straight away. Store eggs out of reach of your pets. Explain to your children that they should not be tempted to share with their best 4 legged friends.
  • Easter is the time of year to be thinking about planting bulbs in the garden, or having flowers in the home. Whilst these look nice, some can be dangerous to dogs and cats. Lilies are especially toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure. If you have a cat, don’t be tempted to buy lilies to brighten the home. Daffodils are poisonous to dogs, in flower or bulb form. Even drinking the water from a daffodil vase can be toxic. If you are in the garden, try not to let your dog dig up bulbs. Keep vases of daffodils out of reach of your dog, or just don’t buy them to avoid the risk.

Hot Weather Tips

In hot weather it’s important to take care of your pets, and help them keep safe in the sun and in the heat. Here are some of our top tips to help you keep them safe:

  • Walk your dog when it’s cooler, either early morning or later in the evening. Check the heat of the pavement you are walking on. Hold your hand to it to at least 5 seconds. If it’s too hot for your hand, it will be too hot for your dog’s paws.
  • Ensure you don’t over exercise your dog.
  • If your dog wants to swim, that’s ok, but ensure the water is safe for them, with no strong currents, and don’t allow them to ingest to much water.
  • Ensure your pets have access to plenty of fresh water, at home and if on a walk.
  • Make sure your pets have access to shade if they are in the garden.
  • If you have a white dog or cat, apply sun cream to exposed areas, such as tips of ears or around the nose, to avoid sunburn.
  • Keep an eye out for signs of heatstroke, such as excessive panting and drooling, vomiting, lethargy or collapse and a high heart rate.
  • Never leave your dog or cat unattended in a hot car, even if you are just popping into a shop for a couple of minutes. This can prove fatal for any animal in a short space of time.