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Keeping Your Silky Safe
ITEMS POISONOUS TO YOUR PET
Poisonings are usually accidental - most can be prevented. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, you can protect your canine companion against illness and/or the threat of poisoning by preventing the ingestion of the items on the list below. Take a minute and survey your home for potential hazards. A few minutes now may save the life of your canine companion.
FOODS
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Grapes and raisins
• Yeast dough
• Xylitol: a sweetener found in sugar-free candy and gum
• Macadamia nuts
• Fatty foods
• Moldy or spoiled foods
• Salt
• Onions and onion powder
• Water from your toilet bowl if you use a chemical cleanser that is
released with each flush
WARM WEATHER HAZARDS
• Animal toxins: toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions
• Blue-green algae in ponds
• Citronella candles
• Cocoa mulch
• Compost piles
• Fertilizers
• Flea products
• Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
• Swimming pool treatment supplies
• Pesticides
COLD WEATHER HAZARDS
• Antifreeze
• Liquid potpourris
• Ice-melting products
• Rat and mouse bait
HUMAN MEDICINE
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers such as Ibuprofen
• Antidepressants
• Cold/flu medications
• Diet pills
In addition to the above household hazards, Janet Joers wrote an
article about poisonous plants:
Reprinted with permission from the Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation
NO MORE COLLARS!
I always keep collars on my dogs. It makes it easier to grab them, throw a leash on them when we are off to dog class and I know they always have ID on them should they jump the fence and get lost. Our fence in the front yard is only three feet high, a regulation height where I live, and our dogs, a Border Collie named Jenny (2 1/2 years old) and a Belgian Tervuren named Tasha (8 months old), are tall enough to jump the fence if they so choose.
While we were away on holidays it snowed. Actually it stormed (as all you Manitobans will know!) and we came home from Cuba to a foot of snow on the ground and -30 degree temperatures. The fence was now shorter than ever and they could practically stepped over it if they wanted to. I didn't think about keeping collars on them, it was only natural. I was glad they had them on because I knew they would be returned to us if they were ever lost.
Yesterday was my first day back to work. My husband had been transferred out of town to work, so I was alone for the week. Unfortunately, as I found out at lunch time, he'd taken the house keys with him! I was locked out. I finally tracked down my brother who had the spare set, and an hour later I was in and let the dogs out to pee. My poor girls had been inside a long time and were very glad to be outside. All their pent up energy was spent wrestling together in the snow. I settled in front of the TV to eat lunch when I heard a funny noise. I turned the TV down and there it was again - a muffled crying from the yard, something terrible was happening to the dogs! I raced outside and didn't feel the -25 degree cold. I ran from the front of the house to the back, and there in the middle of the yard was Jenny, seemingly hanging on to Tasha's neck (Tasha was on her back), and not letting go. At first I though they were fighting and yelled at Jenny to let go.
As I dove down on the snow in front of them, I felt a chill to the bone, but not from the cold. Tasha's eyes were glazed over, and her tong was lolling and purple. (I am shaking as I write this!) Jenny's bottom jaw was twisted around Tasha's collar and Tasha was chocking to death! She must have grabbed Tasha's neck and got a hold of her collar, as dogs do when they play, but at the same time, Tasha flipped over on her back in a submissive position, and the collar twisted, trapping both of them. Jenny tried to break free and every time she did Tasha would make a chocked whining sound, which was luckily loud enough to alert me from inside. She was wearing a rolled leather collar and I knew that it would be impossible to cut in time to save her life. Besides that, it was too tight on her neck and on Jenny's jaw to get sissors or a knife around it.
Every second took her closer and closer to death and away from me. I knew I could do nothing, but had to try. The buckle was in Jenny's mouth unfortunately, but luckily it was open and I was able to get it partially undone. She stood still while I tried - she must have know I was trying to hekp. I couldn't get it undone any further - it was just too tight. I screamed for help like I have never screamed before! No one came. It was close to 2:30 pm and I knew all the neighbors must be at work. I began to hyperventilate in panic. I was watching my puppy die and there was nothing I could do about it! I jumped up still screaming for help, and knew I had to try to cut that collar. When I stood up and Jenny must have realized that there was nothing I could do, she took matter into her own paws. She yanked and yanked, Tasha gurgled a scream as best she could all the while, which was now a lot quieter than what she had initially, by a miracle of God, Jenny got free. She jumped away, and tail between her legs, ran, trying to find somewhere to hide. Tasha, to my amazement, jumped up, stunned. She was alive! The light in her eyes returned, but her tongue was still lolling and purple. I was so relieved - and shocked she was on her feet, but knew we weren't out of the water yet. I had to get them to the vet's. I didn't know what kind of injuries they'd sustained. I ran into the house, both dogs by my side, and couldn't remember the vet's number. I tried to look it up in the phone book, but couldn't remember the name. "To hell with it", I thought, "Just GO!". I scrambled into my coat, put leashes on the dogs, and got out to the car.
It seemed to take forever to get the vet's office, which was across town. I considered running red lights to get there quicker, but decided wisely against it. Finally we pulled up and I got them inside. I explained as best I could what happened, all the while sobbing my heart out, and was immediately taken into an examining room.
I looked down and realized that I was bleeding too. I had a big gash on my thumb. Tasha bit me when I tried a second time to get the collar loose. It must have been the last bit of energy she had. Don't know how I got free. I didn't feel it at all. On closer examination, there was blood all over my yellow and black jacket.
It wasn't until we were in the examining room that I realized Tasha was bleeding. There was blood everywhere she put her nose. I thanked God I was already at the vet's office and I hadn't realized it until then! The vet finally came in and examined them both. Tasha would have a bad bruise on her neck and her lips were bruised and eyes were blood shot. She had a nose bleed from being chocked as the blood simply didn't have anywhere to go. Jenny's jaw was ok too. No broken teeth or bones. I finally was able to catch my breath and stop gasping. We were all ok. I didn't care at all the I would probably need stitches, as long as the dogs were alright, I was too.
I took them home and called into work - I would not leave them alone for the rest of the day. Every time I looked at Tasha I realized how close I came to loosing her, and I began crying, out of relief, shock and a sense of helplessness. I cried for an hour and a half. I told her how much I loved her, and how sorry I was that I couldn't help her; how glad I was that she was alive. I cuddled Jenny, who, being a very sensitive dog, thought it was her fault. As I patted her head, my fingers came across some encrusted fur and she winced. I looked down and she had a perfectly round puncture on her temple. Tasha must have bit her while trying to get free. Both the vet and I had missed it. It luckily wasn't bleeding too badly, and I got out my first aid kit and cleaned her up. We had all done our fair share of bleeding today. I cleaned myself up as well and realized it wasn't as bad as it looked. I wouldn't need stitches. I bandaged up this morning though, and my hands are stiff.
I have taken the dog's collars off and they will not wear them again around the house. They will wear them only when we go for walks or to class.
Several months ago the very same thing happened to a man my husband plays flyball with and who trains in obedience with me. He didn't find his dogs as quickly though, and by the time he'd found them and sawed through the nylon collar, his female lab was dead. He administered mouth to nose resuscitation, and miraculously revived her. At the time we all agreed that it was a one in a million chance of that happening, but now I know better than that.
I dog proofed my house long ago, they have lots of toys, I am careful about what they eat, and we take them to obedience class, flyball, agility, conformation and play canine disc with them. They are like children to us. Never in a million years would I have thought this could happen. Please, if you have more that one dog, take this story to heart.
reprinted with permission from the author: Sarah Sobry
Protecting Your Silky In A Fire
Recently, the close call of a fellow club member prompted me to add this page to the site. How many of us work out safe ways out of the house in the event of a fire and discuss it with our kids? How many think about their pets? The truth is that, in the event of a fire, most pets will be hiding under the bed, under the sofa or in the back of a closet. They'll be scared and think hiding will protect them - much as a toddler would and unlikely to come when called. The pet is almost certain to die under these circumstances - and you very well could too, if you waste time searching through the house for your pet when you should be running outdoors to safety.
This can be prevented.
Put your pet into their crate at night. You have a much, much better chance of saving your pet if it isn't loose in the house at night. The crate should be the kind with a handle on top so you can just grab it and run.
Keep a collar & leash, food & water bowls and a small bag of food either beside the crate (so it can be grabbed at the same time as the dog) or out in a detached garage or anywhere away from the house. Include medications if your dog is on any. This way if you do leave the house in a hurry you are prepared... your pet has a crate to be in while you are at a motel/friend's house, and you can safely take him/her for walks, feed their usual food and keep their medications on schedule. (By the way, this kind of preparation of an emergency kit stored outside of the house for your family's needs is a good idea too. Toothbrush, toothpaste, some cash, important papers & irreplaceable photo's are a good idea - among others. A change of clothes would be welcome too if you've had to leave the house in your P.J.'s!)
Dangerous Things
Antifreeze - licking even a little of this from your driveway can kill a dog. Highly toxic.
Onions, grapes and raisins can all cause health problems for your dog.
Chocolate - This has ingredients that can be toxic to your dog... many dogs can take several pieces with no obvious effects, but some dogs are so sensitive to it that even one piece off a chocolate bar can be deadly. The time to find out which category your dog fits into is NOT on the way to the Vet's! If you want to give your dog chocolate - I suggest buying some of the so-called "chocolate" treats that are made for dogs. But really... your dog isn't asking for chocolate because he loves it... he just wants a treat when you have one. Keep a biscuit or two in your pocket to hand out so that when you have chocolate, you pet can have a treat too - a safe treat.
Many plants in your garden (and in your house) - click here for a link to a plant listing and the degree of toxicity for each:
(You will need to hit the 'back' button on your browser to return to this page.)
Snail & Slug Bait - Poisonous at time of ingestion and vet treatment required. Can create liver problems later in life even if your pet survives the immediate trauma. Click here for more information on this: http://www.rainyday.net/cbc/products.shtml
(You will need to hit the 'back' button on your browser to return to this page.)
Rolled rawhide 'sticks' - these are the canine equivilant of a child running with scissors. If the dog bumps into anything, this pointy rawhide could be driven into the back of it's throat. Give larger, safer rawhides that are too big to fit into the mouth or be swallowed. If your pet breaks a smaller piece off a larger rawhide - remove it and throw it away.
Chain 'choke' collars - never leave on your dog when you're not actually training. If it gets caught on something the collar may live up to it's name!
Stuffed toys with plastic eyes or noses - these plastic parts will undoubtably be pulled off by your pet and chewed. They seem to have a tremendous attraction for curious Silkys. Your pet can get them caught in the throat and may choke to death. Never leave a stuffed toy with your pet when he is unattended, or in his crate. You won't know if he is in trouble and needs you. The safest thing is to remove any plastic parts yourself before you give the toy to your pet - or - just buy toys that don't have any plastic parts at all.
Car rides - These can be fun and most dogs love to go on them. But if it's a hot day - please leave your pet at home. If you leave your dog in your car - even for 5 minutes - on a hot day, you can kill your dog. Even with the windows left partially open it can be fatal. Try sitting in the car yourself on a hot day - especially if the car is parked on hot cement in a mall parking lot. And leave the windows open just a crack.... how long before it becomes really uncomfortable and you have trouble getting your breath? As people, we can open the windows wide - or even open the doors. Your dog can't. Also - if a good samaritin sees your dog cooped up on a hot day, they may call the police or fire department to break the dog out of the car. You would then have damage to the car to repair and could be facing animal endangerment charges.
Nature Intended Dogs To Run Free....
Maybe... but that was before the invention of automobiles and trains, and before pet-napping to obtain animals for research facilities became into being. Nowadays the intelligent and loving pet owner takes steps to make sure their pet remains as safe as possible.
Fencing - This is a #1 priority. Silkys are natural explorers and if there is a hole in your fence (a few inches is all that's needed), your Silky is off on a day-trip downtown.... hopefully it's just a day trip. In the cities he's likely to be hit by a car before he can make it back to you. In the country he may be dinner for a fox or coyote.
Also - never leave your pet unattended in your yard while you go out someplace. Dogs are often stolen right out from their own yards. Tall fences with gates that can be locked will help keep both you and your pet more secure.
The same thing applies to using a leash. Unless your dog is in his own yard, or in a secure off-leash dog park in the city, please....keep your dog on a leash! It only takes a moment for them to dash in front of a car because they wanted to visit the cat across the street, or a second to take off into the woods after that rabbit (and don't count on them finding their way back - if the chase goes on long enough, he may be miles from home before he stops running. And lots of dogs have no sense of direction, and like most men... they refuse to ask for directions!
The leash also gives you more control in the event another dog is approaching yours in a menacing manner. If your dog is loose he will stand and fight (or even start the fight) since he is a cocky little terrier. If he's on a leash you can pull him in, pick him up, and leave the situation before it becomes dangerous. Keep in mind... it doesn't matter how beautifully trained and obedient YOUR dog is off-leash.... what matters is how well-trained the OTHER guys dog is!! Play it safe.
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