It might just be April 1st but this certainly is no joke, we have entered Pet First Aid Awareness Month. It is terrific that there is a month dedicated to this, but every month and day should include pet first aid awareness. Just yesterday here in wonderful New England I found yet another blood-sucking tick on my boy Artie and I had to apply my first aid skills.

Being that it is Pet First Aid Awareness Month, this makes it a great opportunity for pet owners to brush up on tips and their skills they learned from the Pet First Aid & CPR Course they took, wait, what? You still haven't taken it?


The hot weather is around the corner and the bugs are already biting, you needed to know yesterday how to recognize signs of heat stroke, pesticide poisoning, and whether or not that white thing is a worm you saw in the litter box this morning. 

Heat Stroke/Hyperthermia 

Heat stroke, a condition of hyperthermia, is one of the most common problems pets face in the warmer weather when they are not yet used to the warm temperatures. I was tossing the Frisbee on a nice 60 degree day a couple of days ago and my Boxer was HOT! He certainly didn't last as long as he would had it been warmer for months and he needed tons of water to stay cool.

Also, I know we hear this every year but I will keep saying it until dogs and cats (and sadly children) stop dying in cars; the inside of a car can quickly reach 120 degrees in warm weather and animals SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN THERE, even for short trips. The windows cannot be let down enough for adequate ventilation and when panic sets in, your pet's temperature goes up along with that of the car. This can all very quickly lead to heat stroke and death. 

Poisoning

The flowers are popping up through the soil (or snow in some areas) and with them come plenty of hazards. Many plants themselves like that beautiful azalea bush can be poisonous to our pets, let alone the chemicals your apartment complex just sprinkles all over the grass to make it green. That ant bait you set down the other day is yet another hazard. Visit the ASPCA Poison Control web site to find out which plants and flowers are poisonous to animals and also make yourself aware of how to help an animal that has come in contact with a suspected poison (click here). 

Parasites

Its that time when the worms, ticks, fleas and bees are out and about. Learn how to prevent, recognize and treat bites, stings or infestations before they happen. This will save your pet the stress, you the hassle and your wallet from depletion. 

Emergencies

Pet First Aid Awareness Month is a great time for people to learn how to protect their pets and keep them healthy. Its also a great time to blow the dust off your emergency preparedness kit that you have in the closet by the front hall. You know the one you have been meaning to put together and meaning to learn what to put in it. 

When a flood, fire, tornado or hurricane hits your home, what and where are you going and grabbing for you and your pets?