Emergency Preparedness Video

Animals in Emergencies is an excellent video produced by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  There’s a wealth of easily accessible information covered—check it out!

http://youtu.be/dgSE-HwUMtM

Emergency Preparedness For Reptiles & Amphibians

(Tutorial for turtles by Ashley at Make It & Love It.)

The anniversaries of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina remind me how important it is that we plan to care for our whole family for an extended period of time in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.  This is a good time to get started.  This post has been a long time coming and was researched consulting the AVMA, FEMA, ASPCA, HSUS, CDC, Petfinder, & more.  I hope you find it useful!  (I ask that if you re-post it, that you give credit to & link to PetProject.)

It’s not that I’m all gloom and doom. It’s just that in the event of a disaster, I don’t want to be forced to rely on other agencies, if I can help it, and I know my pets will be safest under our care, so I’m working to be as prepared as possible. I live in earthquake country and we have a kit to take care of everyone in our family—human, feline, and canine. Getting prepared has been an ongoing process so I can spread out the cost and spread out the time & energy spent on the project.

Make sure your whole family is taken care of and do not leave your pets to fend for themselves. Keep them with you. If you evacuate and think you’ll only be away from your home a short time, take your animals with you! You don’t know when or if you’ll be able to return to your home.

I’ve divided the list into categories and put a ♥ by the items to start with first. Don’t get overwhelmed. Begin with the ♥ items and once you have those, set a goal—maybe 1-2 items every other week? And begin by gathering at least 3 days worth of supplies and work up to 1-2 weeks. Defray the costs by checking thrift stores and looking for sales.

Tasks:

  1. ♥Microchip your animal if possible
  2. ♥Talk to your vet about obtaining medication for your emergency kit
  3. ♥Put together Herp First Aid Kit
    1. Drs. Foster & Smith’s list
    2. Melissa Kaplan’s list
  4. Place “Pets Inside” stickers at each entrance to your home listing what types of animals you have & how many—here’s where you can get a free decal
  5. Develop a plan that doesn’t rely solely on public emergency shelters (most won’t allow animals)–we plan to keep our pets with us, so we have a tent, etc.
  6. Petfinder has a number of useful links for finding pet friendly motels/hotels—identify nearby options & options outside your local area
  7. Coordinate with a nearby friend or trustworthy neighbor to take care of your pets in case something happens while you’re away from your home (make sure your friend or neighbor is familiar with your pets & that your pets are comfortable with them, give them a key & care information for your pets, be clear about your arrangement—will they just feed & water your pets at your house, will they take custody of your pets, etc.)
  8. Find out if your vet will board animals in the event of an emergency
  9. Contact your local animal control & humane society about their disaster plan (what services they plan to provide, where they intend to be located)
  10. Plan to keep your pets separate from each other—animals under extreme stress or in pain can be unpredictable and your dog could attack your lizard, etc.
  11. If you live in a disaster prone area:
    1. consider an automatic feeder if appropriate
    2. consider using a large waterer
    3. if you are likely to evacuate, find an herp vet in that area ahead of time
    4. learn about coping with evacuation gridlock
    5. make sure you’ve planned for space in your vehicle for your pets
  12. Familiarize yourself with what to do in an emergency
    1. the AVMA has a superb manual
    2. the Humane Society has good tips, including dealing with everyday emergencies
    3. Special tips for preparing for tornados

Documents:

  1. ♥up-to-date medical records
  2. ♥proof of ownership—pet license records, adoption forms, registration papers, etc.
  3. ♥recent photos of all your pets, include distinguishing marks (for lost posters, online notices)
  4. ♥photos of you with your pets (documenting they are your pets)
  5. detailed descriptions of your pets

Items:

  1. ♥contact information for:
    1. your veterinarian
    2. emergency veterinarian
    3. area shelters
    4. ASPCA Animal Poison Control 1 (888) 426-4435
  2. ♥sturdy, escape-proof traveling cage or carrier or plastic tub with air holes (smooth off any burs made by drilling holes to avoid injury to amphibians)—make sure whatever you use fits in your car
  3. ♥suitable substrate
  4. ♥blanket to cover cage
  5. ♥sturdy bowl large enough for animal to soak in
  6. ♥battery operated heating source or hot water bottle
  7. ♥appropriate battery operated lights
  8. ♥extra batteries/heavy duty electrical cord (consider getting a generator if you have several animals)
  9. ♥thermometer for cage
  10. ♥manual can opener
  11. ♥food bowls
  12. ♥water bowl
  13. ♥spray bottle for misting water
  14. ♥1-2 weeks of food
  15. ♥canned fruit & vegetables in natural juice, no salt added –OR– baby food jars of fruit & vegetables
  16. ♥1-2 weeks water (not distilled)
  17. ♥dietary supplements
  18. ♥live food (remember to plan for care for your live “food”)
  19. ♥dechlorination drops
  20. ♥current Herp First Aid Manual
  21. styrofoam cooler to insulate pet in its cage
  22. newspapers
  23. handling gloves
  24. disposable gloves
  25. plastic bags
  26. paper towels
  27. disinfectant
  28. dish soap
  29. dish brush
  30. towel

Emergency Preparedness For Your Pets

Note:  Hurricane Irene has me thinking about disaster preparedness so I’m reposting this.  It a good reminder that we should all be prepared for an emergency, so I challenge you to start your emergency preparedness kit this weekend for your whole family—pets included!  Our thoughts are with those on the East Coast and we’re hoping for the best.

The anniversaries of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina remind me how important it is that we plan to care for our whole family for an extended period of time in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.  Turns out September is National Preparedness Month, so this is a great time to start getting prepared.  This post has been a long time coming and was researched consulting the AVMA, FEMA, ASPCA, HSUS, CDC, Petfinder, & more.  I hope you find it useful!  (I ask that if you re-post it, that you give credit to & link to PetProject.)

It’s not that I’m all gloom and doom. It’s just that in the event of a disaster, I don’t want to be forced to rely on other agencies, if I can help it, and I know my pets will be safest under our care, so I’m working to be as prepared as possible. I live in earthquake country and we have a kit to take care of everyone in our family—human, feline, and canine. Getting prepared has been an ongoing process so I can spread out the cost and spread out the time & energy spent on the project.

Make sure your whole family is taken care of and do not leave your pets to fend for themselves. Keep them with you. If you evacuate and think you’ll only be away from your home a short time, take your animals with you! You don’t know when or if you’ll be able to return to your home.

I’ve divided the list into categories and put a ♥ by the items to start with first. Don’t get overwhelmed. Begin with the ♥ items and once you have those, set a goal—maybe 1-2 items every other week? And begin by gathering at least 3 days worth of supplies and work up to 1-2 weeks. Defray the costs by checking thrift stores and looking for sales—buy an extra bag of cat litter when it’s on sale, etc. Some of the items listed will double for a human preparedness kit.

Tasks:

  1. ♥Microchip every animal & keep the registered contact information up-to-date
  2. ♥Make sure your pets have collars and up-to-date ID tags, consider adding an out-of-state contact phone number too (it’s recommended families have an out-of-state contact (relative or friend) because when phone lines are flooded with calls, it’s sometimes easier to reach someone out of the area.)
  3. ♥Talk to your vet about obtaining medication for your emergency kit
  4. ♥Construct a First Aid Kit (I’ve compiled a comprehensive list for a well stocked kit)
  5. Place “Pets Inside” stickers at each entrance to your home listing what types of animals you have & how many—here’s where you can get a free decal
  6. Make up “Lost” posters for your pets (in case they get lost) with space for up-to-date contact information if you’ve evacuated, here’s a form that will create a poster for you
  7. Develop a plan that doesn’t rely solely on public emergency shelters (most won’t allow animals)–we plan to keep our pets with us, so we have a tent, etc.
  8. Petfinder has a number of useful links for finding pet friendly motels/hotels—identify nearby options & options outside your local area
  9. Coordinate with a nearby friend or trustworthy neighbor to take care of your pets in case something happens while you’re away from your home (make sure your friend or neighbor is familiar with your pets & that your pets are comfortable with them, give them a key & care information for your pets, be clear about your arrangement—will they just feed & water your pets at your house, will they take custody of your pets, etc.)
  10. Find out if your vet will board animals in the event of an emergency
  11. Contact your local animal control & humane society about their disaster plan (what services they plan to provide, where they intend to be located)
  12. Plan to keep your pets separate from each other—animals under extreme stress or in pain can be unpredictable and your dog could attack your cat, etc.
  13. If you live in a disaster prone area:
    1. consider putting a leash at every exit to your home, if you have a dog
    2. consider using a feeder on a timer
    3. consider using a waterer with a reservoir
    4. if you are likely to evacuate, find a vet in that area ahead of time
    5. coping with evacuation gridlock
    6. make sure you’ve planned for space in your vehicle for your pets
  14. Familiarize yourself with what to do in an emergency
    1. the AVMA has a superb manual
    2. the Humane Society has good tips, including dealing with everyday emergencies
  15. Special tips for preparing for tornados

 

Documents:

  1. ♥up-to-date vaccination records (could help in your obtaining shelter)
  2. ♥pet license records
  3. ♥recent photos of all your pets, include distinguishing marks (for lost posters, online notices)
  4. ♥photos of you with your pets (documenting they are your pets)
  5. detailed descriptions of your pets

 

Items:

  1. ♥1-2 weeks worth of food (wet & dry–small cans of wet since you can’t refrigerate them)
  2. ♥1-2 weeks of water for just your pets
  3. ♥2 bowls
  4. ♥manual can opener
  5. ♥spoon (for food)
  6. ♥litter box
  7. ♥1-2 weeks supply of cat litter
  8. ♥litter scoop
  9. ♥poop bags
  10. ♥ID tags with space to put up-to-date information (in case you’ve evacuated)
  11. ♥sturdy, extra leash (for each animal)
  12. ♥sturdy, extra collar (for each animal)
  13. ♥sturdy, extra harness (for each animal that they can’t slip out of)
  14. ♥carriers/crates (for each animal in appropriate sizes)
  15. bedding
  16. large garbage bags
  17. tie out/stake(do not leave dog unattended, ever)
  18. long line leash
  19. muzzle (cat & dog, helpful in case of injury, may help you obtain shelter for you & your pets)
  20. toys
  21. paper towels
  22. dish soap
  23. dish brush
  24. disinfectant for cleaning crate, etc.
  25. pet shampoo
  26. grooming supplies
  27. bath towels
  28. blanket (to capture a skittish pet, cover a stressed pet, immobilize a pet for treatment)
  29. treats
  30. chew treats
  31. hand truck, cart, or wagon (this could be especially important if you have a number of animals or a large dog and need to move them to another location while crated and don’t have use of a car)

DIY: Construct A First Aid Kit

Here’s a comprehensive list of things to have in your animal First Aid Kit.  Start with the items marked with a ♥.  (Here’s a printable list for the animal First Aid Kit)

  1. ♥current pet 1st Aid manual (we like The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats, by Amy D. Shojai)
  2. ♥contact information for:
    1. your veterinarian
    2. emergency veterinarian
    3. area shelters
    4. ASPCA Animal Poison Control 1 (888) 426-4435
  3. ♥up-to-date weight for your pets
  4. ♥up-to-date information on your pets’ medications
  5. ♥1-2 week supply of all medications pets need
  6. ♥appropriate calming supplement
  7. ♥muzzle or strip of fabric/length of rope for DIY muzzle
  8. ♥non-stick gauze pads
  9. ♥adhesive tape
  10. ♥liquid bandage
  11. ♥self-adhering flexible bandage (Vetrap, Pet Wrap, Kling, Coban)
  12. ♥blunt tipped scissors (for trimming away fur, we like Metzenbaum scissors because they’re curved)
  13. ♥blunt tipped tweezers or hemostats (removing foreign objects)
  14. ♥rectal thermometer
  15. ♥lubricant (K-Y Jelly, Vaseline, etc. for thermometer)
  16. ♥nail clippers
  17. ♥large, clean towel
  18. ♥clean wash cloth
  19. ♥anti-septic solution (Chlorohexidine (.5%), Betadine, not rubbing alcohol)
  20. ♥sterile saline eyewash (flush wounds)
  21. ♥anti-biotic ointment
  22. ♥honey or Karo syrup (for treating shock)
  23. ♥over-the-counter medications approved by your veterinarian with notes on dosages (buffered aspirin (dogs only), Benadryl, Kaolin-Pectin, etc.)
  24. Saran Wrap (seal wounds)
  25. heavy-duty tape (duct, packing, masking, etc.)
  26. splinting material of appropriate sizes (bubble wrap, foam wrap, chopsticks, ruler, thick magazine, etc.)
  27. safety razors (for removing fur)
  28. electric trimmer (for removing fur)
  29. needle nose pliers (removing foreign objects)
  30. large, needless syringe or eye dropper (liquid medications)
  31. bulb syringe
  32. leather gloves
  33. disposable gloves
  34. cotton balls
  35. cotton swabs
  36. cold packs
  37. hot packs
  38. activated charcoal
  39. hydrogen peroxide (3%)
  40. syrup of Ipecac
  41. styptic powder (Kwik-Stop)
  42. Velveeta or Pill-Pockets for hiding pills

Pet Food Recall: Iams Renal Diet Cat Food & Mice Direct Frozen Reptile Food


Iams is recalling their Veterinary Prescription Renal Diet Cat food due to salmonella contamination. FDA testing came up positive for salmonella in two lots. For information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-894-4458 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).  These are the effected lots (lot codes are on the lower right corner on the back of the bag):

  • Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5lbs, Lot Code 01384174B4, UPC Code 0 19014 21405 1
  • Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5lbs, Lot Code 01384174B2, UPC Code 0 19014 21405 1


Mice Direct is recalling frozen mice, rats, and chicken due to possible salmonella contamination. According to the FDA, Human illnesses that may be related to the frozen reptile feed have been reported in 17 states. The recalled product should not be fed to animals, even after heating in a microwave oven, since the heating may not be adequate to kill Salmonella. The recall is based upon sampling by the FDA of frozen mice. The company continues their investigation.

The frozen reptile feed was distributed in all states, except Hawaii, through pet stores and by mail order and direct delivery.

Frozen reptile feed was shipped in plastic bags with the following product codes:

  • M-SP100, M-P100, M-PF100, M-F100, M-H100, M-W50, M-A50, M-JA25
  • R-P100, R-F50, R-PUP50, R-W50, R-S50, R-M20, R-L10,R-J5, R-C5, R-M3 followed by E9, F9, G9, H9, I9, J9, K9, L9 or A10, B10, C10, D10, E10, F10, G10
  • whole frozen chicks in 25 count bags.


What you need to know about Salmonella

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and there can be cross-contamination to humans causing serious illness in humans.