Help! My Pet Is Lost! What Do I Do?

     Unfortunately, we sometimes find ourselves in a situation in which our pet has become lost.  It can happen to anyone.  Maybe there was a hole in the fence in your back yard you didn't know about; maybe your pet scurried out the front door when you greeted a friend; or perhaps you were on a leisurely walk with your pet and the leash got away from you.  It is scary to know your pet is out there, alone and at risk for injury.  Here are some tips to help you become reunited with your best friend!

Microchip Your Pet!

     Microchips are tiny implantable devices that can be easily placed under your pets skin for identification purposes.  These tiny chips can be read by microchip scanners that most shelters and veterinary clinics have on hand.  Each chip has it's own alpha-numeric code that is unique to you and your pet.  When your pet is implanted with a microchip, you register your contact information with the microchip manufacturer.  When the chip is scanned, this code is displayed.  The microchip manufacturer can then be contacted with this code, and your contact information can be provided to the person that found your pet!  It is not a foolproof method of identification, but it is the best form of permanent identification your pet can have!

     Microchips are placed under the skin using a large bore needle.  The procedure to place the microchip takes only a couple of minutes, and can be done during a brief office visit to your veterinarian!  It is a small price to pay for peace of mind in case your pet is lost.

Scanning a pet for a microchip.

     Remember - most furry friends can be microchipped, as well as your feathered and scaly friends as well!

     Lastly, if you find a lost pet, please take it to the nearest shelter or veterinary clinic to be scanned for a microchip!  Odds are, the pet belongs to someone living in or frequenting the area you found the pet in need.  We know pets can look quite disheveled when they have been lost for even just a day or two.  Please don't assume their owners are bad, have not been taking care of them, or do not want them back - they may have been searching for them for quite some time!

   Check out these news stories that illustrate the success of microchipping:

     Dog missing for 2 years, reunited with owner due to a microchip!

     Dog found over 1000 miles away, and reunited with the owner!

     Pet missing for 2 years, happy reunion with owner!

     The Today Show - Cat missing for 5 years found in New York City!

Check Your Local Shelters

     Make phone calls and personal visits to your local shelters and animal control.  If you don't find your pet locally, consider travelling to shelters a bit farther away.  Sometimes, well-meaning good samaritans will pick up lost pets and take them to a shelter a bit farther away.  Arrive at the shelters well prepared, with photos and a written description of your pet that they can display or keep for their records.

Template for a lost pet poster

Call Local Veterinarians/Place Public Posters

     Many veterinarians will take a description of your lost pet to keep in their records to refer to if someone that has found a lost pet calls or takes it to the veterinary clinic.  Some hospitals also allow you to post your lost pet flier in their office.

     Visit grocery stores and coffee shops to post your lost pet fliers in their public posting area, and place posters in other areas as well!  Posting fliers in some areas, such as on light poles, may not be legal in your area, so check state and local laws!

Get Online!

     There are a host of websites you can visit to post lost and found pet information.  This list is not all inclusive, but a great place to start!

     If you are in the Indianapolis area, be sure to check out:  www.IndyLostPetAlert.com

     Also try:

     www.PetAmberAlert.com
     www.Petfinder.com
     www.CraigsList.com
     www.Pets911.com
     www.PetHarbor.com
    

     We hope you never have to experience a missing pet!  But if you do, we hope these ideas help you to reunite with your beloved friend.  And remember - if you find a lost pet, take it to the nearest shelter and have it scanned for a microchip.  After all, that is what you would want someone else to do if they happened to find your pet in need!

Summertime and Your Pets

Summertime and Your Pets

By Dr. Julie Molitoris

Summertime is a great time of the year for both you and your pets!  The kids are out of school, leading to more attention to your pets, we tend to be outside much more enjoying the weather, and there are all the summertime events where we bring our pets.

Our pets love summer, but unfortunately it is not without its risks.   Summertime is our emergency department's busiest time of the year, where we see an increase in heat stroke cases, lacerations, animals being hit by cars, flea infestations, and many others.   This blog will mainly discuss heat stroke and your dogs.  Heat stroke is possible in cats but much less common. 

Heat stroke is defined as having a body temperature over 105 or 106 degrees fahrenheit.  Dogs and cats normal body temperatures range from 100-102.5 degrees fahrenheit.  When  a dog's body temperatures reaches as high as 105 or higher for an extended period of time, it can lead to serious consequences including multiple organ failure, inability to clot their blood, seizures, and death.   Many affected animals are hospitalized for days receiving intensive care, and even with the best treatment many not survive.  This makes it very important to monitor your pets.  The most important factor to help prevent heat stroke is to know what causes it and which animals are predisposed.  In addition, it is important to know what to do in the case of an emergency!

Although sometimes inconvenient for us, a great way to manage heat and stay cool is through sweating.  As we sweat, water evaporates off our skin, which helps to cool us.  However, many people are not aware that dogs and cats cannot sweat.  Their main way to handle heat is with panting,  allowing air to reach their tongue and gums.   Some dogs have more difficulty panting and relieving heat than others.  This makes them predisposed to heat stroke.  The most common breeds we see are the “smooched” face breeds, otherwise known as brachycephalic breeds.  These breeds actually have a smaller windpipe diameter and excess tissue in the back of their throat (longer than normal soft palate and everted laryngeal tissues) making it much more difficult to breathe. 

A panting English Bulldog - one of the most common brachycephalic breeds we see.

Another at risk pet is the older Labrador retriever, which can develop paralysis of the larynx, which causes them to have difficulty breathing.    These older labs will have very heavy/loud breathing, sometimes referred to as "roaring," and be very stressed.  In addition, any pet with a history of a heart problem will have less tolerance for hot weather. 

When dogs that have difficulty breathing get hot or stressed, it causes them even more stress, which creates a vicious cycle, adding more to their body temperature, and making the situation worse very fast.  We see the most cases of heat stroke when dogs are exercised in the middle of a hot summer day, when dogs are left in cars with no air circulation, and when dogs are left outside with no shade or cool water to drink.  All of these cases are made much worse when the above discussed breeds or predisposing factors are present.   If you have a pet with a predisposing factor,  it is even more important to monitor them closely!

Signs of heat stroke include excessive panting, stress/agitation, restlessness, an elevated heart rate, red gums, collapse or an inability to get up, and seizures.  If any of these symptoms are seen, especially if dogs are out in the heat or have predisposing factors, then it is important to seek veterinary attention immediately.  If you are suspicious of heat stroke, douse your dog in cool water (NOT cold water or ice water), take your dog out of the heat, calm them down, and then get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. 

Other tips for your pet's summertime safety include the following:

• Always keep your pet on a leash in public to avoid unnecessary dogs fights, injuries, and car accidents. 
• Never leave your pet unattended in a parked car during warm months.
• Always keep a close eye on your pets to make sure they are not getting into things they should not, such as at cookouts and other gatherings. 
• Please do not use any over the counter medications on your pets without approval from your veterinarian.   

We hope this helped prove the importance of monitoring your pets in summertime!  If you are ever concerned, please take your dog to see a veterinarian, or at least call to consult them over the phone.  The message to take home today is monitor your pets - the faster we catch heatstroke and treat it, the less likely we will have serious consequences.