Tag Archives: Pet Care

National Dog Day: A look at American Red Cross’ pet programs

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By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

Every year on August 26, National Dog Day is recognized in the U.S. and globally as a way to celebrate dogs and the positive impact they have in the lives of people. The American Red Cross celebrates dog ownership and offers many services that support our canine companion friends. Read on to find out more! 

Megan Winans, American Red Cross, and Athena

Pet First Aid App – Would you know what to do if your pet had a medical emergency?  The Red Cross makes it easy with their free Pet First Aid App, available for download in both the Google Play and Apple App Stores, or text “GETPET” to 90999. This user-friendly app covers a wide range of potential emergency scenarios, specifically tailored for your dog (or cat!). From the basics of airway, breathing and circulation checks, to step-by-step CPR and first aid instructions, this app has you covered.  Scenarios include drowning, car accidents, burns, falls, poisoning and much, much more. It also includes an emergency vet locator,  preventative care tips and quizzes to brush up on your safety knowledge.   

Cat and Dog First Aid Course – So you’ve downloaded the Pet First Aid App, but still want to take your knowledge a step further with formal training. That is possible through the Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid Course. Learn pet CPR and first aid and become certified to provide care in an all online, self-paced course that only takes around 35 minutes to complete. This paid course covers the basics of normal vital signs and what to do in an emergency, including wounds, bleeding, seizures and cardiac arrest. In addition, you will learn preventative care tips to help keep your pet safe. Click HERE to learn more about the course and to register! 

Animal Visitation Program (AVP):  Red Cross volunteers and their certified service dogs work in conjunction with the Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program to offer canine visitation to both active-duty military members and veterans within the VA medical system or on bases here in Northern Ohio and around the world. Approved therapy dogs provide comfort, love and encouragement to service members who are deployed or away from home. To learn more about volunteering in this capacity, click HERE. 

Disaster Response:  The Red Cross deploys to disasters all over the U.S., from fires, to floods, to hurricanes and more. In addition to relieving human suffering, special teams are assigned to assisting families with any pet needs that may arise, including finding pet friendly shelters, providing access to resources such as food, cages, blankets and vaccines. In Northern Ohio, the Red Cross works in partnership with Faithful Companions, a pet cremation service for pets who unfortunately lost their lives in fires or other disasters, free of charge. 

To keep pets safe and prepare for evacuation during disasters, Megan Winans, a Red Cross employee who serves as Pet Liaison for National Level 4+ Deployments and also serves as the Divisional/Regional Pet Champion, offered these great tips: “I always encourage everyone I know to make sure they have a go bag ready ahead of time for not only themselves and their human family members, but a go bag for their pets too. Items such as extra food, water, medications, bowls, leashes, collars, a cage and copies of important documents are all very helpful to have together in one spot to grab as you go.”  

To learn more about disaster preparedness with pets, click HERE. 

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

10 must know “NOs” for pet first aid awareness month

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Hidden dangers lurking in your home

By: Doug Bardwell, Red Cross volunteer

One of the first things we teach a new pet is the meaning of the word “NO”. There are a lot of things they should learn that are not acceptable. And there is much that pet owners should realize are a “NO” as well. Here are 10 must-know NOs:

Household decorations: Holiday ornaments, especially those that look like candy, can be hard to resist if you’re a hungry pet.

Candles are pretty to look at, but when burning, can be a fire hazard when knocked over. Also, the fumes can be extremely dangerous to birds.

Potpourri can look like a snack plate to animals but can cause extremely upset stomachs or worse.

Cleaning solutions can be poisonous to many pets.  Look for “Pet Safe” on the labels or make sure surfaces are wiped down and dry before pets come in contact with them.

Poisonous plants include azaleas, daffodils, day and Easter lilies, holly, laurels, poinsettias, and philodendrons. Keep them away from pets.

Plant foods, especially fertilizers, will give just about any animal digestive problems, even in the smallest doses.

Medications can be deadly to pets as well as little children. Shiny capsules can be tempting if left out on a table or counter.

Human foods shouldn’t be shared. Humans’ mouths contain completely different bacteria from those found in the mouths of birds and other exotic pets and can cause serious infections.

Rodent traps need to be set in areas where larger pets can’t reach them.

Leftover batteries can be punctured with an animal’s sharp teeth, exposing dangerous battery acids inside.

The American Red Cross can also be of assistance in learning pet safety with pet-specific CPR classes and handy First Aid safety apps you can carry on your phone.

Find tips for administering pet CPR. Learn how to care for your dog or cat when he or she needs you most: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/pet-cpr or register for a class here:  https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/cat-dog-first-aid In this 35-minute online course, you will learn the basics of caring for cats and dogs through a variety of topics – from understanding and checking your pet’s vital signs to preventative care for cats and dogs, to caring for the most critical emergency situations – including breathing and cardiac emergencies, wounds, bleeding, and seizures.

The free Pet First Aid app puts veterinary advice for emergencies as well as everyday pet care in the palm of your hand. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice, it’s never been easier to know pet first aid. Available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play, or text “GETPET” to 90999. Check out this previous post for more insight into the Pet First Aid app.