Affectionate - Tips & Information

Affectionate - Professional Pet Sitting Services for Your Pets in Your Home

Tips & Information

This is an ever changing page. Check back often for tips on health, safety, recipes for pet food/treats, etc. Do you have something you want to share? Please let us know!

Timely Info:

Our site is currently

being updated.

Thank you for your

patience, waiting

for the new look and

additional information!

Little Rock Animal Control / Little Rock Animal Village: 501-565-6522

North Little Rock Animal Control: 501-791-8577

Maumelle Animal Control: 501-851-6219

Sherwood Animal Control: 501-834-2287

Jacksonville Animal Shelter: 501-982-2916

Cabot Animal Control: 501-843-2021

Bryant Animal Control: 501-776-5972

Benton Animal Control: 501-653-0765

Animal Shelter.org

Tips for Outdoor Pets

Or for Taking Your Pets Outdoors:

1. Make sure they can get out of the direct cold. They need shelter from the elements: wind, rain, snow, ice, etc.) Give them some old towels or blankets to cuddle in (wash and dry them on a regular basis). Do not put cedar chips or hay in their house, as it can cause skin irritations!

2. Make sure they have plenty of fresh water to drink (in a clean bowl). There are products on the market that can assist you in keeping water fresh and that keep it from freezing for your beloved pets. If nothing else, add a bunch of ice cubes.

3. If you take them for walks, go in the "heat of the day" before the sun starts to go down. Don't go very far, as their paws can suffer a lot on the cold pavement/ground. Chemicals and other products used to melt the ice can cause harm to your dogs paws and to him if it's ingested!

4. Winter Wear. If your dog has an especially heavy or long coat, yeah! If your pet has short or no hair or is not a breed of dog that is acclimated to the cold, get them a quality sweater, t-shirt, coat, jacket, or rain coat. They can keep a dog warm and dry!

Give him a good drying off when he comes in!

5. Do you use sunscreen on your pets? How do you know? If your dog has little to no fur (such as a Chinese Crested, Shar Peis and the American Hairless Terrier), has light skin and/or light-colored fur, dogs that are predisposed to skin cancer/tumors (such as Bull dogs, Poodles, Schnauzers, Doberman, Bichons, and others), outside pets, pets with allergic and inflamed skin, and pets with excess exposure to the sun while boating, hiking, beach combing, poolside outings, etc.) make sure to use a sunscreen on her that does NOT have zinc in it, as if ingested, could lead to a serious condition called hemolytic anemia in some animals; see Toxins). Put it on the top of their nose, ears, belly, back—anywhere that can get burned. Do you put sunscreen on your cat? Read this, for one opinion.

They even make UV-protective clothing and sunglasses for your pets! You should check out the cooling vests, beds, collars and booties (to protect the paws) that are available.

6. Bring your pet inside during the coldest part of the day OR night.

7. If your pet is hypothermic, wrap them in towels or blanket to begin to raise their body temperature.

• frigid temperatures • snow • flurries • fire • snowmen •

Did you know that letting your dog hang her head out the window can be dangerous? Have you ever held your hand out the window and been hit by a bug, a rock, dirt? Ouch, huh?! Can you imagine if it hit your dog's eye, causing pain, damage, lose of sight? Or in her mouth, causing her to choke?

Did you know that it is not safe to let your dog ride in the back of your truck? If you hit a bump or are involved in a collision your "best friend" can not only be thrown from the truck bed, but he can end up in any lane with on-coming traffic that cannot stop! That not only endangers him, but other drivers! I know I could never get over hitting someone's pet because it was in the road when it shouldn't have been ... Or seeing it happen in front of me.

Other reasons NOT to let your canine ride in the back of your truck: The bed is cold and can injure your pet's paws. He can get hypothermia, dehydrated, and suffer from heat stroke. Your dog is not a surfer and cannot "hold on" if you have to turn or stop suddenly. He can be struck by a flying object or become a flying object. And if your dog is tethered improperly, he can strangle to death or be dragged if thrown over the side. According to the Humane Society "It is not safe for your dog to ride in the bed of a pickup even with a restraint. The HSUS knows of no brand of harness that has been proven safe in this situation."

Lastly, unrestrained dogs in vehicles are a liability. Even the nicest of dogs can be provoked into biting, jumping out of a vehicle, chasing people or cars ... causing serious injury to themselves or others. Would you want this for your Best Friend?

• heated blankets • ice • hot cocoa • friends and family •

Did you know that secondhand smoke is harmful to your pets? From the ASPCA website: Health officials often talk about the dangers of living with a smoker, but few pet parents are aware that our animal companions face similar risks—from respiratory problems to cancer—when exposed to secondhand smoke. New research suggests that secondhand smoke is unsafe at all levels—for humans and pets—so it's time to get serious about ditching those butts for good.

One recent study shows that nearly 30 percent of pets live with at least one smoker. This is a grave concern, according to Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, Medical Director of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, since secondhand smoke can damage the nervous systems of both cats and dogs.

Pets that live with smokers: Cats are prone to developing malignant lymphoma and dogs are especially sensitive to getting respiratory affects from smoke, leading to life-threatening cancer in the nasal passages and lungs.

Our site is currently being updated.

Thank you for your patience

in waiting for the new look

and additional information.

More information coming regarding:

Insect Bites; Fleas, Ticks and other Nasty Bugs.

What do you do if your pet gets stung by a bee or wasp?

Answer to come.

There is a flea medication out for dogs that works. Comfortis. It is an oral medication that you give your dogs every three to four weeks. It starts killing fleas in 30 minutes and finishes the job within four hours. The only "catch" is that it supposedly does not kill flea larvae or flea eggs.

Safety When Walking

Watch out for Snakes and Other Creatures

Go here for the ASPCA's

Snake Bite Safety and Prevention Tips

With the leaves are falling in Autumn, many snakes will blend in with the ground camouflage. When warmer weather comes around again, not all the

I walk one particular dog through a semi-wooded area - there's no other choice. Not only am I cringing at the possible tick attachments, but I am literally eyes all over the place looking for a snake (or other danger) in our path or potential path. So far this year we have only found one tick (did I just jinx myself?!) Last summer we only encountered one snake. I don't let him too far from me for this very reason. The one we found in the spring was non-poisonous. The next one might be poisonous! With it getting warmer, snakes will be coming out to sun themselves and hunt. So I am always at work keeping him and my others pets safe and sound!

These scary creatures can be in your own backyard. In the house we moved from in Little Rock, and the surrounding houses were known for being a copperhead breeding ground. And I've killed or captured more then one.

~ Leslie

What snakes are common in Arkansas?

Be familiar!

The poisonous snakes in Arkansas are:

Coral Snake

Timber Rattlesnake

Weatern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Southern Copperhead

Pygmy Rattlesnake

Western Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin

Click the link above for pictures of each

and of other snakes in The Natural State.

Click here for some snake safety tips.

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Disaster/Emergency Preparedness

Attention Pet Owners

Please log on to: http://www.petsitters.org/

Download your own NAPPS Emergency Preparedness Guide For Pet Owners here.

My pet sitters association (NAPPS) hosts Emergency Preparedness Teleconferences to help educate you and help your pets survive in the event you encounter a natural or man-made disaster.

I will post the next Disaster Preparedness Teleconference when it happens.

You can participate in the call and ask questions. Participation is limited so when the time comes you will need to send an e-mail to reserve your spot.

If you would like to receive an Emergency Preparedness Guide by mail instead of downloading one, please use the Contact Us page and let us know. We'll send one to you – you don't have to be a client of ours.

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What to do if your pet is poisoned.

• Remain calm. Pets can sense your fear and anxiety.

• Gather up the bottle or plant of the suspected poison and what the pet may have vomited up or chewed or whatever, in a zipper-lock bag.

• Call poison control. The emergency poison control center at the ASPCA:

(888) 426-4435 (According to their website, a $60 consultation fee may be applied

to your credit card.)

The Top 10 Poisons that the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) hot line

handled for pet owners and their pets in 2008. Incidentally, they received 140,000

calls.

• Get your pet to the vet...your regular vet or an emergency vet clinic. The only after hours and weekend emergency clinics that are close by are:

• After Hours Vet Clinic . 290 Smokey Lane . North Little Rock, AR 72117

Ph. 501-955-0911 Smokey Lane is located off McCain Blvd., East of Hwy 67/167.

• Animal Emergency Clinic . 8735 Sheltie Dr., “G” . Maumelle, AR 72113

Ph. 501-224-3784 Located just off I-430 at the Maumelle exit.

• Drive to each emergency vet location now so you aren't looking for one when the emergency occurs. Know where both locations are. You never know where you will be when you need help.

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This is an ever changing page. Check back for more tips on health, safety,

pets in the news, local pet events, recipes for pet food/treats, etc.

We are updating the information on this page even as you view it.

If you would like to see information about something specific, please let us know!

Note: Our advice is no substitute for professional care

from your veterinarian!

Our links to websites and articles on the web are just that.

Please do your own research and investigation

into information for your pet’s well being.

Affectionate Pet Sitters, its owners and sitters

take no responsibility or liability for you

not seeking additional professional advice

and licensed medical advice.

Poisonous and

Non-Poisonous Plants

Below is a partial list of poisonous plants. Some we are very familiar with due to media coverage. Not all will kill an animal if ingested, but can cause vomiting or bloody diarrhea. Always keep a poison control number where it can easily be found, such as the emergency poison control center at the ASPCA:(888) 426-4435 (According to their website, a $60 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.)

The ASPCA lists * 17 Common Poisonous Plants.They are also updating their site to include pictures of these plants, which is very useful.

When you click on a photo (or name of the plant) it gives you the information you need, such as the scientific name, the family of plants it is in, the toxicity and what makes it toxic, as well as what symptoms it can give your pet.

The following photos of plants

are just pretty pictures. They may or may not be poisonous.

Because of the large number of plants in existence, the following doesn't address every plant that might be toxic to your pet. Some plants that are generally considered nontoxic may cause severe symptoms in a pet with an allergy to the plant. It is best to seek medical advice as soon as you can and if possible, take the plant(s) you think they have ingested with you.