House of Dreams

Pet Poison Hotline

Pet Poison Helpline™ is a 24-hour service available throughout North America for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Nearly half of the calls received by Pet Poison Helpline involve human medications – both over-the-counter and prescription. Whether Fluffy accidentally chewed into a pill bottle or a well-intentioned pet owner accidently switched medication (giving their pet a human medication), pet poisonings due to medication are common and can be very serious.

Read more: http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/serviceanimals/poison-medicine.php#ixzz1C5T7oc00

Human medications that can be poisonous to cats:

• Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory,
• Acetaminophen,
• Antidepressants,
• Methylphenidate,
• Pseudoephedrine,
• Oral anti-diabetics,
• Baclofen, and
• Vitamin D derivatives.

Keep medicine away from cats, the same way you would keep them away from children.

Medical Tip: vomiting

IF YOU SEE A CAT VOMITING OR ABOUT TO START, JUST LET IT DO THE DEED AND CLEAN UP LATER. Rushing to the cat in an effort to try to control where the vomit lands can result in aspiration pneumonia.  If that occurs, it almost always results in an immediate trip to the vet for costly services, or death.  Basically, the cat is inhaling vomit into its lungs if this occurs.  It is important to let the mess happen, comfort the cat, and clean up later.

House of Dreams is committed to keeping kitties safe and healthy and we want to give you the tools you need to also keep cats safe and healthy.  The best advice we can give as a blanket statement is "When in doubt, Please call a veterinarian!"

Medical Tips

  It is smart to start with maintaining basic records of your cat, not only to build a medical history of your cat but it also great information to provide your cat sitter when you go away on vacations.

What to include in a file folder or notebook:

• Basic details of your pet. Birth date, breed, coloring, gender, etc.
•  up to date records of vaccinations,
•  the name, phone number and address of your pet's veterinarian.
• A record of any medical conditions your pet may have along with medication names, dosages, and instructions for use. 
•  Accurate and up-to-date records of your pet's identification numbers. This may include license tags, tattoos, and microchips all of which should provide valid contact information for you the owner. 
•  A clear, recent (preferably close-up) photo of your pet. This will help if your pet is lost, or if someone has found your pet and is not sure how to tell if it is really yours.
• You may want to include behavior information, such as quirks and habits.
• Daily routine (feeding, water, litterbox, etc.)

House of Dreams is committed to keeping kitties safe and healthy and we want to give you the tools you need to also keep cats safe and healthy.  The best advice we can give as a blanket statement is "When in doubt, Please call a veterinarian!"

Onions and chocolate? Not for kitty!

With the holiday season upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone that many foods that are healthy for humans can be toxic to the four-legged members of the family.

Follow this link for a helpful list of foods that should never be given to a cat.

If you think your pet has ingested a toxic substance, call your vet immediately, or contact the ASPCA Poison Control Center. Here you will also find information on poisonous plants, and lots of other useful info for keeping your animals healthy and safe throughout the year.

Former HOD resident Flower wishes all her kitty friends a happy,
onion-free Thanksgiving.

Pet Food Banks help those in need

(The following information is provided by Oregonian Pet Columnist Jacques Von Lunen)

If you or someone you know needs some assistance with pet food, here are some programs that may be able to help.

Rules they all share:

   Do not bring your pet.

   Food provided on a 1st come 1st served basis.

   A simple form must be completed to obtain the food.

 

THE PONGO FUND

 

Open noon to 3 pm every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month.

A 2-week supply of dog or cat food per owner is available.

910 NE Martin Luther King Blvd., Portland

503-939-7555

www.thepongofund.org

 

CAT ADOPTION TEAM

 

Open noon to 2:30 pm the 1st Sunday of the month.

1 month supply for up to 4 cats per owner is available.

141 SW Galbreath Dr., Sherwood

503-925-8903

www.catadoptionteam.org

 

FIDO

 

Open 10 am to 1 pm the 3rd Saturday of the month.

A 1 month supply of dog food for up to 4 dogs per owner is available.

2106 Kaen Road, Oregon City

971-678-6928

www.fido-clackamas.org

(thanks to HOD volunteer Linda for putting this info together!)

 

 

Olivia is grateful to all the pet food banks for helping her furry friends.