Which of course brings Ray Charles to mind. Good stuff, huh?
Georgia is on my mind because today through the end of the week, we have a very high chance of thunderstorms. I'm glad for the rain, but along with it comes the possibility of severe weather conditions such as heavy rain, high winds and lightning.
John and I moved to Acworth from Orlando, Florida in 2006. We were glad to get out of hurricane central, especially having experienced a direct hit from Hurricane Charley on August 13, 2004. We rode out the storm in our master bedroom closet - 'we' being John, our Rottweiler Katie, our first greyhound Condor, our cat Ernie and me. We were very fortunate, because we were woefully unprepared. Just a few weeks later, another hurricane was forecast to affect our area as well, and it sent us packing. We drove two cars through the night to John's parents' home in the Panhandle, and stayed there - with all of our furkids - for a week until the risk was over.
Hurricanes are of little to no threat to us here in north Georgia, but tornadoes are. We've had a few close calls at home that have sent us scurrying to the basement with all of our animals in tow - Flex, Taylor, Maddox and Chipmunk (our four greyhounds) and Coleman The Cat. I've had one close call as a pet sitter, during which I spent some time in a client's basement bathtub with two cocker spaniels. I chuckle now thinking about it, but it wasn't very funny at the time.
We should all have a disaster preparedness plan that includes our animal companions.
Hurricane Katrina led to the passage of the PETS Act of 2006, which requires states seeking FEMA assistance to accommodate pets and service animals in their plans for evacuating residents facing disasters. That was certainly a step in the right direction, but the protection of our animal family members is ultimately up to us.
You should have -
- a plan in place for transporting your pets if evacuation is necessary. For us, that means we will take both of our vehicles to accommodate our four dogs and cat.
- an idea of where to go and stay. Perhaps that means friends' or family members' residences located outside of the affected area. It could also mean staying at pet-friendly lodging.
- copies of your pets' vaccination records and information for their care, including medications, diet and health history. These documents should be stored in a waterproof container and kept in a easily accessed area.
- leashes and collars *with ID* in a readily available location in your home. Hopefully, all of your furry family members wear collars with ID at all times.
- at least a one-week supply of food, water and medications.
- a pet first aid kit.
- knowledge of your area and familiarity with emergency resources.
Looking at this list tells me I have some work to do, and it may do the same for you.
Here's to a safe and uneventful storm season for all of us, and to having the peace of mind that comes with proper planning.
ProHeart 6 is an injection for dogs that prevents heartworm
for 6 months. Its primary ingredient is
moxidectin. This product was originally approved by the FDA in 2001. Nearly 6,000 adverse reactions were reported in dogs following the administration of the drug over a three-year period, and sadly over 600 dogs died. It was recalled by the manufacturer at the FDA's request in 2004.
The first time I heard of ProHeart 6 was when my vet
recommended it for my Rottweiler Katie in Orlando, Florida in 2002. Unfortunately, I was not informed of
possible adverse reactions, and I allowed her to be injected with the drug.
Within an hour of the administration after we returned home,
Katie was lethargic, began vomiting and was unsteady on her feet. I called the vet and was told to bring her
back immediately. She was treated for
the reaction and fortunately was okay.
It was later that year that I began hearing about ever-increasing safety
concerns about ProHeart 6.
Surprisingly, the FDA announced the ‘limited reintroduction’ of ProHeart 6 in June 2008.
But get
this...
1. Proheart 6 is the
first veterinary drug to be marketed under a risk minimization and restricted distribution program.
2. The drug can only be administered by veterinarians who take a course and are certified by the manufacturer.
3. It should not be administered within one month of vaccinations.
4. It must be used ‘with caution’ in dogs who have had allergic conditions, and should not be given to dogs that are sick, underweight or debilitated.
5. An owner must be advised of the risks of ProHeart 6 AND sign a consent form prior to its administration.
I don’t know about you, but that sure seems to me like a
whole lot of CYA by both the FDA and Pfizer Animal Health.
I found this video in which a veterinarian expresses his concerns and recommendation regarding ProHeart 6.
I appreciate Dr. Pinney’s candor, and hope that his
conservative approach to this drug is echoed throughout the veterinary
community.
My personal recommendation is to stick with heartworm
preventatives for your dogs that have been on the market for many years and are
widely considered safer. Most dogs happily
chow down their monthly heartworm preventative like a treat, and the amount of
time that takes each month (15 seconds?) is a lot less time than having to take
your dog to the vet every six months for an injection.
Please share this information with your dog-loving friends,
family and co-workers! Already, new concerns are being raised about this questionable drug. Hopefully the
‘reintroduction’ of ProHeart 6 won’t cause the suffering and pain in dogs and their humans that it did when it was first put on the market.
Creating a blog has been something I've been wanting to do for my pet sitting clients for quite a while. In today's digital world, we get inundated daily with bits and pieces of news and information from the internet, social media like Facebook, and other forms of communication with friends, family and co-workers.
The recent news about chicken jerky from China and the Diamond Pet Foods Salmonella outbreak and recall renewed my interest in taking FFPS into the blogosphere, in an effort to create a 'one-stop shop' for pet news and information.
I routinely get questions from my clients about nutrition, vaccinations, training and health concerns. As both a professional pet sitter and as a pet parent I strive to stay informed from a variety of resources, and I look forward to sharing that information with you here.
I'd also like to share some of my personal experiences with animals at home and at work, and would love to have you do the same with me. Please give me feedback on what you see, and what you want to see, on this blog!
If you'd like to have future blog posts delivered directly to your e-mail, please enter your e-mail address in the field at the bottom left-hand corner of the page and click 'Submit'. You'll receive a confirmation e-mail to complete the request.
It is a privilege to care for your companion animals, and Family Friend Pet Sitting is a success because of you.
Thank you so much for your continued support and patronage.