Search Results for: pet loss

If your pet is in immediate medical danger or you are helping an animal that has been seriously hurt, the following emergency vet clinics are open in Ottawa:

• Alta Vista Animal Hospital
  2616 Bank St,
  Ottawa, ON K1T 1M9
  Phone Number: 613-731-9911
• Animal Emergency and Specialty Hospital
  1155 Lola Street,
  Ottawa, ON, K1K 4C1
  Phone Number: 613-745-0123
• Eagleson Veterinary Clinic
  46-500 Eagleson Road,
  Kanata, ON, K2M 1H4
  Phone Number 613-383-8381
• Capital City Specialty & Emergency Animal Hospital
  747 Silver Seven Road,
  Kanata, ON, K2V 0H2
  Phone Number: 613-244-7387

People don’t “get over” a loss of a pet, they integrate it. We accept the reality of a loss — the absence of a pet and eventually we are prepared to invest in loving again.

Learn more about grieving the loss of a pet.

We all love our animal companions but sometimes we need information on their behaviour. Our pet care information will help you develop and maintain a long and rewarding relationship with your furry or feathered friends.

Note: Some of the tip topics below are available as web pages on our website, some link to information on other websites, and others are PDFs.

General Animal Tips

• Avoid Pet Peeves
• Cold Weather FAQs
• Coping with Pet Allergies
• Common Household Poisons to Avoid
• Dogs Die in Hot Cars
• Don’t Litter – Spay or Neuter
• End of Life Care for your Pet
• Explaining Pet Death to Children
• Fire Prevention Tips for You and Your Pet
• Flea Control
• Grieving the Loss of a Pet
• How Much Will My Pet Really Cost?
• Holidays and Pets
• Microchipping
• The Multi-pet Household
• Pediatric Spay and Neuter from the ASPCA
• Pets and Babies
• From the HSUS: Pets at College: Not a Prerequisite
• Preparing an Emergency Plan for Disasters
• Prevent a Lost Pet: 5 Things That Will Help You Protect Your Pets
• Summer Safety for Pets
• From the AAHA: Toxic House and Garden Plants
• Twelve Pet Tips for Christmas
• Vaccinating Your Pet

Some pets or people may be allergic to flea saliva, which causes flea allergy dermatitis (think super-itchy spots with hair-loss); young, sick or elderly pets can become anemic from too much blood loss.

These wingless insects are capable of jumping long distances. While cat and dog fleas prefer to feast on animal blood, they will turn to a human host if needed.

The lifecycle of a flea has four stages:

• Eggs, which fall from the host into the environment
• Larvae, which live off of the fallen fecal matter of adult fleas found in carpets and in lawns.
• Pupal stage, which is the cocoon. They do not emerge until a host is detected (via warmth / vibration)
• Adult stage, which feasts on blood.

If you do have a flea infestation, it is important to treat the pet’s environment as well to eliminate flea eggs and larvae.

There are many over-the-counter and prescription-only products that help solve flea problems.

Over-the-counter: Flea sprays both for the pet and environment, shampoos and collars.
While the costs may be lower for over-the-counter products, they often need to be reapplied to solve a flea infestation.

Prescription only:

• Topical treatments such as Advantage or Revolution
• Pills such as Program or Sentinel

The newer prescription products are more expensive. They are usually dispensed in a six-month package, to be applied monthly for the flea season. However, they are safer, easier and more effective than over-the-counter products. These products often have additional benefits, such as heartworm protection, preventing tick, lice and mite infestations. Because of their ease of use, their safety, and their efficacy, they are highly recommended.

It is important to read all of the instructions carefully before using any flea-control product. Follow all the instructions. Never use flea productions designed for dogs on cats, and vice versa. When in doubt, contact your veterinarian.

Alternatives:

• Use a flea comb several times a week on all pets.
• Vacuum frequently, disposing of bags immediately after use.
• Long grass can host fleas: keep lawns mowed.
• Wash pet bedding weekly.
• To protect cats from fleas and ticks, as well as a host of other outdoor hazards, cats should be kept indoors at all times.

By Sarah Probst, Information Specialist

“For many children, pet death is the first time they will experience grief over death. Handling a pet’s death in a positive way empowers children to handle grief in the future,” explains Julia Brannan, veterinary student and student director of the Companion Animal Related Emotions (C.A.R.E.) Helpline at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. “Being honest with children is the most important factor.”

Terminology is crucial when talking to children about death. When explaining pet loss, use the words “death,” “dead,” “dying” instead of euphemisms. “These are all concrete words that children can wrap their brains around.” Be clear because children’s minds may extrapolate harmful connotations from sugar-coated explanations.

For example, a common euphemism for euthanasia is ‘put to sleep.’ Brannan cautions, “Children may begin to think that being ‘put to sleep’ at night can be an irreversible process.” Brannan warns against telling children that your pet ran away or that you gave it to a friend. “That gives children a different kind of grief. They wonder why their best friend would abandon them or why their parents would want to separate them from a creature that meant so much to them,” says Brannan. Instead, if you have made the decision to euthanize, she suggests saying the following: “Because we love Fluffy so much we do not want her to suffer. We are helping her to die because she is experiencing pain that we can no longer treat.”

Talk about the death of a pet before the death occurs. Brannan suggests inviting your child to take part in the decision-making process. “Not including children in the process makes them feel completely powerless about what is going on with their pet.” When deciding whether to facilitate the death of a terminally ill pet, talk honestly about options.

“Reading books about grief and pet loss to children opens the door for parents and children to talk about the possibility of losing their pet.” Brannan’s favourite children’s books about pet loss and grief are the following: The Tenth Good Thing about Barney by J. Viorst; Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parents and Children by E. Grollman; About Dying: An Open Family Book for Parents and Children Together by S.B. Stein. Your local library or book store may have suggestions also.

If the decision is made to euthanize a pet, veterinarians can explain the medical aspects of death: how euthanasia is done, and how the pet will look in death – that eyes do not close, that the body may be warm for a few hours, and that the body will become stiff later. Veterinarians also can explain why a pet did not make it through a traumatic accident. In addition to medical questions, veterinarians can help parents deal with the child’s questions and grief. “Grief issues do not just happen in the clinic; they happen after the child leaves – months or sometimes years later,” adds Brannan.

Parents often wonder if a child should be allowed to be with the pet during death and see the body after the pet is dead. Brannan suggests asking children what they want to do. If the parent or child does not feel the need to be present during the euthanasia, then an alternative is to go back into the room after the euthanasia procedure and say goodbye. Seeing that the pet is actually dead often helps give children and parents a sense of closure.

During the grieving process, family members at various age levels will react differently. Children under two can sense stress in the house even though they do not know the cause. Brannan suggests comforting them and paying extra attention to them during the grieving period. “Children two to five typically believe they are invincible,” explains Brannan. Death is a reversible feat that cartoons like the roadrunner and coyote enact. Although they may not understand that their pet is dead, explaining death concretely now will help them understand it better later.

Eight-year-olds might understand that death is irreversible; however, in their minds, the universe revolves around them. “So if they think bad thoughts like, ‘I don’t want to walk Fluffy today. I wish she would just die’ and then a couple months later, Fluffy does die; a child this age might believe that their bad thoughts caused the death of the pet,” says Brannan.

Children may react in ways that adults wouldn’t. They may draw pictures of their pet underground, bury dolls, or ask shocking questions about what is happening to their pet’s body underground. All of these responses are normal and healthy.

Showing your own grief in front of your child is healthy as well. Hiding grief might make children wonder why you don’t miss the presence of the pet in the house. This could lead to them wondering if you would be sad if they died. Grieving and crying in front of a child validates to the child that these emotions are OK to express.

Families can be creative about memorializing their pet. Plant a tree. Put an engraved stone in your cat’s favourite spot in the house. Write a letter to your dog. Encourage children to draw pictures. Each family member should be encouraged to memorialize their pet’s death in a way meaningful to them.

If you or a member of your family is having trouble dealing with the loss of a pet, call (217) 244-CARE for hours of operation. The C.A.R.E. Helpline was developed to provide a supportive outlet for people experiencing disruption in or the loss of the bond they share with their cherished companion animal. The hotline is staffed by veterinary students who understand the importance of this bond and the emotions involved when that bond is threatened or broken. The students have received training by professional grief counselors and receive ongoing supervision by a licensed psychologist.

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If you encounter an animal in immediate danger, dial 911. To get help for sick or injured animals, dial 311. To report animal cruelty or neglect, dial 1-833-9ANIMAL.

If you are unable to find the answer to your question, please send us an email at info@ottawahumane.ca.