By Dr. Simoneau, Chief Veterinary Officer for Humane Pennsylvania
Did you know that August 22nd is National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day?
This is your friendly reminder to schedule your annual wellness exam if your kitty hasn’t been to the vet this year. Establishing a relationship with a vet for a wellness visit is essential; it helps ensure that your vet can see your cat should your cat ever have any urgent needs. If your cat is up-to-date with vaccines, a yearly exam is still an important step to make sure your cat remains healthy. A head-to-tail exam for every cat is necessary to assess dental health, monitor body weight, check lumps and bumps, and check lab work to detect early disease in senior cats.
On a head-to-tail exam, a veterinarian assesses the skin for common issues like ear and skin infections, as well as evidence of external parasites such as fleas and new lumps or masses. Mouth examinations help locate signs of dental diseases. A cat’s bodily condition, or fluctuation in weight, is a great way t
o signify that blood and urine tests should be ordered so that vets can screen for organ or endocrine dysfunction. In addition, fecal samples are recommended annually to screen for intestinal parasite eggs.
Common cat diseases to look out for:
- External and internal parasites (i.e., fleas, ear mites, roundworms, tapeworms)
- Skin and ear infections
- Skin masses
- Dental disease
- Kidney disease
- Hyperthyroidism
August 22nd is also National Be an Angel Day. If your cat has already been to the vet this year, be an angel and sign up for Spike and Tilly’s Giving Clubs at https://humanepa.org/donations/capital-campaign/ to help ensure other cats get vet care in honor of your cat(s)!
The fear of never seeing them again sets in immediately. Or if they end up hours away – how will someone get in contact with you? What if they’re hurt and need help?
Remember that dogs grow, lose weight, and gain weight just like people do, so it is important to frequently check how your dog’s collar fits and also that it is in good condition.
their business partner with us for a fundraiser. It’s so lovely to see people really embrace our mission and have an understanding of what Humane Pennsylvania is all about.
hazard because dogs, cats, mice, bunnies will sometimes chew on them. Unattended lit candles are not only dangerous on their own but can be easily knocked over by pets.
A.G.: If you can’t get them out, DO NOT go back in to get them. Let the arriving responders know the last known location and a description of the animal.
burns and/or trauma to the face, paws, and skin. Never use fireworks around your pets, as many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic, and other heavy metals.
“Being part of the EMS life is harder than most can handle! You see people at perhaps the worst times in their lives — when they are extremely sick, injured, facing death, or even when they are at rock bottom. Most times the comfort you provide, besides the medicine and treatment, is all people need. When I come home from my shifts, it takes a while to unwind and clear my mind from everything that’s been encountered in my shift. I come home and before I can get the door open, my pups — Koda, Bella, and Hunter — are usually whining and crying because they can’t wait for me to come in!
started here and I had no experience. I worked in retail prior to coming here. I had pets growing up, but no experience with animal welfare, and she really molded me into what I am now. And of course, Leann. She has helped me grow so much, from working as a tech to now being in a managerial position. It’s something that I didn’t even know I could do, but she helped me grow and helped me make decisions that led to my continued growth within the organization.
My favorite would have to be Vincenzo! He is an FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) positive cat that has been with us for a little while. He came to us after a caretaker outside of the shelter noticed that he had some pretty severe wounds and his eyes were not in the best condition. I really loved watching him come around. He was so shy when he first got here and now he just makes biscuits everywhere. I love him. He’s so sweet and, after months of medical care, he’s finally ready for adoption.
The louder it got the more she started to shake. I placed her on a big fluffy comforter, opened her cage door, and placed her information card in the slip on the front of her cage door. She sat up, looked in the direction of the door, and ran outside. I made it a point to walk past her kennel several times that day to see if she was acclimating okay. Each time I saw her curled up in the outside part of her run, I walked around and placed a blanket on that side to make sure she remained comfortable. “You don’t want to lay on the hard cement, Anastasia.” She stood up and walked as far away from me as she could.
think of the vital role animal care volunteers play as fairly simple, but as a community-supported charitable organization, volunteers serve in so many other ways. Our volunteer board of directors helps guide the mission and vision of Humane Pennsylvania and ensures stewardship of our donor resources. Event and fundraising volunteers help connect Humane Pennsylvania with people in the community who want to support our work. Professional service providers — ranging from attorneys to mechanics to builders — help us stretch our dollars so we can put the most into care for the animals. There is no part of our work that is not touched and improved through volunteer efforts and I am truly grateful to work with all of these dedicated animal lovers!”
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caregivers as part of the Healthy Pets Initiative (HPI). A vital function of the facility is a tactile presence to verified clients who stop by Spike’s Pet Pantry as they pick up supplemental pet food and supplies, learn about our services, and come to trust us as their “pet partner”. Volunteers keep our program running efficiently by performing regular, timely data entry, sort/prepare pet food/supplies on pantry days and pick up pet food/supply donations throughout the community. We also rely on them to help us unload and distribute tractor-trailers full of donations from the Greater Good Affiliate Program and other high volume donors so we can share resources with other animal welfare organizations, including state/county animal response teams. Volunteers graciously extend their existing relationships with valuable, pet-friendly individuals and businesses to encourage, create and maintain local engagement and support of HPI events (community vaccination/microchip clinics, etc.) and programming. When existing, more fortunate pet owners truly understand our mission to improve local pet care and ownership habits, they become an integral part of achieving our goal to be the best community for pets and their owners. For these reasons, we are beyond grateful for the volunteers that continue to help make Humane Pennsylvania an amazing organization for animals and animal caretakers.” 
Pennsylvania is a hot spot for tick borne disease. Some species of ticks in our area frequently transmit Lyme, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia. Infrequently seen tick borne diseases in our area include Babesiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The same ticks that transmit tick borne disease to dogs can transmit the disease to humans as well. A tick needs to be feeding for over 18 hours before it transmits disease. It is important to use a reputable product that acts quickly to kill a tick before it can spread disease. Some products will repel ticks as well. Checking animals for ticks after they come in from outside is advisable. There are many great products on the market with a variety of routes of administration. These routes include a chewable that last one to three months, collars that last up to 8 months and once monthly topical applications. Choosing the right one will depend on your pet and your preference. Products made to be effective against ticks are also effective against fleas. It is extremely important to make sure a product that is effective against ticks is specifically labeled for use in cats.
AND outside of our pets’ bodies. Fleas are a common cause of skin disease, allergies and intestinal parasites for dogs and cats. They are contagious external parasites that can readily jump from animal to animal or can be carried by people into a home as they jump on our clothing. Wild animals coming into back yards where our pets roam is another way a yard can be a source of fleas. Once a flea is observed it is not sufficient to bathe once and call your problem resolved. A flea treatment needs to be used for a minimum of 3 months to get rid of an infestation. This length of time is due to the life cycle of the flea. Fleas can live in an environment without a blood meal for over 3 months. Flea dips and shampoos are not recommended due to their harsh ingredients. Flea dips do not help rid the animal of an infestation because pupae and eggs are already in the environment. Bathing with a gentle shampoo made for pets is a better option for removing adult fleas. A quality chewable or topical application for a minimum of 3 months is important treatment and prevention against future fleas. Because fleas are so contagious, all pets in a household need to be treated concurrently. Fleas carry diseases such as tapeworms, and Bartonella most commonly. Not all products that are effective against fleas are effective against ticks. Cats can have particular sensitivity to certain ingredients in low quality flea products, which should be avoided.