Pawsome Pet Sitting

09/20/2019

Oakland County Health Division confirms rabies in skunk
Pontiac, Mich., Sept. 19, 2019 – Oakland County Health Division reports a confirmed case of rabies in a dead skunk removed from Southfield north of 10 Mile Road, south of Lincoln Road between Southfield and Greenfield Roads. It has been reported that multiple dead skunks were recently found in this area but were not tested for rabies. If additional dead wild animals are found within this specific area, call the Health Division at 248-858-1286. Residents are urged to stay away from wild animals such as skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes, and stray cats and dogs.
"Avoid stray, wild, and dead animals to protect yourself against rabies,” said Leigh-Anne Stafford, health officer for Oakland County. “Rabies is present in our communities. People and their pets need to be careful and avoid encounters with unfamiliar animals.”
If a wild animal is found behaving strangely, call local animal control for assistance. If you or your household pet is bitten by any wild animal or an animal unknown to you, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical or veterinary attention immediately. To report an animal bite, call the Health Division at 248-858-1286.
The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and is spread through bites or scratches. Rabies is not spread through a skunk’s spray. There are simple steps everyone can take to protect themselves from rabies:
Have pets vaccinated regularly. This will protect them if exposed to animals with the disease and prevent them from becoming ill and infecting humans.
Do not handle stray, wild, or dead animals.
Call local animal control experts for help if an animal is acting strangely, including:
Having problems swallowing
Exhibiting lots of drool or saliva
Appearing tamer than you would expect
Biting at everything
Having trouble moving or is paralyzed
Keep pets indoors or supervised to limit their exposure to wild animals that may be rabid.
Use a leash when walking dogs or keep them in a fenced-in yard.
Do not feed or put water for pets outside
Keep garbage securely covered, as these items may attract wild or stray animals.
More information about rabies can be found on the Health Division’s website at oakgov.com/health or by contacting Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 or [email protected]. Nurse on Call is available 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

09/15/2019

Hi everybody. Just wanted to let everybody know I will be deleting this page as soon as I have time to save all the pictures. Don't worry, I will still being posting pictures of your adorable furbabies on my personal page.

09/12/2019

We asked veterinarians and vet technicians to reveal pet vet tips and cautionary tales, which can save time, trouble, and trauma for everyone in the family. The post 50 Secrets Your Veterinarian Won’t Tell You appeared first on Reader's Digest.

09/04/2019

Do you know what to do in case of a dog bite?

09/02/2019

Horse owners...

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed this week that two horses in St. Joseph and Kalamazoo counties died of the mosquito-borne illness.

08/23/2019

Good Samaritans across the country are coming to the rescue of dogs that have been left in cars under the hot summer sun. If you think it's bad for humans being trapped inside a hot car, it’s even worse for dogs with their fur. Stephanie Glen was in tears when she spoke to Inside Edition. Her fami...

08/14/2019

August 15 is Check the Chip Day, a designation co-created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) to remind pet parents to microchip, register and keep their pet’s chip info up to date. Since there is so much confusion surrounding microchips, and microchip registration, we’re going to break it down for you in six easy-to-follow steps.
1. Get your Pet Scanned
If you’re not sure about your pet’s history, first check to see if he or she is already microchipped. You can do this for free at a veterinary office, animal shelter and some pet stores. Call ahead to make sure the establishment can scan your pet using a universal scanner (one that reads all chip frequencies), so the chip isn’t missed.
2. Check the Chip
If a chip is detected, copy down the number and look it up at petmicrochiplookup.org to get contact info for the chip’s registry. Then go to that registry and look up your number. If all of your contact information is there and up to date, perfect! You’re done. But if there’s no information or if it’s inaccurate, don’t worry. No matter which company sold the chip, you can always register it for free at found.org.
3. No Chip? Microchip!
If a chip is not detected, get your pet microchipped right then and there! Most veterinary offices and pet shelters will insert a microchip for a nominal fee. Make sure to get a copy of your pet’s microchip paperwork, which contains your pet’s unique microchip number. Think of this number like a social security number. Keep it in a safe place so you can find it again if you need it.
4. Register… Today!
Are you ready? This is the most important step! Register your pet’s microchip number as soon as possible at found.org. Registration is free for the life of your pet. Contrary to popular belief, a microchip is not a GPS device – it won’t tell you the location of your pet should he or she get lost. The chip has to correlate with information in a database to be useful. The database in this instance is a chip registry, where you will enter your contact information under your pet’s unique microchip number. This way, if your pet is lost without external ID, he can be scanned at a vet clinic or shelter and traced back to you as the guardian.
5. Don’t Forget to Update
Remember to update your contact information in the chip registry every time you move or change your phone number. This is why you should keep your pet’s microchip paperwork in a safe place you’ll remember. You’ll want to be found easily should someone scan your lost pet’s microchip and want to return him or her to you!
6. Don’t Forget to ID
Having your pet microchipped is just one step in keeping your pet safe if he or she is ever lost. The other equally important step is keeping an external ID on your pet at all times. If your pet escapes your care, the first place a Good Samaritan will look is on your pet’s collar. Make sure your pet’s tag is up to date with your current phone number. Make sure if you move, you update it right away. You don’t even have to get fancy with this. A fabric collar with your phone number written on it in permanent marker will do in a pinch.
While microchipping is a great affordable tool that helps lost pets, it does require a little work and upkeep on the part of pet owners. Keeping your chip information up to date will ensure that if your furry BFF gets lost, they’ll have a better chance of being reunited with you. So, don’t forget to check your chip. Your pet would thank you for it if they could!

08/13/2019

This has been happening everywhere! PLEASE READ BEFORE TAKING YOUR DOG INTO THE LAKES AND PONDS. I would hate to see anybody lose a pet this way.

Three women have been left inconsolable over the sudden and shocking deaths of their beloved pets. Ollie, Harper and Koda were healthy dogs when they each separately visited Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, for a day of frolicking in the sun. After some time in the water, though, they suddenly colla...

08/08/2019

Max, proud of himself because he chased 3 fawns out of his yard.