Woof Woof Wednesday

We finally got a bit more snow. We also finally took down our outdoor Christmas decor.

Astrid loves the snow. She also doesn't mind that it's all of -1°F outside right now. I often have to drag her inside on cold winter days so that she doesn't freezer her little toes off.

Warm wishes to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Are you ready for an insanely long tip? Yes? Good. Because that's what we have for you today. Yesterday, we discussed the presence of parasites even in the winter, and the resulting importance of preventatives. During this discussion, we talked about how mice can carry parasites, and so how mice in the home can lead to the risk of parasites in our furbabies. Parasites are not the only way mice can affect our furbabies, though. As we mentioned yesterday, mice can often find ways into homes during the winter months, as they are seeking warm places to stay. As a result, some people move forward with ways of eradicating mice in the home. When it comes to such methods, always consider how they can affect our furbabies. For example, the common wooden snap traps can obviously cause pain and injury. If a curious paw or nose finds the traps, such as if lured by the scent of peanut butter or cheese on the trap, it can snap closed and cause damage to little paws and noses.

As an alternative to the wooden and metal snap traps, there are mouse traps that are considered safer. One option includes plastic snap traps that do not contain metal that can easily break or otherwise harm a cat or dog paw. There are also sticky traps, which do not contain the danger of snapping parts, but these do of course contain adhesives, which can cause risks such as stuck paws or fur, or the dangerous consumption of adhesive material. If you are looking to spare the life of the mouse, you can also consider various live traps, or catch-and-release traps.

No matter what kind of trap you use, if you use them, always put them somewhere that your furbaby cannot reach. This might mean putting traps in cabinets that you ensure your furbaby cannot open. Sometimes traps can also be placed under boxes or containers constructed to allow a mouse access, but to block a furbaby's access to the trap beneath. In other cases, traps could be placed in rooms or areas of the home where your furbaby cannot access, such as rooms with closed doors, attics, crawl spaces, and so forth. This of course goes for the more dangerous traps, but also even the safer ones. This is because no mouse trap poses zero risk, and a curious kitty or pup might try to get a mouse even in a trap. While cats are of course classically known as being mouse hunters, it is still perhaps ideal for them not to regularly play with or consume mice, such as to avoid parasites, choking, and so forth. As a side note, when I worked at a cat clinic, a cat once came in with a mouse head lodged in its throat. This is why you hear me mention to perhaps avoid allowing your cats to catch mice, in order to prevent dangers such as this.

Of course, this lengthy discussion on mice in the home would not be complete without mentioning the danger of rodenticides. Rodenticides can contain incredibly toxic ingredients, such as anticoagulants. This means if a kitty or pup manages to come in contact with or consume the rodenticide itself, or even if they find a mouse who has come in contact with or consumed the rodenticide, serious side effects can occur. For this reason, simply avoid using rodenticides. This is for the safety of your furbaby, and also for the safety of ferals, strays, and wildlife who can also be affected by the serious side effects of rodenticides.

All in all, mice in the home is not an ideal situation, for reasons including health and safety. Mice can carry disease and parasites, and can potentially and dangerously chew on wires and cabling in the walls or other areas of the home. That being said, though, only use mice prevention methods in your home that are guaranteed to be safe for your furbaby. Find and block entry points for mice in your home, garage, and so forth. If need be, only put out traps that are as hidden and safe as possible. You know your home and furbaby best, so proceed accordingly.