Woof Woof Wednesday: Cool Weather and Calming Drugs

Hello, friends! While pup Astrid isn't having nearly as many vestibular issues as she was a couple weeks ago, we're still trying to find a new normal for her. This last vestibular flare landed her with a lot of anxiety and restlessness. She's especially restless at night, and no longer wishes to sleep through the night without whining or pacing. Medications that cause sedation either make Astrid agitated or make her act like her legs are wet noodles, so they've been ruled out as options. She is on gabapentin for her arthritis, but the doses that could help calm her more also cause the aforementioned agitation and wet noodles for legs. And so, after another discussion with Astrid's vet, we're starting her on fluoxetine (Prozac).

All that said, Astrid is at least so very happy with the weather we've been having. She loves cool weather, and I don't blame her one bit for that. Tomorrow through this weekend, we're expected to have gorgeous weather. It's going to feel like autumn, and I can't wait to give Astrid lots of time outside.

Astrid hopes you're all enjoying cool days like she is!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm planning out and working on some of this year's new Halloween doodles. In the meantime, here's a kooky something or other I scribbled up last year.

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Tip of the Day

As part of our autumn series of pet safety tips, we recently mentioned keeping school supplies out of your furbaby's reach. In addition to this, there are further potential dangers that might pose a risk especially as the weather cools. One such hazard is, as you all certainly know, antifreeze. Without going into the chemistry of it, coolants such as antifreeze contain components that are highly toxic to cats and dogs. At the same time, it also can smell or taste sweet and enticing to our furbabies, making it all the more dangerous. For such reasons, try to avoid all emergencies by simply keeping antifreeze, and other similar products, hidden away where your cats and dogs cannot reach.

We'll also mention one more toxic group of products that is often more commonly used once the weather cools. We're referring to rodenticides. When the temperatures outside start to lower, critters like mice might very well try to find ways to enter our homes in order to find warmth. This might result in some people using rodenticides. However, these products can be highly toxic to our furbabies. Not only is it dangerous if a cat or dog finds and ingests the chemical itself, but they can also become sick if they ingest a rodent that has eaten the rodenticide. All of that being said, it is likely best to avoid using rodenticides altogether, to ensure that your furbaby is not affected by them at all. Of course, keep in mind that snapping mice traps can also pose a risk, especially if they contain  enticing cheese or peanut butter and are somewhere that your furbaby can potentially access. One safer option is to look into using humane mouse traps, such as catch-and-release types. Of course, it is still wise to place these somewhere hidden away to avoid complications with your furbaby.

As lovely as autumn is, it can still pose risks to our kitties and pups. As the seasons change, think of any and all new products that you might be using. Then, consider how such products might affect your furbaby and their health, and then only use and store them in manners that keep your furbaby safe.