Recent wildfires in southern California have devastated the lives of both people and their pets. Since the start of the Los Angeles area fires, you can see and smell a visible change in the air. The skies have taken on a blue-grey appearance and charred odor due to the fires’ destruction of natural and man-made materials. Inhalation and contact with such environmental contaminants is adversely affecting they health of my animal patients.

The fine, often invisible, debris that makes up this haze acts as an inflammatory trigger in ocular and respiratory tract.

Clinical signs of ocular inflammation in pets include, but are not limited to:

Ocular discharge- Discharge can appear clear, white, green, or even bloody, pending the degree of inflammation or infection affecting the eye.

Bletharospasm- Squinting

Pawing at eyes or rubbing the head on environmental surfaces, which can exacerbate underlying eye inflammation or lead to corneal trauma.

Scleritis- Inflammation to the white of the eye

Conjunctivitis- Inflammation of the conjunctiva

Clinical signs of respiratory inflammation include, but are not limited to:

Coughing

Sneezing

Wheezing

Increased respiratory effort and rate

Lethargy

Should your pet show such clinical signs, please contact your veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital to arrange for an examination.

Reduce the likelihood that your pet will be exposed to allergy triggers from wildfires, or other low air quality situations, by reducing outdoor activities, keeping windows shut, using air conditioning (when available), and referencing your local Air Quality Index (AQI) for safety guidelines.

If you are a PAWs client and you want to submit some photos of your pet for our website, please send us an email and attach the photos, or send us a URL telling us where we can fetch them!

Our new manager is Kathy she has been with us for nearly 8 years years and takes care of our daily dog walking clients as well as petsitting clients. In addition, she manages daily operations.

DOGS 101 / CATS 101 Is Now In Session

By Pamela Reilly, Best Friends Network Volunteer

Thinking about adding a new member to your family? Before you do, it’s best to do a little research to find the breed of dog or cat that suits you and your family. Luckily Animal Planet has a new show called DOGS 101 / CATS 101 that has done all the work for you! In this 10 episode series five different breeds per episode are explored from ancestry to temperament to best climate for each breed.

Not only will you learn interesting facts such as;” the Chihuahua has the largest brain of any dog relative to its size”, but you will also discover important factors that may influence your pet choice; like the fact that Chihuahua’s are not the best choice for families with small children.

Getting as much information as you can, before you select your new family member, will help families choose the best fit for both them and the animal, resulting in more successful adoptions and fewer pets returned to shelters.

The DOGS 101 section of the Animal Planet website also has lots of information including; Dog Resources like breed information, dog care guidelines, pet adoption and shelter information and where to find your nearest dog park. Making an informed choice makes for a happier union between people and pets.

Know what to expect in the dog or cat you bring home, after all no one wants to be misunderstood for just being who they are. And always look to your local rescues and animal shelters when you finally make the decision to adopt.