Features
Truck beds are not for pets
Well, another week has come and gone and there’s one thing that is true. If you adopt a pet, you’ll win the bet, because it will always love you.
How many times have you seen a dog riding in an open truck bed? Do you know that any sudden start, stop, or turn may toss your pet onto the highway, where it can get hit by oncoming traffic? It’s estimated that at least 100,000 dogs die this way each year. Open truck beds don’t provide any protection from the weather. Hot sun can heat the metal floor of a truck bed enough to burn a pet’s paw pads. It wouldn’t take long for a dog left sitting in the hot sun, without water or shade, to suffer from heat stroke. It’s also a bad idea to leash your pet inside the truck bed. Dogs can easily be strangled when they are tossed or bumped over the side of the truck and could be left helplessly dangling. If your pet must ride in the back of the truck, put it inside a crate that will give it some protection from the wind and weather. Tie the crate securely to the walls of the truck bed, so it can’t slide around or be tossed out.
I’ve also seen pets riding in vehicles with their heads hanging out the window. A good rule to remember is to keep heads and paws inside the car. Although most dogs love to stick their heads out open windows, wind can seriously irritate mucous membranes and blow pieces of grit into their eyes. Insects or flying debris can also lodge in the nasal passages or get sucked into the windpipe. It may require veterinary attention to remove the foreign material, which could also cause permanent damage.
A friend of mine had her kids hold a new puppy while going for a ride in their vehicle. The kids thought it would be fun to roll down the window and let the puppy hang its’ head out. Well, a tough lessen was learned that day because as they rounded a curve, the puppy slipped out of the kids hands and out the window it went. It landed on its’ head on the road and was knocked unconscious. It suffered so much damage to its’ head that it had to be put to sleep. The veterinarian said it would never have fully recovered. What a sad day in that neighborhood.
Something else to think about is to check your pet’s collar quite often. Since collars don’t expand as puppies and kittens grow they need to be loosened from time to time. If you don’t loosen them, they can literally grow right into your pet’s neck. I heard of one case where a dog was about 8 months old, skinny and very unhealthy. The owner didn’t know that the collar needed to be adjusted as the animal grew, and consequently, the dog almost starved to death. The collar had to be surgically removed from the dog’s neck.
As responsible pet owners, we must educate ourselves in pet safety. Do your own research or call your local veterinarian. If you have questions, there are many sources available. Another great idea is to have your pet spayed or neutered. You can prolong your pet’s life and help eliminate pet overpopulation. Monthly low-income spay/neuter clinics are now being conducted in McAlester and if you want information on the program, call PAWS Connection (918) 470-7297.
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