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Author: Humane Society of Tampa Bay
It is important for all pet parents, especially those living in Florida, to understand what a pet heatstroke can look like and how to prevent it from happening to your furry family member. Heatstroke is a state of hyperthermia resulting in injury to your bodily tissues. Heatstroke occurs when the amount of heat generated in one’s body exceeds the body’s ability lose heat.
Causes of heatstroke:
• A warm/hot, humid environment with inadequate ventilation
• Inadequate shade
• Inadequate drinking water
• Excessive exercise
How to prevent a heatstroke:
• Have a cool, well-ventilated space for your pet to enjoy
• Give your pet access to fresh drinking water at all times
• Never leave your pet in a car
• Avoid exercising animals in hot weather
• Avoid having your pet stand on hot sand, concrete, or asphalt for any length of time
Symptoms of heatstroke:
• Excessive Panting (which increases as heatstroke progresses)
• Dizziness, staggering
• Lethargy/weakness
• Seizures and/or muscle tremors
• Collapsing and lying down
• Little to no urine production
• Agitation or restlessness
• Very red or pale gums
• Bright red tongue
• Increased heart rate
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Mental confusion, delirium
If you suspect your pet is having a heatstroke:
• Remove your pet from the hot environment and get them into a cooler (preferably air conditioned) area
• Apply or spray tepid/cool water to their fur/skin (Note: Do not use ice cold water)
• Wet down the area around your pet with cool water
• Take your pet to the nearest Veterinarian
TAMPA, FL. (HSTB) – According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration the upcoming 2022 Hurricane season is expected to be busier than normal. Here is a direct quote from their publication “NOAA predicts above-normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season“.
“NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.”
So how do you take care of your pets in these trying times? Keep reading to find out.
According to Channel 10 News in Tampa the following are key steps to take before a hurricane strikes.
- Call your vet and get a copy of records showing your dog or cat is up-to-date on all of its vaccines.
- Update the microchip information for your pet with your most current contact information.
- Take a current photo and write out defining features.
- Keep those documents together and put them in your hurricane kit.
- Label your kit with pet’s name and your contact information.
For more details on animal-friendly shelter and what you should pack for your animal if you have to evacuate, read the full Channel 10 News article here.
TAMPA, FL. (HSTB) – Heartworm is a serious disease that can result in heart failure, organ damage, and death in pets. It’s a serious concern for Florida pet owners during the summer months because Heartworm is spread through mosquitoes.
According to the FDA, the animal is the definitive host. This means the worms mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring while living inside a dog. The mosquito is the intermediate host, meaning that the worms live inside a mosquito for a short transition period in order to become ineffective. The worms are called “heartworms” because the adults live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal.
View details about Heartworm prevention at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
The Heartworm Lifecycle in Dogs:
Inside a dog, a heartworm’s lifespan is 5 to 7 years. Adult heartworms look like strands of cooked spaghetti, with males reaching about 4 to 6 inches in length and females reaching about 10 to 12 inches in length. The number of worms living inside an infected dog is called the worm burden.
How is a Dog Tested for Heartworms?
A veterinarian uses blood tests to check a dog for heartworms. An antigen test detects specific heartworm proteins, called antigens, which are released by adult female heartworms into the dog’s bloodstream. In most cases, antigen tests can accurately detect infections with one or more adult female heartworms. The earliest that the heartworm proteins can be detected in a dog’s bloodstream is about 5 months after it is bitten by an infected mosquito. The earliest that microfilaria can be detected in a dog’s bloodstream is about 6 months after it is bitten by an infected mosquito.
When Should a Dog Be Tested for Heartworms?
Dogs 5-6 months of age and older should be tested for heartworms before starting heartworm prevention. A dog may appear healthy on the outside, but on the inside, heartworms may be living and thriving. If a heartworm-positive dog is not tested before starting a preventive, the dog will remain infected with adult heartworms until it gets sick enough to show symptoms.
Is There a Treatment for Heartworm Disease in Dogs?
Melarsomine dihydrochloride (available under the trade names Immiticide and Diroban) is an arsenic-containing drug that is FDA-approved to kill adult heartworms in dogs. It’s given by deep injection into the back muscles to treat dogs with stabilized class 1, 2, and 3 heartworm disease. The treatment for heartworm disease is not easy on the dog or on the owner’s pocket book. Treatment can be potentially toxic to the dog’s body and can cause serious complications, such as life-threatening blood clots to the dog’s lungs. Treatment is expensive because it requires multiple visits to the veterinarian, bloodwork, x-rays, hospitalization, and a series of injections.
The Best Treatment is Prevention!
Source: https://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/resourcesforyou/animalhealthliteracy/ucm188470.htm
On Saturday, May 21st, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay is proud to be a sponsor of the 4th Annual Champions for Change Challenge in Tampa Bay.
The event is hosted by 21 & Change, Inc., a Florida-based non-profit organization that champions inclusion, education, and human rights for people with developmental disabilities.
If you are an amateur, professional, or athlete with developmental disability, register today for FREE and join your family and friends along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders and mascot, Captain Fear, on Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tampa Movement Lab, 1335 W. Gray Street, Tampa, FL 33606 for the Champions for Change Challenge.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay will have one adoptable dog at the event with a focus on the power of pups with children that have developmental disabilities.
Pets provide companionship for kids who struggle socially.
Pets offer a bond for kids who struggle to make connections with their peers, which can leave them feeling lonely and isolated. Dogs and even cats can be a very good support system; they are non-judgmental, good listeners, stress-relievers, and they cuddle.
Pets reduce stress and anxiety.
Kids with special needs often feel anxiety on another level. The calm demeanor and loving presence of dogs can cause a perceived reduction in stress and cortisol levels in children.
Dogs help kids with special needs stay physically active.
Getting active can be a stress reliever, as well as a mood booster. Pets encourage children to engage in physical activity and spend time outdoors, which is beneficial for healthy lifestyle habits.
Pets can help kids with autism build social skills.
Research has shown that animals increase social behaviors in children on the spectrum. In studies, children with autism were more likely to talk, smile, laugh, and make physical contact with others when they had real pets, rather than toys.
Taking care of an animal helps kids learn responsibility.
Taking care of their pets will help a child with special needs create their own schedule, including when to feed or bathe the pet, and even when it’s time for some fun. This daily routine helps create better habits, such as the ability to make plans, focus and stick to them.
Pets can help kids with physical disabilities with everyday tasks.
Animals can be trained to grab objects, open doors, and guide children with limited mobility or physical impairments.
Support dogs can help with a child with special needs’ well-being.
A fully trained support dog can be taught behaviors such as applying pressure to help with a panic attack or sounding the alarm if
self-harming behaviors are happening.
*Source: NYmetroparents.com, “7 Ways Having a Pet Benefits a Child with Special Needs”, April 9, 2021
We are recycling an oldie but goodie!
We are so proud that 8-years later, Victor Headman and his wife Sanna continue to support the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, raising awareness and funds for the work we do to save animals in the community.
****View the full story as covered by ABC Action News here.****
Tampa, FL. (May, 2022) – Humane Society of Tampa Bay received a $200,000 grant investment for 2022 & 2023 from national nonprofit Petco Love during a special celebration at Westshore Petco at 136 S. Westshore Boulevard in Tampa, Florida. This took place on May 19th at 11 a.m. in support of their lifesaving work for animals in the Tampa Bay area.
Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations — like ours — across North America, with 6.5 million pets adopted and counting.
“The Humane Society of Tampa (HSTB) is a leader in animal welfare in an area of Florida where a lot of work is still needed to create lifesaving communities for animals,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Despite the pandemic, HSTB continues to partner with their local Petco for adoptions and works tirelessly to improve the lives of pets.”
The investment in the Humane Society of Tampa Bay is part of more than $30M in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of its commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized. Petco Love recently celebrated the one-year launch anniversary of Petco Love Lost, a national lost and found database that uses pet facial recognition technology to simplify the search for lost pets.
“The Humane Society of Tampa Bay tremendously appreciates Petco Love supporting the lifesaving work that our shelter provides day in and day out for the Tampa Bay community,” said Sherry Silk, Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s CEO.
For more than 100 years, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to ending animal homelessness and providing care and comfort for companion animals in need. Named a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator and accredited by AAHA, the standard in veterinary excellence, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay is dedicated to the highest standards in animal sheltering and veterinary care. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s adoption programs, affordable veterinary services, community outreach efforts, and volunteer opportunities are essential to the health and well-being of animals across Tampa Bay.
For more information about the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, visit humanesocietytampa.org. Learn more about Petco Love here: petcolove.org.
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About the Humane Society of Tampa Bay: For more than 100 years, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to our vision of leading the way because every life counts. Named a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator since 2008, designated a Platinum Participator with GuideStar, and accredited by AAHA, the standard in veterinary excellence, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay is dedicated to the highest standards in animal sheltering and veterinary care. Our adoption programs, affordable veterinary services, community outreach efforts and volunteer opportunities are essential to the health and well-being of thousands of animals across Tampa Bay. Visit humanesocietytampa.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube to learn more about our programs and the animals we help every day.
About Petco Love: Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we’ve empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide.
Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us. Join us. Visit petcolove.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is disappointed to hear the news about the $1.6 Million embezzled by a former Executive Director and her husband at the Humane Society of the Nature Coast in Hernando County.
Those donations were intended for the animals.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay and other shelters are completely independent of each other, HSUS, ASPCA and the Humane Society of the Nature Coast. Each have their own bylaws and board of directors.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has a 4-Star Rating by Charity Navigator and a Platinum Rating by Guide Star which certifies we have the highest and most exceptional standards of transparency, financial health, and accountability. Our financials are audited each year by an independent CPA to confirm accuracy and ensure proper use of funds.
Petco Love (previous the Petco Foundation) has a campaign called “Love Stories” in which adopters can submit stories and the non-profit in which they adopted from has a change to receive grants. We were fortunate enough to have 2 stories that were chosen by Petco Love to receive grants.
One of the adopters is our volunteer Dwight Raines, and the other is an adopter named Olivia!
Please vote for both (you can only vote for each story once per email). Please let me know if you have any questions! I’ve included both story links below.
Dwight & Buddy: https://bit.ly/32RTFAU
Olivia & Ollie: https://bit.ly/3rp3yjB
Thank you for helping to make a difference in the lives of homeless animals!
Why spay/neuter your pet?
By spaying or neutering your pet, you’ll help control pet homelessness crisis, which results in millions of healthy dogs and cats being euthanized* in the United States annually simply because there aren’t enough homes.
What are some of the medical benefits?
Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. Neutering your male pet prevents testicular cancer and prostate problems.
What are some of the behavioral benefits?
Your spayed female pet won’t go into heat.
Your male dog will be less likely to roam away from home
Your neutered male may be better behaved. Some aggression problems may be avoided by early neutering.
Help your pet live a longer, healthier, and happier lifestyle by making an appointment with our Animal Hospital to have them spayed/neutered. Please contact them at 813-870-3304
*The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is a managed admissions no-kill-for-space shelter. We do not euthanize an animal to make room for another. Our 2020 save rate was 93%.
