Living with a service animal means that animal goes everywhere with you (well, almost everywhere).
That means they travel in the car with you - and are as prone to injury and death by auto accident as you are.
That means they walk through dangerous parts of town by your side - and are as likely to be mugged as you are.
That means they visit lakes, oceans, and rivers, climb mountains, fly airplanes, take trains and buses, attend festivals, and are out in all sorts of weather and are as likely to be involved in accidents in all these things, to suffer from the cold and the heat. Plus - they get paw damage like nobody's business.
And if it's a pet and you leave them at home, well, the hazards just multiply!
There are things you can do to keep your pet and service animal safer, things you can do to help protect them to reduce injuries and trauma, and things you can do afterwards to make things better.
While there are breed- and species-specific things you can do, I am most familiar with cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits and small caged pets of the rodent variety as well as some farm animals (but that was long ago and in another country so there are indubitably more knowledgeable people here than me) such as pigs, cows, goats, geese, and chickens. Therefore, this diary is just an overview, with some links and suggestions on how to dig deeper for your specific pet/service animal.
Pet Proofing
Depending on the type of animal residing with you, you need to proof the house for their safety and comfort.
General: A lot of the things hazardous to us are also hazardous to animals - scatter rugs on slippery floors (attach a non-skid pad underneath), things that could fall on them or be knocked over on them (potted plants, vases, stacked boxes, boards leaning against a wall...), and sharp things like broken glass or straight pins that often come with the purchase of some clothing items or are used in sewing. They also have choking hazards - plastic bags, bubble wrap, milk bottle rings (fun for cats, could be deadly for dogs, especially puppies), plastic soda holders (the ones that come with the 6 and 4 packs of soda bottles and cans), soda can pop tops, and pretty much anything that would attract a crawling baby or toddler. Don't forget that animals may eat not just pills, but the container the pills came in and keep your medications (and theirs!) in a locked cabinet. Ditto for cosmetics and toiletries - a dog overdosed on mouthwash is not a pretty sight.
If your pet can get up on your kitchen cabinets or tables, make sure there's nothing out they can hurt themselves on - like that 5 pound bag of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips tempting your Irish Wolfhound.
Speaking of chocolate - the chocolate might not be as dangerous for the dog as the sheer quantity - my son's Irish Wolfhound ate an entire 5 bag of those chocolate chips and until he'd digested the mass, he was one bloated dog. It didn't kill him, he went on to live another 10 years. National Geographic put out an interactive chart listing size of dog and quantity of chocolate they could tolerate before it became toxic. I love this chart. Bookmark it if you have chocolate loving dogs. That way, if your dog scoops up the dropped half of a chocolate chip cookie or sneaks a lick of your nephew's chocolate ice cream cone, you know he'll be fine.
Cats won't normally choose to eat chocolate, so they should be fine. If they do eat chocolate, they can tolerate about half what a dog does for the same body weight. You can use the national Geographic chart and just halve it to see if your cat needs veterinary help.
Here's an interactive chart from National Geographic that shows the danger foods for dogs. It tells you how much is toxic, so if your dog gets some below that amount and doesn't display the symptoms, you know you won't have to rush your dog to the vet. It reduces panic, knowing this.
While this chart is for dogs, much of it applies to cats, too - no onions, raw yeast doughs, grapes/raisins, caffeine, alcohol, or macadamia nuts. In addition, cats cannot have raw egg whites (it damages their fur and skin, among other things), and they should have their consumption of tuna and liver limited because too much tuna (and cats get addicted to tuna) can cause mercury poisoning and lead to dietary imbalances. If your cat is addicted to liver, make sure it gets plenty of supplemental vitamins and taurine. You'd think liver would be good, but too much liver leads to a Vitamin A toxicity which causes bone deformities and bone spurs to grow on their elbows and knees and other skeletal damage.
Neither cats nor dogs can tolerate at all the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is often in chewing gum and candy. A tiny amount can cause vomiting, seizures, and death by liver failure.
So, safety proof the house, and keep toxic plants and foods out of their reach at all times. I'd suggest you do what you do for a baby learning to crawl - crawl through your house and see at pet level just what your pet sees and adjust your home accordingly, removing hazards and temptations.
Cats and ferrets like to climb and be in high places, so make sure they have safe places to go up high. And make sure there's nothing over your head they can (and likely will, at some point) knock off and onto the top of your head - sometimes pet proofing means keeping yourself safe, too.
Don't leave long, dangly things that cats can get wrapped up in and choked on - toys with feathers on a string need to be put somewhere the cat can't access when you're not playing with the cat. Bead curtains - a returning fashion statement - need to be large enough beads that they can't wrap around a cat's neck and choke the cat.
Ferrets also are slinky, curious little escape artists. They can and will fit through something as small as a mouse hole and get trapped inside the walls of your house, in your plumbing, and even escape out of the house. Kitchens and bathrooms should therefore be totally off limits to ferrets. When you are away from home, keep your ferret locked up in a cage - they sleep nearly 20 hours a day so it's not the hardship you think it is. And it's nice to know you won't have to fend off an escaping ferret when you open the door.
If your ferret is not in its cage, be careful when you sit down on the sofa - they like to get inside them and you could easily crush the ferret. Ferrets also like to get inside of recliners, so again, check for ferrets before sitting and reclining.
Yard Safety Fencing is important. If your dog is an outdoor dog, the fence must be in good repair, no loose boards in stockade fencing, no gaps large enough for a dog to squirm through, no leaning fence posts, no loose gates or gates that won't latch, no berms near the fence so the dog can jump over, no wide gaps between the gate and gateposts, no holes cut in wire fencing, that sort of thing.
Once the fence and gates are secured, there are other issues - does your dog dig? That means placing a dig barrier all along the fence line. Burying a 3' wide section of chicken wire about 6 inches below the ground will stop most dogs from digging themselves a way out of the yard. Most dogs. Their paws will encounter the chicken wire and cause them some minor pain, they won't be able to dig through or beneath it (unless they are digging at the edge 3' from the fence...), and eventually they'll give up and dig in other parts of the yard that won't lead to an escape.
If your dog is a digger, give them a section of yard where they can dig all they want. Place a boundary around it and teach them that they can dig freely there. Bury treats and toys for them in that section. They'll learn it's a fun place and won't dig anywhere else. Mostly.
If you have a garden and a digging dog, place the garden behind a fence (and use the no-dig chicken wire barrier). Or garden in a place where the dog is not permitted - the side yard or front yard, for instance.
Keep hazards out of the yard - put garden tools up promptly, keep trees pruned so they don't drop limbs onto your dog, keep trash picked up (in Oklahoma, trash from other places blows in often and has to be picked up, and I live right behind a high school and have trash tossed into my yard all the time - used batteries, soda bottles, candy wrappers, and on game nights, I get beer cans and bottles thrown there by parents, plus there's other trash that finds its way over the fence from the parking lot).
Water is essential to outdoor dogs. You can get one of these nifty things or set out a shallow child's wading pool for water-loving dogs in addition to a water bowl that is filled fresh daily.
Shade in the summer is also essential. Plant trees and shady bushes for your dog to sprawl under in the summer heat. If you can't plant trees, set up a canopy or tent for the dog. Situate the shade so that the dog always has deep shade to rest in throughout the day.
A warm, dry spot is also needed for fall, winter, and spring, so a doghouse or access to a dog-proofed garage or shed or laundry room. When winter arrives, pack the doghouse loosely and completely with straw as an insulator - the dog will burrow into the straw and make a warm nest. Set the doghouse so the entrance faces the direction with the least wind (usually east or south). A doghouse with a mud deck (which can just be some paving stones or a section of treated wood set down at the entrance to the doghouse) will be warmer and drier for the dog, plus the deck could be a sunning spot if the weather is chill but otherwise pleasant. A storm flap over the door of the doghouse can help keep it drier and warmer inside.
Cats love being outdoors, too, but they have a tendency to jump fences and roam the neighborhood, and can be killed by neighboring dogs and by cars or other hazards. There are two ways that can prevent this.
The Fence Deterrent. This takes some equipment and time. You'll need to set a sprinkler system or hose with holes all along the top of the fence and connect that to a proximity alarm that turns the water on. Every time the cat gets close to the fence, the alarm goes off, turns on the water, and the cat runs back into the yard. It also works to prevent stray cats from entering your yard and so is a Good Ting to place around your garden if you don't want stray cats getting and pooping among your lettuces. The cat quickly learns to stay away from the fence and stay in the yard.
The Cat Run. This costs more than the Fence Deterrent. Build an enclosed section of the yard for the cat(s) with access to the house through a window with a cat door in it. The cat(s) can enter as they please, get outdoor time safe from dogs and other stray cats, and they can't wander or kill birds. You can plant it with cat-friendly plants and small trees, and put a door in it outside so you can enter and clean it and interact with your cat(s) outside. Put a comfy chair and table outside in it for yourself and you can have your tea or coffee outside with the kitty. You can put a floor in, but leave a patch of dirt for the cat to use as a litterbox.
Ferrets dig. If you build an outdoor run for ferrets, it must be surrounded on all for sides with sturdy, heavy duty hardware cloth made of metal. The openings in the fencing must be no larger than half an inch or the ferrets can squeeze their way through. Quarter inch is safer. Attach tunnels to the walls, and platforms. Put a sandbox in it for them to dig in. If you wire beneath the sol, you can let grass grow for the flooring and you won't have to worry as much about ferret poop.
Travel All animals must be kenneled or harnessed inside of moving vehicles. This is for their safety as well as yours. Even Itzl gets harnessed in to his car seat. In the event of an auto accident (I know you're a good driver, but not everyone is), this prevents your beloved pet or service animal from running off injured to be hit by passing cars and die. Or from running off injured and never being found. Or from panicking or being overprotective and being shot by first responders.
Pets should be placed inside a kennel/pet carrier and the kennel strapped down inside the vehicle or against the cab in a truck bed. Strap it in as you would a child's car seat - it serves the same purpose, to keep the pet safe. Don't put water or food inside the kennel, although a chew toy is OK. Do put a thick pad in the bottom to provide the pet with traction. If the pet is going to panic-poop in the kennel while you drive or gets car sick, use a pad that can be easily washed but is not slick. Your vet may recommend medication to calm the pet during the trip or to reduce car sickness. Put a "pet on board" sticker in your car window and keep a copy of your pet's vaccination records, the microchip information, and name of vet in the glove box. In the event of an accident, the EMTs will know the pet is safe (no rabies!) and where to take it for treatment if its injured. If the pet runs off from the accident, circulating the microchip information may reunite you faster.
Service animals need access to their partners, so they should be harnessed and the harness attached to the car seat beside their partner to protect them. Itzl is small, so he gets a car seat that elevates him up so he can see out the car windows. That car seat is strapped to the car's seat and has a harness clip in it. His harness is then clipped to the car seat's harness. He has room to turn around, sit down, lie down, stand up, and he can reach my arm to pat me with his paws. It has rigid sides (unlike his first car seat that had soft sides and when the airbag hit it, it just kept going through the car seat to hit Itzl and cause him a ruptured ear drum and concussion) and the car's seat is set so the airbag will not smack Itzl again, yet it will still provide him some protection. Put a service animal sticker in the window of the car - one that identifies the type of service animal. This alerts the EMTs to your own needs as well as the fact that you and the animal must be kept together. As with the pets, keep a copy of your service animal's vet records, microchip information, and vet information in the glove box.
Spare leashes should always be kept in your vehicle if you travel with animals, at least one per animal.
Waterbowls, food dishes, towels designated for pet use, extra food and treats, bottled water (you can fill the bottles at your tap...), a pet blanket or bed, grooming supplies, and a pet first aid kit should also be kept in the car or taken along in a tote bag for both pets and service animals.
If you travel with a service animal and stay in hotels, include a door tag that identifies that a service animal occupies the hotel room. The animal won't be left alone in the room, of course, but it alerts the cleaning staff so if they have pet allergies, they can take precautions in cleaning it. Since service animals aren't pets and they can occupy rooms that aren't designated pet rooms or be in hotels that are not pet-friendly, it's only polite to alert the cleaning staff.
With service animals, you may also want to provide extra work vests, paw protectors, and a stash of ADA cards. Your service animal does not need to wear identifying patches, tags, or vests, nor does it need an ID card, but a surprisingly huge number of businesses think they can exclude you and your service dog just because they want to. I usually give an ADA card to the manager and suggest they use it to train their staff so future customers partnered with a service animal don't receive the challenges I did.
For more information, you can download this brochure about traveling with pets for free.
Pet First aid Kit
You can get an app for pet first aid.
Or you can purchase a pet first aid book or visit pet first aid websites or take Red Cross classes for pet first aid.
Then, carry a pet first aid kit in addition to your own first aid kit.
A card with:
Phone numbers and your pet's medical record (including medications and vaccination history)
Veterinarian:
Emergency veterinary clinic:
Animal Poison Control Center:
888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435)
(there may be a fee for this call)
Gauze
vetwrap or clings to itself wrap
telfa non-adherent pads
Milk of Magnesia
Activated charcoal
3% Hydrogen peroxide
digital fever thermometer (dogs or cats: 100 - 102)
eye dropped or syringe without needle
muzzle
leash
tongue depressors (can be used as splints for small animals)
neosporin
tweezers
cold compress
heat pack
folding fan
disposable gloves
tick tweezers
scissors
sterile eye wash (not contact lens solution)
chlorhexadine or betadine wipes
Quikclot granules or patches
KY-Jelly
Diphenhydramine (benadryl)
wash cloths
blanket
Pepcid A/C
honey sticks (for pets that need a sugar boost)
Any special medications or customizing for your pet as needed
container to hold all of this
There is, of course, always more, but this should get you started.
See? I said there was more. This is from barbwires:
For the Feathered Friends:
Watch out for the following hazards:
Fumes from overheated non-stick Teflon can kill birds. This includes ovens that often now have non-stick coated surfaces.
No avocado-very toxic to birds.
Birds are sensitive to smoke and it does not take much to damage their air sacs.
A lot of bird toys are not bird friendly--watch out for shredabble material that can lodge in crops. Make sure bird nails do not get caught in chains or ropes on toys. Watch out for bells--the clappers often end up swallowed.
Make sure cages are coated with non-toxic paint.
Make sure you have identified an experienced bird vet for emergencies. Many vets don't have enough experience with birds.
Cats. Even if your cat "knows" not to stalk your bird, cat claws carry bacteria such that a minor injury to a bird can be a major problem. That said, my cats don't mess with my macaw.
Other birds. Supervise interactions very carefully. A macaw can literally remove the bill or head from a smaller bird.
Birds are escape artists, make sure yours has properly clipped wings.
Plan how you would get your bird out in an emergency. I have an extra large cat carrier and a towel so I can retrieve my macaw with minimal damage to the bird or myself. Make sure bird feed is in your emergency kit.