What is a zoonotic disease?  Owning a pet can be a wonderful, rewarding experience for you and your family.  However, pets can transmit diseases that may be harmful to humans - especially young children and people with certain medical conditions.  These are called zoonotic diseases or zoonoses (pronounced zoo-NO-sees).

Spring brings flowers and innocent-looking plants into the garden, yet despite their beauty some of them are deadly to people, birds, and other animals. The most serious effect of plant poisoning to pets is cardiac. When symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea occur, it may already be too late to save your pet's life. However, because these symptoms can indicate other problems, your veterinarian should see the animal immediately.

The best course is to eliminate poisonous plants from your landscaping plans, or make certain that these plants are out of reach for your pets and young children. The following is a partial list of seeds and plants that are poisonous to pets and people.

Although dogs and cats have a good sense what they can and cannot ingest, accidents do happen. Some common pet poisons include the swallowing of very common household items such as weed killers, ammonia, scouring powder, bleach, insecticides, and also a variety of indoor and outdoor plants, and spoiled food. Some signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness, difficulty breathing, and change in pupil size. Your pet may even stumble, go into convulsions, or become unconscious. Do not try to make your pet vomit. Many times this can make the situation worse, as some poisons actually cause as much damage coming up as they do going down. Comfort your pet and make it feel secure, and immediately take it to a veterinarian.  If you know what your pet ingested, take a sample of it to the veterinarian to help determine proper treatment.

Your cat is lost - now what?  Every thirty seconds, a pet becomes lost, stolen or missing in the United States. A curious indoor cat slips out an opened door. A frightened feline darts out of the car at the veterinary clinic. No matter the situation, the disappearance can be devastating to owners. In addition to pet identification you need to know how and where to search for your last cat.  First try to anticipate where your indoor cat may try to go if he or she gets out or becomes lost. 

Statistics show that every thirty seconds, a pet becomse lost, stolen or missing in the United States.  Welcome to the new generation of pet identificatoin systems.  There are systems that go beyond the conventional pet ID metal tag that hangs from a hook on the cat's collar. These new systems greatly increase the changes of reuniting a lost cat with its family. These products require a little more money and time investment than ID tags, but they can give you greater peace of mind knowing that your cat can be identified and returned to you.

Although some animal medical emergencies can be managed at home, others require immediate veterinary attention. These signs indicate an emergency that requires immediate veterinary assessment.

Are you prepared for a feline medical emergency.  Here's what you need for a feline medical crisis in your home.  First of all realize that first-aid does not substitute for veterinary treatment.  Having basic knowledge can help save your cats life while you get him or her to your veterinarian.

Basic know-how in a medical emergency can save your kitten's life.  First aid is the first defense in an emergency until you can reach veterinary care. Know what to do in an emergency situation.