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Don’t Let Pets Get Blown Away by Hurricane Winds!
~Hurricane Preparedness Tips for Pet Owners~
Tampa, Fla., Thursday, May 28, 2009 – Florida Veterinary Specialists is urging pet owners to have a disaster preparedness plan for their pets as we approach the beginning of hurricane season, which begins on June 1. “As you begin storm-proofing your home and stocking up on supplies, we want to remind you to take additional steps to prepare for your four-legged family members,” said Dr. Sonja Olson an emergency veterinarian with Florida Veterinary Specialists.
“Our emergency veterinary service operates a lot like a human hospital in that we stay open around the clock through blue skies or hurricanes,” said Dr. Olson. “We see pet emergencies of all kinds, but when it comes to natural disasters there are steps pet parents can take to protect themselves and their pets by preparing in advance and having a plan.”
Dr. Olson recommends the following tips to prepare you and your pets for hurricane season.
- First-aid Kits for Pets – First-aid kits should include bandage material, wound cleaning materials, first aid creams and anti-histamines.
- Pet Medications – If a hurricane is predicted to strike your area, be sure to have at least a two-week supply of all pet medications.
- Food and Water Supply – Store food and fresh water for at least five days.
- Microchip and Tag Identification – If your pet is spooked by a storm and runs away, having proper identification is paramount to identifying him and getting him back to you as soon as possible.
- Updated Vaccines and Medical Records - Make certain that pets are current on vaccines and have the health records available -- important for travel, hotels and shelters
- Consult Your Family Veterinarian – Consider talking to your family veterinarian about anti-anxiety measures that can be taken for your pets before the intense wind and thunder of Florida’s summer storms begin. Also discuss general needs that may be associated with potential car travel or being moved into a temporary strange environment (i.e. shelter, hotel, family member’s home).
- Emergency Contact – Keep contact information for emergency veterinary hospitals on hand, including phone numbers and addresses.
- Have a Family Plan! – You family should have a plan in place to know what to do in case of evacuation. Organize a list of pet items you will need to bring along with you, including carriers, plastic litter pans, plastic bags for poop pick up, updated medical records, emergency veterinary contact information, medication and food and water. Now you and your four-legged family members are ready to go!
Florida Veterinary Specialists is a referral-based hospital with 24-hour emergency care services dedicated to providing a superior level of patient and client care through close cooperation with the family practitioner. Their specialized services include Acupuncture, Avian & Exotic, Behavioral Medicine, Cardiology, Critical Care, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Oncology & Radiation, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Rehabilitation and Surgery. Florida Veterinary Specialists is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is located at 3000 Busch Lake Blvd. in Tampa. In addition to its Tampa location, FVS has satellite facilities in Clearwater and Brandon. For further information, please visit www.fvs.com.
Florida Veterinary Specialists is a member hospital of BluePearl Veterinary Partners, along with NYC Veterinary Specialists (www.nycvs.com) and Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Kansas City (www.vseckc.com). BluePearl Veterinary Partners merged in 2008 and is one of the leading providers of emergency and specialized referral veterinary medicine.
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