Tips to help you and your pet with the recent floods

Flood Areas

Yes, the Twin Cities' rivers, creeks, and lakes are flooding. Fortunately our home is dry.

Here are some tips for people in flood areas:

• Keep you dogs out of the lakes, creeks, and rivers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly advise to "keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed." Read the CDC tips.
• Water in lakes, creeks, and rivers may be contaminated with chemicals, pesticides, and feces. (I heard of a porta-potty floating in a local lake.)
• Keep your dogs from drinking affected water. This includes "street tea" or the water puddles by the curb.  The water may cause diarrhea.
• Open wounds may get infected from the flood waters.
• Read this great article by a vet on water-borne illnesses in dogs.

Maybe soon Mother Nature will calm down. Let the fields dry, the rivers and lakes recede, and the mosquitoes and ticks leave.

Have a safe July 4^th and please keep your pets inside. Too many pets are lost over the July 4^th holiday.

Source: Elaine Garley, Animal Bridges