Keep Your Cat Safe in a Heat Wave

The temperature is soaring, and it’s only going to get hotter. Make sure you know how to keep your cat safe in the summer heat.

1. Watch out for heatstroke. Symptoms include panting, lethargy, drooling, fever, vomiting and collapse. If you think your cat may have heatstroke, get the vet ASAP — the condition can cause permanent organ damage and death. Learn more about heatstroke in pets.
2. Offer your cat several ways to cool off. Leave a fan on in a place where your cat can sit in front of it, add some ice cubes to her water or offer her a cool treat (check out our recipe for catsicles.)
3. Let your cat find cool spots in the house. Your cat will seek out the cooler parts of your home, so make sure she has access to areas with tile floors or rooms that don’t get much sun.
4. Play in the morning or evening. Any exercise should take place during the cooler hours of the day. This is especially important for young kittens and seniors, both of whom are very vulnerable to heatstroke. (If your cat has just eaten, make sure you give her some time to digest before you begin playtime.)
5. Brush your cat often. A well-groomed, tangle-free coat will help keep your cat cool. (Learn more about grooming your cat.)

Article originally published by PetFinder.

2015 National pet Week Creative Writing Contest

The Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association (Auxiliary to the AVMA) is pleased to announce their annual creative writing contest. This contest will be for the 2015 National Pet Week theme, “Adopt a Pet – A Promise of Love.”

The creative writing entry should center around the NPW theme, should include the NPW theme in the writing, may be a story, essay, or poem, must be no less than 20 words and no more than 200 words in length, must be the writer’s original work, and must be previously unpublished.  An adult may help type the entry but may not change the content or style.  The creative writing contest is open to students in grades Kindergarten through 12^th grade.  All entries must be accompanied by an entry form which has all pertinent information filled in.

To obtain an entry form and ask questions, contact the Auxiliary to the AVMA office, Mary Ellen Bowgren, at mbowgren@avma.org or call 1.847.285.6747.

Send the creative writing entry with the entry form:

By email (the entry form and writing should be in the body of the email and not as an attachment) to mbowgren@avma.org.  The date of the email transmission shall be considered the postmark date.

By mail (the entry form should be attached to the rear of the creative writing in some way) to:     

NPW Creative Writing Contest

Auxiliary to the AVMA

1931 N. Meacham Road Suite 100

Schaumburg, IL 60173

The national winner will receive a $100.00 cash award. Judging will be based on originality, content, and the use of the National Pet Week theme.  Immediate or extended family members of the judges will not be eligible to participate.

Submission of a creative writing entry and entry form entitles the Auxiliary to the AVMA to publish and promote the writing in their projects, promotions or publications. Entries will not be returned and become the property of the Auxiliary to the AVMA.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM

Send the creative writing entry with the entry form:

By email (the entry form and writing should be in the body of the email and not as an attachment) to mbowgren@avma.org.  The date of the email transmission shall be considered the postmark date.

By mail (the entry form should be attached to the rear of the creative writing in some way) to:     

NPW Creative Writing Contest

Auxiliary to the AVMA

1931 N. Meacham Road Suite 100

Schaumburg, IL 60173

E-mail questions to mbowgren@avma.org or call 1.847.285.6747.

Source: http://www.petweek.org/poster-and-writing-contests.html